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I mostly use VPN as an extra layer between man in the middle attacks (or as a quick way to spoof being off-campus for testing proxy servers or Open Athens). With secure HTTPS being a thing, the actual need for a VPN is somewhat reduced, but I figure it can't hurt, especially since Tunnelbear makes setting it up and using it simple. Erich's security analysis of VPNs is something I'd not considered, but I rather doubt it applies in this situation. Not saying a breach couldn't happen, but for someone who only needs it for a short time once a month, a VPN seems like a sufficient additional security option. Good luck. Tom On Sat, Oct 7, 2023 at 9:21 PM charles meyer <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > Hi Erich and Tom, > > Thank you so much for sharing your helpful thoughts, experience with > TunnelBear and links to trusted review sites. > > They are hard to come by for everything these days – consumer goods, > electronics, etc. > > You wrote <snip> If you want the privacy from tracking or surveillance, I > wouldn’t use a free VPN service.” > > What would you use? > > How affordable is that option? > > I’ve since learned she’s been a victim of fraud on the net via Instagram > and Facebook so she doesn’t want be found by these miscreants and wants to > ensure her Social Security money isn’t drained from her bank checking > account via unauthorized withdrawals. > > Would TunnelBear suffice under these circumstances? > > Hi Joe… Thank you for educating me re: what VPNs but what would you do/use > if you were in this patron’s circumstances? > > Hi Tamara, since you don’t recommend using a VPN in these circumstances how > would you suggest someone who isn’t a systems administrator and doesn’t > have that training ascertain how to check that her public WIFI provided by > a smaller public library is secure with a valid certificate? > > She logs on to the net with the library hotspot and types in her bank’s url > (or click the bookmark in Firefox, Brave or Vivaldi) and is prompted for > her user ID and password to her bank web page. Once in to that back she > checks on checking account balance and for any unauthorized debits. > > She then needs to connect to the online credit card bank to log in so she > can transfer funds from her local bank to the credit card bank so she can > pay off her monthly credit card balance. > > Thank you so much. > > Charles. > > Charlotte County Public Library >