Exploring The Best VPN Providers > Zero logs?

Zero logs?

As I was reading along, I couldn't stop thinking, and maybe I am a bit too geeky, but:

You can get a cheap vps server with 128 or 256mb of mem and a single cpu core, and then just use OpenVPN server for your VPN service. I think you can get some VPS servers for as low as 24 a YEAR, with the more oversold virtual platform openvz, and as low as 40/year for a Xen or KVM machine. ymmv

Although, if your doing shady stuff, I would say that your asking for problems with the above config, as there will be a paper trail of some sort from your vps to you(paypal, control panels, etc). But if your someone who would like to have a personal and secure VPN setup for browsing and work usage, I prefer the idea of running my own setup, maintaining my logs, etc.

ihmo of course

reply to SysOp

reply to openvpnman
Even easier than setting up a vpn on your VPS is to use a ssh tunnel with SOCKS v5 proxy.

reply to SysOp
Even if they keep logs, assuming the IP addresses is shared and there was at least 1 other user online at the same time, how could they prove that it was you who did the transfer?
--
PRescott7-2097

They don't. They seize what you have and you prove your innocence. If they find what they are looking for on your machine you enter a plea or take it to trial.

reply to mix
SOCKS is great for tunneling HTTP(S) traffic but it doesn't tunnel DNS, which sometimes is the problem. I like to have both options available.

reply to SysOp
The U.S does not have mandatory data retention, the only exception is with a preservation order from law enforcement or the courts.

reply to SysOp
Odd, the U.S does not have a mandatory data retention law but Sweden does. If you were looking to avoid logs you picked the wrong country.

reply to SysOp
Good countries for VPN:
Argentina - No data retention law
Brazil - No data retention law
Bulgaria - Data retention law not applicable to VPN providers
Cyprus - Data retention law declared unconstitutional (?)
Czech Republic - No data retention law (declared unconstitutional)
Hong Kong - No data retention law (?)
Iceland - No data retention period specified (?); good privacy laws
Japan - No data retention law
Luxemburg - Data retention law not applicable to VPN providers
Netherlands - Data retention law not applicable to VPN providers
Panama - No data retention law
Romania - Data retention law declared unconstitutional
Serbia - Data retention law not applicable to VPN providers (?)
Sweden - Data retention law going into effect in May 2012, but (presumably) not applicable to VPNs
Taiwan - No data retention law (?) + seemingly good privacy laws
Ukraine - No data retention law

"Questionable" Countries:
Australia - No data retention law, but internet regulations are strict & they're on RSF's Internet Surveillance 2012 watch list
Belgium - Data retention law not implemented, but has fairly strict laws & some internet censorship issues (esp. anti-p2p)
Canada - No data retention law, but anti-privacy legislation is rapidly gaining traction
Egypt - No data retention law (?), but privacy laws are dubious & they're on RSF's Internet Surveillance watch list
France - Data retention law not applicable to VPNs, but has strict laws & they're on RSF's Internet Surveillance watch list
Germany - Data retention law declared unconstitutional, but server raids & gov't surveillance are prevalent
Israel - No data retention law, but gov't surveillance is suspected (conflict zone)
Italy - Data retention law not applicable to VPNs, but internet regulations are fairly strict & there are some censorship issues
Malaysia - No data retention law, but has some censorship/server raid issues & they're on RSF's Internet Surveillance watch list
Mexico - No data retention law, but there are concerns about gov't corruption & some internet censorship issues
New Zealand - No data retention law, but there are concerns about gov't surveillance
Russia - No data retention law (?), but they have some censorship issues & they're on RSF's Internet Surveillance watch list
Singapore - Minimal data retention law, but has fairly strict internet regulations & some censorship issues
South Africa - No data retention law, but internet regulations are strict
South Korea - No data retention law, but they have some censorship issues & they're on RSF's Internet Surveillance watch list
United States - No data retention law, but server raids and gov't surveillance are prevalent

Bad Countries for VPN:
Afghanistan - Suspected surveillance by allied forces (war zone)
Armenia - Internet censorship
Austria - Data retention law
Bahrain - Internet censorship
Belarus - Internet censorship
Burma (Myanmar) - Internet censorship
China - Internet censorship + data retention law
Cuba - Internet censorship
Denmark - Data retention law
Estonia - Data retention law
Ethiopia - Internet censorship
Finland - Data retention law
Greece - Data retention law
Hungary - Data retention law
India - Internet censorship + data retention law
Indonesia - Internet censorship
Iran - Internet censorship + data retention law
Iraq - Suspected surveillance by allied forces (war zone)
Ireland - Data retention law
Kuwait - Internet censorship
Latvia - Data retention law
Liechtenstein - Data retention law
Lithuania - Data retention law
Malta - Data retention law
Morocco - Internet censorship
North Korea - Internet censorship (internet infrastructure is virtually non-existent here anyway) :P
Norway - Data retention law
Oman - Internet censorship
Pakistan - Internet censorship
Palestinian Territory - Internet censorship
Poland - Data retention law
Portugal - Data retention law
Qatar - Internet censorship
Saudi Arabia - Internet censorship
Slovakia - Data retention law
Slovenia - Data retention law
Spain - Data retention law
Sudan - Internet censorship
Switzerland - Data retention law
Syria - Internet censorship
Thailand - Internet censorship + data retention law
Tunisia - Internet censorship
Turkey - Data retention law + internet censorship
Turkmenistan - Internet censorship
United Arab Emirates - Internet censorship
United Kingdom - Data retention law
Uzbekistan - Internet censorship
Vietnam - Internet censorship
Yemen - Internet censorship

reply to Ph2012
I don't like the new EU data retention laws that just took effect. Perhaps a Swiss based company? Just not convinced a US based company is the way to go.

Read the TOS from a EU based company in Sweden »www.anonine.com/en/agreement then read the TOS from a US based company »www.privateinternetaccess.com/pa···service/ both claim zero logs but they read so much different.

In an e-mail from »privateinternetaccess.com dated May 9th, 2012 they are pushing BitTorrent users to Swiss and other offshore servers to protect the customers. If BT users are not safe, then no one is safe. Why are the users not safe using US servers?

To our beloved Private Internet Access VPN Subscribers,

The future of the Internet is at risk, with many entities all around the world attempting to take away the freedoms and liberties of the citizens of the world, including people like ourselves and our clients. Our ultimate dream is to protect these freedoms and liberties, as well as the rights to free speech and uncensored access to data on the Internet, which has helped drive prosperity unbeknownst to society.

However, the MPAA has cast a dark shadow on the Internet. We are regretful to inform our subscribers that any BitTorrent activity must now be conducted on our Swiss and other offshore gateways. We have received too many abuse and copyright infringement complaints on our US and UK gateways which has forced us, in order to protect our customers, to this policy change. We do not log our users' network traffic in any way, shape, or form. Your privacy and anonymity is our absolute #1 priority.

However, please rest assured! We still allow P2P activity, including BitTorrent amongst other protocols, to occur on our network. However, if you wish to engage in P2P, once again, please use our offshore gateways. In order to better serve our P2P loving clients, we are speeding up the launch of our new Netherlands Datacenter location which should be ready within 24-48 hours. This new datacenter features a full gigabit capacity with peering to all of the major providers in Europe.

In other words, our speeds and services will only keep improving. We are a peer to peer company, and our mission is to protect you while providing the fastest service, period.

reply to SysOp
What is the company you're using?

privacy.io who is a subcontractor of anonie.com

reply to Bandito

Re: Zero logs?

reply to SysOp
I think you may be incorrect. I use »VPNme.com based out of the US. I switched from HMA as they have required logging.

According to eff.org the US has no logging requirements, and »vpnme.com claims to not log in their privacy policy »vpnme.com/privacy.

»www.eff.org/issues/mandatory-dat···ntion/us

VPNme.com has been kicking a$$ for me especially with no bw limits p2p allowed and two concurrent connections so that I can use my dd-wrt router, and a mobile device at the same time.

just my 2cent.

Lairdo