An Example of Modern Moral Responsibility Avoidance
November 22, 2021
Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) are supposed to be one of the Surfside condo’s garage pillars of network security. In reality, however, it all depends on the VPN provider. We learn about one cryptic hack from Tech.co’s piece, “Researchers Uncover Mystery Data Breach of 300 Million VPN Records.” Writer Jack Turner explains:
“Security firm Comparitech claims to have discovered an exposed database in early October, which held over 100GB of data and 300 million records, in various forms. Within the data that was compromised were 45 million user records that included email addresses, encrypted passwords, full name and username; 281 million user device records including IP address, county code, device and user ID; and 6 million purchase records including the product purchased and receipts. All in all, it represents a motherlode of data that could conceivably be used for nefarious purposes, including phishing campaigns, should it fall into the wrong hands. While the database was closed within a week of Comparitech discovering it, the data it contained has apparently been made public.”
Not good. But what makes this case so mysterious? The VPN provider ActMobile Networks, which operates a number of VPN brands, denies even maintaining any databases. However, we learn:
“According to Comparitech, if the data didn’t come from ActMobile, it came from someone trying very hard to impersonate them. The SSL certificate of the compromised server shows it belonging to actmobile.com, the WHOIS record for the IP address where the data was located is listed as being owned by ActMobile Networks, and the database held several references to ActMobile’s VPN brands.”
Hmm. Turner emphasizes it is important to choose a VPN that indeed does not maintain logs, though they may cost a little more. See the article for Tech.co’s top nine recommendations.
And moral responsibility. Hey, these are zeros and ones, not fuzzy stuff.
Cynthia Murrell November 22, 2021
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