Questions about a program

[dplax]

This year at uni we have to use a program called VPN Client, produced by Cisco systems in order to connect to the internet. If we don't connect to it with our uni user name and password we can only get on to the intranet.

Now last year we simply had to use an IP adress and no program, this was introduced for security reasons as the uni says. Now the program is 6 megs, which seems quite a lot for a security program. I suspect it also gives them the ability to see whatever I do on the net.

Has anyone had any experience with this program? Also would it be safe doing online purchases while I connect through it?

[Thoran]

It's safe. VPN Client is a popular tool typically used by industry to provide mobile users with a secure way to access internal corporate networks from the internet while travelling.


Basically it gives you a secure pipe to another system (an internet gateway server at your university).

This is a bit of a different application, but if anything your connection will be safer than it was before, local users (other students) will not be able to snoop on your internet connection. Of course any web site that's asking for your credit card had better be https in the first place, but it's an added layer of security. I'm not sure why they're doing it... kindof a strange way to use VPN Client.

It likely doesn't give you any added protection on the internet though (except that you can shut the vpn client down when you're not using the internet)

[ 09-13-2005, 04:18 PM: Message edited by: Thoran ]

[Bungleau]

A VPN is a virtual private network -- a secure tunnel in the internet between you and their servers. I use them frequently at work for my company and for a number of my customers.

Basically it establishes a secure and encrypted link between you and the server. Performance will be a little slower (because everything has to be encrypted and decrypted), but it's generally not noticable.

It protects them from unauthorized people entering the network. Before, anyone with an IP address and a password could connect. Now, you also have to have the VPN software and correct VPN connection address.

I'm not sure if this is really true, or just my perception, but I consider that when I'm logged into a VPN, the VPN server can monitor all my network traffic. So web sites I visit, emails I receive, and so on can be monitored and checked if need be. I may be confusing a VPN with a VNC (virtual network connection), but I assume that the other guy can see what I'm doing.

Is it a problem? No.

[dplax]

Thanks for the replies! Does make me feel a bit more secure about using it. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Felix The Assassin]

VPN = Virtual Private Network. AKA: Big (Insert whomever) is watching you! That little M$ note you wrote about the visit to the clinc? Yeap! What about that download you did? Yeap. VPN ain't exactly private to the user, but allows corporate, M$ and others to monitor. Keep in mind, why would M$ want to know about your GFs issues? They don't, but they want to know why you stopped using Internet ExploDer in exchange for Opera or Firefox. But, hey they are only validating you are using a 'certified' copy of their OS. And are allowing you to test their most latest security fixes, issues, and or attacks! Oops, almost forgot, your e-mail can be scanned.

Seriously typing thou. VPN DOES allow corporate monitoring or in your case Uni administrators to monitor your activities whilst on the server. You can use intranet resources without it. I cannot say for sure, but somwhere in their policy it should state how much monitoring and why. Mainly, they want to keep the system clean, and an added bonus will keep your rig clean as well. Also, you more than likely will have net limittaions/restrictions set as well.