As Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) have become a widely promoted "privacy tool" in the online world, related advertisements are ubiquitous on websites, apps, and YouTube, touting anonymous browsing and personal data protection. In response, Jeff Crume, IBM's lead in cybersecurity technology, analyzes VPNs in a video, breaking them down step-by-step from real-world network scenarios to explain their technical operation, trust model, and privacy limitations. He argues that VPNs are not a panacea, but rather a tool for "trust redistribution."
Sensitive data being exposed on the public internet; malicious Wi-Fi becomes a common attack method.
Crume points out that when users transmit credit card numbers, ID information, or commercially valuable data over the internet, this content is actually transmitted over the "public internet," much like speaking loudly in public, and may be intercepted by unspecified individuals.
He specifically pointed out one common attack method: in public places such as cafes or restaurants, attackers might set up hotspots with names almost identical to legitimate Wi-Fi networks, luring users to connect by mistake. Once the connection is successful, the data is completely intercepted and viewed by the attackers even before it enters the real internet.
The basic principle of VPN: establishing an encrypted channel.
In response to the aforementioned risks, Crume explains that the core function of a VPN is to establish an encrypted transmission channel between the user's device and the VPN service provider.
Under this architecture, all outgoing data is first encrypted before being sent to the VPN provider. The VPN provider then decrypts the data, determines the destination, re-encrypts it, and forwards it to the actual website. Return data follows the same process.
Therefore, external eavesdroppers, public Wi-Fi attackers, and even the user's Internet Service Provider (ISP) can only see that there is a connection between the user and the VPN provider, but cannot know the actual content or final destination.
The essence of a VPN is not to eliminate trust, but to transfer trust.
Crume emphasizes that regardless of whether a VPN is used, "trust" cannot be eliminated, only transferred. He distinguishes trust objects in different situations as follows:
Without a VPN : Users must trust their ISP and all unknown entities that may come into contact with packets during network transmission.
Enterprise VPN : Employees remotely connect to the company's intranet, essentially entrusting their trust to the employer, focusing on corporate security rather than personal privacy.
Third-party VPNs : Users entrust the trust that was originally scattered across the network and ISP to a VPN service provider.
He stated bluntly that the real function of a VPN is to transform "you originally had to trust many people" into "you now have to completely trust a certain person or organization".
What are the real risks of using third-party VPNs?
Jeff Crume points out that because VPN providers must decrypt traffic midway, they can see where users' connections are going, their IP addresses, usage frequency, and even the actual data content. This leads to several significant risks:
The monetization model for free VPNs : If users do not pay, operators may profit by collecting and selling data.
Cybersecurity risks : Even if the service provider has no malicious intent, user data may still be leaked once the site is hacked.
Legal and judicial requirements : In some countries, VPN providers may be legally required to hand over user records.
He cautioned that the key to using a third-party VPN is not whether it "works" or not, but whether you "truly understand who you trust."
Even setting up your own VPN cannot completely eliminate trust issues.
For users who highly value privacy, Crume also mentioned the practice of "setting up your own VPN," which puts all the infrastructure in your own hands. However, he also pointed out that even so, users still need to trust the VPN software itself. Whether it is an open-source or commercial solution, it involves trusting the code and update mechanisms, and is not without risk.
This article, "Can VPNs Really Protect Privacy? IBM's Cybersecurity Chief Analyzes the Trust Risks Behind It," first appeared on ABMedia, a ABMedia .
