Use of VPN

General Topics
1

I am running XP which is no longer getting security updates and therefore concerned about doing online banking.
I use Firefox browser. There is an addon for firefox that connects you to the Hoxx VPN (hoxx.com) service for free.

I am wondering if this would make my online banking more secure?

2

Since VPN uses encryption, it’s certainly helpful.
If you’re using XP, updates are still available. Take a look here:
https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=52252.msg1233714#msg1233714

3

Thanks for the information. I’ll try it.

4

A ( browser ) VPN only encrypts the internet trafic from your ( browser / ) system to the server of the VPN provider.
As ( all ? ) banks offer secure HTTPS connections, it is better to use HTTPS Everywhere https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/https-everywhere

Greetz, Red.

5

Personally I’m against the use of HTTPS Everywhere, when it forces HTTPS on a non HTTPS location it isn’t geared up to use HTTPS, so I have concerns about just how effective that may be.

I also wonder just how this would effect avasts capability to scan HTTPS content if there is another piece if software trying to enforce HTTPS. I keep thinking of two dogs fighting over the one HTTPS bone.

I also can’t see why if banks are actually using HTTPS why it is better to use HTTPS Everywhere at all. The idea of HTTPS Everywhere I thought was to force HTTPS on non-HTTPS sites.

6

Hi David :slight_smile:

HTTPS Everywhere only enables HTTPS encryption automatically on sites that are known to support it.

Greetz, Red.

7

But I can’t see the point of that, if as you say the site is/will already be using HTTPS.

So its name HTTPS Everywhere needs to be changed is it doesn’t apply HTTPS Everywhere. That said, I still have a concern if avast is trying to scan the https site and HTTPS Everywhere is trying to control the https connection.

8

David, you are missing the point :stuck_out_tongue:

When you make a HTTP request to a site, HTTPS Everywhere looks if the site supports HTTPS, and if so it will rewrite the request to HTTPS.

Greetz, Red.

9

I get concerned with all of this flip flopping around and how this manipulation might effect avasts ability to scan HTTPS traffic.