Safepay and VPN
Hi... I see that BD has recently added Hotspot Shields' VPN to their security suite. I also see that Safepay has the option to automatically connect to the VPN when the Safepay browser is opened. Can anyone tell me exactly what extra security is provided by using the Safepay browser with the VPN enabled.
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Where do you see vpn?I have total security and dont see anything about a vpn?0 -
Hi.....About 3 days ago, after an update, there was a VPN feature added to the Bitdefender GUI. There is a free version which is very limited and also a paid version which has unlimited traffic.
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VPN is an absolutely secure channel that connects your device to the Internet with any other on the worldwide network.
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Thanks for your reply Rampant. Nice to see you back on the forums by the way. Yes, I can understand using a VPN if you are making a financial transaction over an unsecured wireless network. What about using Safepay on an ethernet or secured wireless connection, Does a VPN add security in that case? I have never used a VPN before so I'm just trying to assess the pros and cons. Seems to me you have to have faith in the integrity of the VPN provider. I'm already trusting BD with the inner workings of my computer and I'm not sure I want to do that with another third party.0 -
1 hour ago, ozziebear said:
What about using Safepay on an ethernet or secured wireless connection, Does a VPN add security in that case?
Hi! If you are in public places, connecting through a protected channel VPN is recommended. The fact that the free version does not offer a choice of different servers, does not fix me, that's why I use Proton VPN services.
Bitdefender VPN0 -
So you need to pay an additional price for this service despite a paid subscription?
No thanks!! ill pass0 -
20 hours ago, ozziebear said:
Hi.....About 3 days ago, after an update, there was a VPN feature added to the Bitdefender GUI. There is a free version which is very limited and also a paid version which has unlimited traffic.
I dont have that on my gui(total security)?
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Do you have this build?
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no i have 22.0.17.2090 -
7 minutes ago, brihy1 said:
no i have 22.0.17.209
Is it not updating for you?0 -
When i look in notifications its updating fine,last update 31 minutes ago?Does this come through automatic updates?0 -
Yes it should. BD support did say that they were rolling out this update gradually. You should get it before long.0 -
ok that must be why,thanks0 -
On 1/25/2018 at 10:13 AM, Rampant said:
Hi! If you are in public places, connecting through a protected channel VPN is recommended. The fact that the free version does not offer a choice of different servers, does not fix me, that's why I use Proton VPN services.
Bitdefender VPN
I had started a topic "Is VPN really a must for me" before I read your reply.
Your post led me to read all of the reviews about Proton VPN. Then I opened the link you provided. In it, I found the answers to my question(s)
Which, in turn, encouraged me to go ahead and buy the Bitdefender VPN.0 -
8 hours ago, mdgboxx said:
Which, in turn, encouraged me to go ahead and buy the Bitdefender VPN.
I'm glad I could be of use to you.0 -
Dont barther with this if you got more then 40/40 mbit connection, it wont give you more speed then that, and you waste money on your internet, if you got 100 / 100 you will still only get worth for 40 / 40 connection, it simply just to bad a service for any people with high speed internet.0 -
Nice Thread question ozziebear, as that's what I was wondering too, as I'm giving BD another try. So the VPN feature is good for general web surfing encryption protection, wirelessly and even hard wired via ethernet, and Safepay for working "outside" of the OS mainly for online banking and online purchases?
VPN isn't meant to increase speed, is it, and could slow speed down (#10 Rampant's link), so am I missing something, or not understanding Manniala's above post?
I need to get back up to speed with BD, so your question and Rampant's link was very helpful. It's good to see all the BD faithful who are still here
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columbo...long time, nice to see you back on the forums. I'm still trying to figure out this VPN business. Does it make Safepay safer. I really haven't received a definitive answer to that one. It seems to me that everything you do over a VPN would be logged on a server somewhere, in this case Hotspot Shield, and anyone with access to that server could see your info. You have to trust the VPN provider when they tell you that they don't keep logs or that they erase the logs. On the upside, having access to servers in other countries would probably be a good thing. For now , I have Safepay configured to use the VPN but as I said , I'm not sure how much security this adds. All in all BD has been working fairly well for me. I don't have any major complaints.0 -
2 hours ago, columbo said:
It's good to see all the BD faithful who are still here
Also glad to see my friend!0 -
1 hour ago, Rampant said: Also glad to see my friend!
Good to see you, friend I like the Avatar, very cool, very original 0 -
Absolutely nobody is going to comment on the fact that Bitdefender VPN is powered by Hotspot Shield? Nobody? We're just going to leave that hang there? Come on guys, I expect more of you.0 -
2 hours ago, Captain Obvious said:
Absolutely nobody is going to comment on the fact that Bitdefender VPN is powered by Hotspot Shield? Nobody? We're just going to leave that hang there? Come on guys, I expect more of you.
All vendors buy other people's technologies.0 -
5 hours ago, Captain Obvious said:
Absolutely nobody is going to comment on the fact that Bitdefender VPN is powered by Hotspot Shield? Nobody? We're just going to leave that hang there? Come on guys, I expect more of you.
3 hours ago, Rampant said:
All vendors buy other people's technologies.
I tend to agree with Rampant on this one. Bitdefender VPN (Hotspot Shield) is a service they're providing, take it or leave it. At least it makes BD users aware of that option, and in my case to maybe do some research on their own as far as this type of protection.
Regarding the privacy concerns (info being submitted to 3rd party vendors) especially of the free version, and maybe but totally not sure regarding the paid version, again, may not outweigh the option to use BD VPN and its ease of use being tied in with BD itself. I did go with a different vendor, but again, it was a nice option to include with BD, IMO.0 -
14 hours ago, columbo said:
I tend to agree with Rampant on this one. Bitdefender VPN (Hotspot Shield) is a service they're providing, take it or leave it. At least it makes BD users aware of that option, and in my case to maybe do some research on their own as far as this type of protection.
Regarding the privacy concerns (info being submitted to 3rd party vendors) especially of the free version, and maybe but totally not sure regarding the paid version, again, may not outweigh the option to use BD VPN and its ease of use being tied in with BD itself. I did go with a different vendor, but again, it was a nice option to include with BD, IMO.
Except the problem being that Hotspot Shield notoriously logs your connection and sells information about your browsing habits to advertising companies. This is both in the free version and in the paid version. With that being the case, why bother using the VPN at all? You might as well just connect to the raw internet.
So with that being said, how does it weigh now? Let's face it, Hotspot Shield is probably the most unscrupulous of the VPN venders. Bitdefender should not have touched it with a 10 foot pole. Especially when there are so many other VPN companies that are far better than Hotspot Shield.0 -
7 hours ago, Captain Obvious said:
Except the problem being that Hotspot Shield notoriously logs your connection and sells information about your browsing habits to advertising companies. This is both in the free version and in the paid version. With that being the case, why bother using the VPN at all? You might as well just connect to the raw internet.
So with that being said, how does it weigh now? Let's face it, Hotspot Shield is probably the most unscrupulous of the VPN venders. Bitdefender should not have touched it with a 10 foot pole. Especially when there are so many other VPN companies that are far better than Hotspot Shield.
I agree with you that's pretty much what I said in my post. I maybe was just a little vague, "privacy concerns and 3rd party vendors" but if I want to help here I think I need to be a bit more diplomatic.
Who knows what went into the decision making as far as BD choosing Hotspot Shield for their VPN. Maybe they were the lowest bidder or that it it played nicely with BD?
But in doing my own research and the concerns we both brought up, I went with Express VPN. I also went with a vendor that wasn't tied in with BD, just in case I changed my AV in the future for whatever reason.0 -
17 hours ago, columbo said:
I agree with you that's pretty much what I said in my post. I maybe was just a little vague, "privacy concerns and 3rd party vendors" but if I want to help here I think I need to be a bit more diplomatic.
Who knows what went into the decision making as far as BD choosing Hotspot Shield for their VPN. Maybe they were the lowest bidder or that it it played nicely with BD?
But in doing my own research and the concerns we both brought up, I went with Express VPN. I also went with a vendor that wasn't tied in with BD, just in case I changed my AV in the future for whatever reason.
Express VPN is an amazing non-logging VPN service. Good choice!
As for the "why" it's most likely that they were the lowest bidder. Hotspot shield is the cheapest of the "big name" VPNs. I mean really, look what you're paying for Express VPN, then look at what Hotspot Shield charges. It's clear that Bitdefender was simply willing to sacrifice their customer's privacy and security for offering a low price VPN. The lower price will entice more customers to sign up and thus earn more royalties for Bitdefender. It's clear they made an unethical business decision in this VPN debacle. Make no mistake, it was a good business choice, but a poor choice ethically speaking.0 -
Hi,
We do keep some logs however they are logs related to usage statics, that allow us to identify issues with the service.
None of the information can be used to identify specific customers, or what the VPN is actually used for (so we don't know what websites you are browsing, what files you are downloading and so on).
As direct comparisons with other competitive services are forbidden on the forums, I am closing this thread.
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