Google VPN

October 16, 2005 9:50 AM

The end of all other anonymous proxies? The only disadvantage I found - it's one-time login, if you disconnect, next time you'll have to get another user/pass pair. But vpnsecurity.org is charging $40 monthly...
P.S. Correct link is https://vpn.google.com/getpass/ but I couldn't use https in URL field.
posted by snark9 (29 comments total)

Could you please explain what this post is about?

Clicking on the link brings up an XML looking document, with a server address, username and password.

Attempting to go to the server results in the operation timing out.

I'm a bit confused as to what all of this is supposed to mean.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 10:03 AM on October 16, 2005

[this is weird]
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 10:05 AM on October 16, 2005

Also, shouldn't use a snipURL or tinyURL addy for an FPP.
posted by moonbird at 10:06 AM on October 16, 2005

i think it's related to this, which is windows only.
posted by andrew cooke at 10:06 AM on October 16, 2005

Just counting the syllables... No, it's not a haiku.
posted by 327.ca at 10:07 AM on October 16, 2005

Lucy! You got some 'splainin to do!
posted by tweak at 10:10 AM on October 16, 2005

In short: Unless you're on a home or trusted network, you are vulnerable to ne'er-do-wells who can sniff you passwords, monitor your traffic, etc if you are out in the world somewhere and connected ot the internet. This is becoming an increasing problem with the rise of WiFi.

One way around this is to use a VPN while out in the world, which some smaller-ish companies (vpnsecurity among them) have been offering on a pay basis. Most big companies with any sense of security already provide this service to on-the-road employees, but if you're Joe Sixpack and not too kung-fu with the networking, it isn't trivial to get one for yourself unless you use a 3rd party.

Should one want to use such a service for a bit of anonymity, that, too, is a benefit. You pop onto the vpn, do what you have to do, and leave. Depending on how this is implemented, this can have the added benefit of little in the way of a traceable trail back to you.

Google has recently unveiled their plans to do so as well, only so far it has only been beta'ing the service in the SF area. The fact that VPN.google.com is now responding means they're a bit further into the plan.
posted by bhance at 10:11 AM on October 16, 2005

It's not Windows-only, as you can use it like any other PPTP configuration (i.e. on OS X), but their client is. If you get something to parse the data from the terrible FPP first link (the XML one), you can just connect using any old VPN software more or less.

This is still a repeat and a shoddy FPP, for shame, for shame.
posted by kcm at 10:12 AM on October 16, 2005

Neat. It's a shame I can't get it to work. Anyone having any luck with this?

And you really shouldn't link to unformatted XML and rely on others to explain it for you.
posted by musicinmybrain at 10:35 AM on October 16, 2005

I miss HugeURL.
posted by gramschmidt at 10:50 AM on October 16, 2005

I've been using the Applescript kcm linked to for a while. It works pretty well.
posted by cillit bang at 11:04 AM on October 16, 2005

I'm sorry I didn't explain it any further, but there's already good description above, thanks to bhance and kcm.
posted by snark9 at 11:38 AM on October 16, 2005

This is awesome, snark9, thanks!

And for all you haters, are you really so lost that you can't put (1) Mention of VPN + (2) A Server Address + (3) A Username + (4) A Password = Free VPN together?
posted by ori at 12:25 PM on October 16, 2005

"Unless you're on a home or trusted network, you are vulnerable to ne'er-do-wells who can sniff you passwords, monitor your traffic, etc ... One way around this is to use a VPN while out in the world..."

Not unless you trust whoever is in control of the other end of the VPN. Moreover, anything beyond that point is in the open.

And if it's a for-profit entity providing the vpn service, I would be especially disinclined to trust them. If it's Google, you can be sure they're data-mining and selling the results to advertisers.

So I don't see how this solves anything.
posted by jam_pony at 12:26 PM on October 16, 2005

Well, OK, it does solve the one problem - your traffic is no longer sniffable on the first segments. To be more accurate then, you're trading one insecurity for another.
posted by jam_pony at 12:39 PM on October 16, 2005

Huh... Why would this end all other anon proxies?
posted by delmoi at 1:28 PM on October 16, 2005

I think he meant, because it's Google it will be user-friendly and will become popular, and others will fade away. But other search engines slog on despite Google and some of them are good. Even the widely appreciated Google maps hasnt killed off mapquest, etc.

In this case it won't happen. Only more knowledgable users want anon proxies in the first place, and most of them will seek out non-Google proxies because of the securiy considerations as mentioned above. Google might do a good job of selling to the cyber-ignorant masses, I suppose, but the demand for non-commercial alternatives would not be affected even then.

Still, it's interesting to see Google offering yet another online service.
posted by jam_pony at 2:07 PM on October 16, 2005

Most people don't know this, but you can setup XP pro to be a VPN server, although it restricts it to one simultaneous login. I have my desktop at home provide a VPN for my laptop when I'm using insecure wi-fi. Once it's setup I just have to click the VPN button and it automatically connects in a few seconds.
posted by cameldrv at 2:34 PM on October 16, 2005

Most people don't know this, but you can setup XP pro to be a VPN server

Care to share a link with more info?
posted by gen at 5:15 PM on October 16, 2005

So basically, if I use this random username and password for my VPN connection, it makes my connection essentially only as good as the SSL encryption? Not to mention jampony's point.
posted by Plutor at 5:54 PM on October 16, 2005

I still don't what the hell this post was about.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 7:03 PM on October 16, 2005

And for all you haters, are you really so lost that you can't put (1) Mention of VPN + (2) A Server Address + (3) A Username + (4) A Password = Free VPN together?

Go back to slashdot.
posted by smackfu at 8:04 PM on October 16, 2005

Go back to slashdot.

You mean this isn't Fark?
posted by taursir at 7:13 AM on October 17, 2005

Currently it doesn't work. I can't connect and the IP doesn't respond to my ping. :/
posted by cheerleaders_to_your_funeral at 8:42 AM on October 17, 2005

anonymous proxy != VPN
posted by bitdamaged at 9:25 AM on October 17, 2005

Just to reiterate that point from the google TOS

Google may log some information from your web page requests as may the websites that you visit. We do this to understand how Google Secure Access is being used and to improve our services. Google Secure Access does not log cookies and strips potentially sensitive query data from the end of requests to help better protect your privacy.

Google also logs a small set of non-personally identifiable information -- such as routing information, session durations and operating system and Google Secure Access client version numbers -- in order to create your Google Secure Access connection, understand how people are using Google Secure Access and help us maintain the Google Secure Access client.

Google will not sell or provide personally identifiable information to any third parties except under the limited circumstances described in the Google Privacy Policy. If Google concludes that we are required by law or have a good faith belief that collection, preservation or disclosure of additional information is reasonably necessary to protect the rights, property or safety of Google, our users or the public, such as if we believe the Google Secure Access service is being abused, we may for a limited period of time preserve additional internet traffic or other information.

posted by bitdamaged at 10:13 AM on October 17, 2005

Metafilter: Are you really so lost that you can't put (1) Mention of VPN + (2) A Server Address + (3) A Username + (4) A Password = Free VPN together?

Oh, and this link makes my brain hurt.
posted by Outlawyr at 10:30 AM on October 17, 2005

Gone now. So sad, too bad.
posted by tiamat at 4:41 AM on October 25, 2005

Ay, bummer.
posted by ori at 11:18 PM on October 26, 2005