Pipexer, it's the "very little to worry about" that is my problem, namely quoting a previous post: "the broadband connection [could still] be broken, slowed down, stopped and started". And as mentioned also a wire tap could see the VPN gateway being connected to (this is it looks like causing me problems). Also I'd kind of prefer if a hacker could not see my surfing fingerprint (temporally), which would be trivial with a wire tap.

One final not entirely insignificant issue also, I'm suggesting encrypted VPN packages do not work fully out of the box - subscribers are being lulled into a false sense of security (unaware of the work it takes to set them up fully properly). You may say that not many people need that level of peace of mind, but the information should still be provided.

But I don't get what the issue is if they could see the VPN gateway being connected to? The authentication process would have been encrypted, so all they can see is "oh look cerberus2 has connected to his private VPN service, but I can't see his username or password", and from that point it would be "he is doing something on the internet, but that is all I know".

The next level above that is getting a fiber optic line installed - this cannot be tapped easily. But if someone was determined, they could break into the exchange and tap it more easily there.

I don't see how someone seeing you are doing something with the internet would be a risk.... Unless (and I must state: I am not implying you are doing this) you was doing something dodgy and someone had tracked your approximate location, and you wanted to ensure they could not detect you was using the internet, in which case you are stuffed. In this instance you should have ensured that your location was never given away in the first place.

The problem is consumers are to blame for this invasion of privacy int he first place, they would rather have convenience at the expense of having their privacy invaded, half of them go and air all their dirty laundry on Facebook anyway. Anyone concerned about privacy ought to be savvy enough to know how to use these encryption utilities and services like Tor etc.

Edited by Pipexer (Sun 24-Feb-13 23:26:17)

In reply to a post by Pipexer:

I would question why the cops need to look at your internet connection?

I actually don't personally even want police to look at my Internet connection legally - police corruption is by no means unknown - a bit too much to be comfortable to be honest in may own nic of the woods. But at the same time bona fide police do need to be able to do their job.

How do you know the people running the Tor node, or the VPN system, or the operating system are not looking closely at what you are doing.

If you are a high value target for the local thieves, then I would suggest retaining a full time computer security expert to advise you.

Check out RevKs blog, he makes some very good points about it all, which I have to say almost always agree with: http://revk.www.me.uk/

(He is the MD of AAISP)

Back on to your wire tapping question though why are you concerned about someone being able to see if you are using a VPN connection? You clearly know a fair bit about this but I am failing to understand your particular reasons for worrying about this. You have probably compromised your privacy more by posting on this forum than the risk of someone wire tapping your connection.

In reply to a post by Pipexer:

Anyone concerned about privacy ought to be savvy enough to know how to use these encryption utilities and services like Tor etc.

There I very much disagree!

By the way thanks for the tip on fibre - Virgin Media are upgrading fibre cables in my area in the next few months - I shall look into it.

The issue with the IP of the VPN gateway being in clear text (servers have to know where a packet is going) - I found when I connected to an overseas gateway my broadband speed was being throttled down to about a quarter, yet when I connected to a national gateway, it was back to 100%. Applying some deduction, and I think I have a MITM problem. So I ring Virgin, "is this wire tap business a myth or does it really happen, and if so what do I do about it" (even just answering the former would help to rule a few possibilities out) - and they don't give me an 'effing reply. So I am here on message boards asking from the ground up what the reality of wire taps of domestic broadband is, and what we can expect regarding this from our ISPs. If hackers could theoretically break into an exchange (corrupted staff, etc. - a reality once you have been around a while) then if a user reports issues I would expect an ISP to provide a coherent response (I think my problem though is probably the first few dozen metres of cable).

OK, if you already know this apologies for stating the obvious, but when you say "wire tapping", we take this as tapping the wire (physically, or maliciously without your knowledge), if something is monitoring the connection inline and is "intentional", this is not wire tapping, as it is actually its own part in the connection. You may be getting confused and possibly jumped to a conclusion.

What you experienced there is traffic management, the wire is not being tapped, it is a box inline at your ISP which is monitoring the traffic and applying a QoS depending on the type. If the traffic is not recognized, then it will be throttled, the algorithms are complicated and customized by each ISP so its always difficult to ascertain why one type of traffic is prioritized different to the next.

You won't have got a reply because their 1st line support representatives wont have a clue about traffic management or much else for that matter.

Use an ISP which does not do traffic management, and this will not be an issue.* (Who better than AAISP, who are mad keen on privacy)

*For the pedantic: I am aware the ISP peering etc could cause this, but not likely to affect a broadband connection speed, and if so, then a good reason to move ISP anyway.

Edited by Pipexer (Mon 25-Feb-13 00:18:02)

In reply to a post by Pipexer:

In reply to a post by Ignitionnet:

*Snigger* I'm stuck between wanting to be amused by the comment on prejudice and the last couple of paragraphs.

You, sir, are a genius, and I hope the local area thieves do not put time and resources into you!

You are slightly out of order, and while you probably meant it in jest, you should have not brought the pedophile nonsense into it.

People have a right to protect their privacy, just because they want to protect their privacy and anonymity, does not mean they are dodgy or up to illegal activities.

Sense of humour transplants are through door number 4.

If your nerdiness precludes humour the 2 most common reasons for the government to wiretap are terrorism or paedophilia, hence reference to them both.

*Sigh*

That's what they tell you, that is just to get paranoid parents etc on board - who should know better.

Btw, I can totally take the joke, but once you get into the territory of joking about those 2 matters you inevitably wind someone up. It is just best to not go there.