Is playing online with a VPN safer?

[Mega Ultra Chicken]

I know some games like older CoDs have RCE exploits and stuff like that. In general, is it better to use VPNs for multiplayer on PC?

[cSg|mc-Hotsauce]

Messaggio originale di BlackDragon875:

I know some games like older CoDs have RCE exploits and stuff like that. In general, is it better to use VPNs for multiplayer on PC?

VPN have RCE vulnerabilities too.

[Start_Running]

Its not really any safer. VPNs kinda tend to sell themselves on a false premise and paranoia.

[Mega Ultra Chicken]

Messaggio originale di cSg|mc-Hotsauce:

Messaggio originale di BlackDragon875:

I know some games like older CoDs have RCE exploits and stuff like that. In general, is it better to use VPNs for multiplayer on PC?

VPN have RCE vulnerabilities too.

:summercat2023:

Yeah, that's what I thought. Private servers are probably safer.

[ShelLuser]

Messaggio originale di BlackDragon875:

I know some games like older CoDs have RCE exploits and stuff like that. In general, is it better to use VPNs for multiplayer on PC?

Nope. VPN's are severely overhyped and are arguably more unsafe.

Basically all a VPN does is route all data your through a 3rd party gateway owned by the VPN company. Fun fact: said company doesn't have to follow the same regulations like an Internet provider does, things like not being allowed to spy on you or (ab)use your data for commercial purposes.

But yah, if you play through a VPN then not only are things going to become much slower, but the other players still connect to your game like usual and if said game has remote explots then... it'll still be vulnerable for that.

[breadman]

no, quite the opposite, they increase the risk

[Satoru]

A VPN only provides point to point encryption. Which means the only things it does are

1) encrypt data between 2 points
2) that's literally it

VPN vendors have been peddling FUD for a decade convincing users that VPNs are 'security'. They're not. They do one extermely specific thing, which is totally and utterly useless for most users. They are important for CORPORATE users as you want to ensure your employees are connecting to your internal network in a controlled manner. For regular users, your traffic being encrypted between yoru PC and the VPN provider provides pretty much zero useful security

As for privacy? The only one who can theoretically 'spy' on your is your ISP. Unless you are in a dictatorship where ISPs rat out users to the government, what are you doing.

VPNs by definition makes things slower, not faster. It requires time/computing to both encrypt and decrypt packets on both ends. There are very few scenarios where any networking would improve over a VPN, since nearly 99% of all actual problems are in the last mile, which a VPN isn't going to make better in any way.

[AlexTheRedScout]

Messaggio originale di BlackDragon875:

I know some games like older CoDs have RCE exploits and stuff like that. In general, is it better to use VPNs for multiplayer on PC?

no

[lightwo]

Depends on the game and what kind of VPN you meant.

There's the "relay" type of VPN setup that just relays your connection like a proxy, it can be useful if you're well known and as such risk getting attacked (DDoS usually) once your address has been found. GTAV is one example.

There's also the "traditional" type of VPN (ex. Hamachi, ZeroTier, or your own WireGuard/OpenVPN VPN server) which can be used to emulate a LAN or help bypass NAT, so that you or one of your friends can host a game on their own.

But regarding RCEs, VPNs make no difference.

[ReBoot]

Just to get this straight, VPNs don't do ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ against RCEs.

[Overseer]

I don't know how anybody could ever think a VPN would add security. All it does is change routing. You would need to do DPI to detect malicious content, and that would not only be a problem with encryption but also add delay on top of legal challenges.

[Mega Ultra Chicken]

Messaggio originale di Overseer:

I don't know how anybody could ever think a VPN would add security. All it does is change routing. You would need to do DPI to detect malicious content, and that would not only be a problem with encryption but also add delay on top of legal challenges.

If you're just web surfing and trying to download things, it's a lot safer than not using a VPN. It's not the case though with multiplayer.

[ReBoot]

Messaggio originale di BlackDragon875:

Messaggio originale di Overseer:

I don't know how anybody could ever think a VPN would add security. All it does is change routing. You would need to do DPI to detect malicious content, and that would not only be a problem with encryption but also add delay on top of legal challenges.

If you're just web surfing and trying to download things, it's a lot safer than not using a VPN. It's not the case though with multiplayer.

That's the thing: IT'S NOT! VPN ads love lying to you about VPNs adding se urity, but ads lying ain't exactly news.

[Overseer]

Messaggio originale di BlackDragon875:

If you're just web surfing and trying to download things, it's a lot safer than not using a VPN. It's not the case though with multiplayer.

And those website not knowing the region you are from makes what exactly safer? Those websites will still use cookies and other identification methods to track you, which can even expose you the moment you stop using the same VPN.

[Mega Ultra Chicken]

Messaggio originale di Overseer:

Messaggio originale di BlackDragon875:

If you're just web surfing and trying to download things, it's a lot safer than not using a VPN. It's not the case though with multiplayer.

And those website not knowing the region you are from makes what exactly safer? Those websites will still use cookies and other identification methods to track you, which can even expose you the moment you stop using the same VPN.

The FBI is not going to come knocking on your door for downloading TV shows. You may get an email from your ISP for downloading that content. But your VPN can spoof your IP address.

[Cathulhu]

A VPN can not protect you from an RCE in CoD.