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Do I really need a VPN or does DNS over HTTPS does the trick? (discuss.tchncs.de)

submitted 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) by nutbutter@discuss.tchncs.de to c/privacy@lemmy.ml

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Considering my threat model is just preventing my ISP to know which websites I am visiting and to prevent my government (India) from tracking me, do I need to use a VPN?

Currently, I am using a trusted VPN provider with a permanent kill switch and am never off of the VPN. Today, I was reading IVPN's homepage and it says, "A VPN can be effective at encrypting your DNS requests so your ISP or mobile network provider cannot monitor or log the domains you visit." But as far as I know, DNS over HTTPS does encrypt the DNS requests. Right?

I regularly clean my cookies, use hardened browsers, etc. So is a VPN really necessary for me? Or shall I just shift to using Quad9's DoH or something?

Edit - I am using the router provided by the ISP and I cannot change it because I am behind CGNAT. I can use a separate device and install PfSense or OpenWRT or something on it and use that as a firewall. Any suggestions there?

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[–] br3ad@infosec.pub 2 points 1 year ago (2 children)

How do you access banking apps/websites with always-on VPN and permanent kill switch?

[–] nutbutter@discuss.tchncs.de 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

My banking apps and netbanking work just fine regardless of which country I am connected to. UPI (unified payments interface) requires an Indian IP, though. But I can still do everything while connected to my VPN provider.

[–] br3ad@infosec.pub 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

None of my banking apps work with VPN even with a spoofed Indian IP. UPI works without issue for me as well.

[–] Sequence5666@lemmy.world 1 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (1 children)

The good one like Mullvad does not have a server in India. Do you recommend something as good as Mullvad for accessing UPI and strem vid apps?

[–] br3ad@infosec.pub 1 points 8 months ago

I haven't used mullvad but I do use protonvpn. On my android phone icici banking app doesn't work even while being whitelisted. Prime video needs to be whitelisted but functions. Didn't find an issue with Netflix. Haven't tested other platforms.

[–] JohnEdwa@kbin.social 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Not OP, but back when I used Surfshark it had the ability to allow bypassing the VPN only for certain programs, IPs or URLs.
I mostly used it to get less latency with online games or getting access to them in the first place as often I'd encounter login servers that just didn't work though a VPN.

[–] br3ad@infosec.pub 1 points 1 year ago

Thanks! I will look into my VPN client and see if it provides this feature.