[liberationtech] VPN HexaTech

[Nathan of Guardian]

On Wed, Feb 3, 2016, at 06:08 AM, Amin Sabeti wrote:
> VPN HexaTech has become popular amongst Iranians:
> https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/vpn-hexatech-free-proxy-vpn/id1053874290?mt=8
> 
> I've done a brief research and found out an Indian company is behind it.
> I cannot find anything else.
> 
> Have you heard about this VPN by any chance?

Ultimately, it is a single-hop VPN using a closed-source app, with
little details on what type of protocol or cryptography they are using.
If you choose to trust it, it will only be because they say "you can
trust us!", and not because of any other technical or operational
scrutiny they have opened themselves up to.

Also, while I have deep admiration and affection for the people and
country of India, having a VPN-based in a jurisdiction with a complex
relationship to cryptography, surveillance and lawful intercept does not
seem optimal.

Free and fast is hard to ignore for typical users, and if all people are
looking for is a way to get to blocked sites, then sure, it probably
fills that need in the most minimum way. I think asking "How can this
possibly be free?" is always a good exercise, especially when it is not
a volunteer-driven network like Tor. Also, Psiphon and Lantern are doing
some great work on the one-hop mobile proxy/VPN front these days, so
probably best to point people in those directions.

+n


-- 
  Nathan of Guardian
  nathan at guardianproject.info