bwanshoom wrote:
2oldman wrote:
LittleBill wrote:
let me clarify, please provide real life examples of this happening. i am well aware of how it works
Yes, because I can't recall a single report on this board (in 13 years) of it happening to anyone.
I agree that a MITM is a considerably rare likelihood for the average person. But anyone who was a victim of it would almost certainly never know that it occurred. They might see the symptoms, but never any evidence of the attack.
A better question is has anyone ever had their financial information compromised (bank account, debit card, credit card) and if so, do you know with 100% certainty exactly how it happened? I've had my credit card compromised twice (and reissued twice by the bank out of caution), but I never knew how they got my information. But I doubt either case was from a MITM.
The problem is that it is very difficult to prove. I have had my Credit card replaced twice and Debit card twice in the last few years. In all 4 cases I called the bank and insisted I speak to a supervisor in their security department and got the same answer every time "they cannot disclose which of their clients was compromised, or how they were compromised".
Add to that, that as pointed out, the end user has no way of knowing they were compromised, until their credit score goes down the toilet. This is why it is so dangerous.
Finally when using most public WIFI the "agreement" page you are clicking on in your browser often includes language that they are not liable for anything that happens on the public WIFI, Si it is in the best interest of McDonalds or Starbucks to not monitor the traffic for MIM attacks, and even if they did detect one it is in their interest to not disclose it as the customer was warned of the risk and it would only make them look bad.
The point is not to prove it has been done to one of us, the point is it is very easy to do and the risks are quite high if it does happen. And I can say that I legally cannot give any details on any cases I may or may not have been involved in, but I can say I have seen it happen, I have collected forensic evidence for it, and I have seen successful prosecutions of it.
Just remember the next time you go to a campground and the neighbors bored kid or grand kid who really did not want to go camping, could VERY easily with virtually no skill, in a few minutes harvest enough information about you and sell it on the internet for some money to buy the next Call of Duty or Grand Theft Auto.
I cannot force or convince anyone to use a VPN when doing sensitive tasks on public WIFI like banking, but my professional opinion is: it is possible, I have seen it happen, it will happen again, and just because you are a camper in a less populated area does not make you immune.
As the OP originally asked for VPN recommendations as opposed to political statements on the need, likelihood, or risk of VPNs, I will get off my soap box and stand by my original recommendation that Cyberghost is a good choice.
