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 personalVPN :: Secure by definition.
What the %@#$ is a Virtual Private Network (VPN) really?
A VPN is technology using hardware, software, or both, to protect data across a network, usually the Internet, by building what techies call an “encrypted tunnel.”
Data passes through this “tunnel” which protects it from anyone who tries to intercept it. Even if the data is intercepted, it is hopelessly scrambled and useless to anyone without the key to decrypt it.
Large businesses use VPNs between offices to secure intra-company data and often provide individual “remote access” VPN solutions to home-based or traveling employees to secure data between them and the company’s network.
You also use a VPN when you bank or shop online and see the https:// in your web browser.
Why do I need a “personal” VPN?
Everyone does, they just don’t know it yet. If there wasn’t a need, companies wouldn’t spend big bucks to deploy VPNs for all their offices and employees. WiTopia’s personalVPN™ is an industrial-strength VPN built for the individual. Consider us your personal IT department, but without the attitude.
Isn’t my Firewall and Virus Protection enough?
Not anymore. A Firewall only protects data already on your computer. Virus Protection only protects you from, well, viruses. Neither protects your data in transit to and from your computer.
Why personalVPN™ versus other services?
Because we're better! Of course, we would say that. Here are some facts to consider:
Experience
We played key roles building the world's largest Internet Services Provider -- UUNET. We've engineered and managed Internet security solutions, and the corresponding infrastructure to support those solutions, for thousands of companies worldwide. When you're entrusting your data security to someone, you need to know they know what they're doing. We absolutely do.
Scalability and Reliability
To keep our “Geek-cred” intact, our customers connect through carrier-grade hardware running in a pure Unix environment with uninterruptible diesel generator back up power and a comprehensive network monitoring and management system. This gives us tremendous scalability while offering you unmatched reliability.
Speed
Any VPN will typically slow performance, but the degree to which this happens is very much dependent on many factors.
We have engineered personalVPN™ for optimal performance versus all others. This includes knowing where to place the gateways on the Internet to maximize routing efficiency, using direct unshared connections that we control, constantly monitoring bandwidth and server utilization, as well as other IP networking "tricks of the trade".
The only thing faster than our VPN is the refund we'll give you if you don't agree.
Simplicity
No hardware. One billing plan. One optimized solution.
Support for PC and Mac
Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista (Beta), Macintosh OS X, and Linux. More coming soon!
Fast and Easy Setup
Mac and Windows users can go from online purchase to using the service in 10 minutes or less.
Linux folks contact support@witopia.net after purchase for instructions.
Price
For what we are providing, our value is unmatched. We are able to do this because of the tremendous investment in our infrastructure and the scalability of our design. We also benefit from low pricing from our vendors due to volume and relationships built over many years throughout our careers. If you find VPN services priced significantly higher or lower than ours, caveat emptor. Security for your data is not where you want to cut corners.
Security
With the widely praised openVPN™ software at its core, our service deploys a 128 bit encrypted SSL VPN using the powerful and efficient Blowfish™ cipher. Depending on other factors, higher levels of encryption may simply bog down your processor without providing the security you might think.
Versus an SSL VPN, PPTP based VPNs have their limitations and have been shown to have vulnerabilities. IPsec VPNs are superior to PPTP but suffer from tremendous complexity that can affect reliability and security. We had our choice, and we chose what we did because it was the most secure.
Lastly, we set up our own Secure Certificate Authority and "sign" your unique public key during setup. The private key is never released and resides on our secure systems. These must match before the service will activate and no one can ever see your data without possessing both keys This adds a step in the setup process, and was additional work on our part, but is superior to static or shared key approaches. Beware of any VPN service that skips it.
Privacy and Anonymity
You probably know this, but you can be tracked quite easily by the IP address assigned to you when you go online. Where you are connecting from and sites you visit are all captured by your Internet provider and can be tied directly to the account holder. The websites you visit also capture your IP address. Other than the obvious privacy concerns, this can potentially expose you to certain attacks and SPAM.
personalVPN™ is not just a VPN service. It's an Internet privacy solution. Beyond encrypting all your data to our gateway, we exchange your IP address for one of ours. To everyone on the Internet you are an anonymous user whose traffic originates in our data center. Even your own Internet provider cannot track you or see your traffic.
Your Satisfaction is Guaranteed
personalVPN™ comes with an unconditional 30 day moneyback guarantee.
If it’s not right for you, send Email to sales@witopia.net for a full, fast, and confirmed refund to your credit card.
Where would I use my personalVPN™?
For maximum protection, you really should use it anytime you’re unsure about the security of a network, or the privacy of your data on a network, you’re connecting through. But here are some examples:
WiFi Hotspots are notoriously and shamefully insecure. When you connect at a wireless hotspot, or any unsecured wireless network, all your data (Email, IM, passwords, everything) is broadcasted “through the air” with absolutely no protection. WiFi is really just radio after all.
Your data is easily seen and captured by anyone using any number of free “sniffer” programs. This data theft can be performed, even from miles away, with inexpensive commercial antennas or those fashioned from whiskey tins and potato chip cans. We’re not making this up. If it weren’t so serious, it’d be laugh out loud funny.
There is also something called an “evil twin” attack where hackers set up their laptop to pose as the legitimate hotspot actually letting you on the Internet. As you send and receive your data it’s all being logged on the hacker’s laptop!
When Traveling you may find yourself connecting at your hotel or some other network not your own. Beyond the fact most of these networks likely don’t have the most robust or updated firewalls and virus protection, you are sharing them with lots of strangers. Remember what your parents taught you about strangers? They were right.
Certain Employers, Governments, and other paranoid types may want to spy on you as well. Using our personalVPN™ to encrypt all your data will keep your privacy intact.
Those with home-based businesses and telecommuters without a company-provided remote access VPN.
For personal use at home your cable or DSL should be reasonably safe. Still, with 11 million reported cases of Identity Theft in the last year perhaps it’s better safe than sorry.
Note: If you just want to secure your own home or business wireless network, and its local users as a whole, check out our SecureMyWiFi™ service. personalVPN™ is primarily meant to secure individual device’s data streams on other people’s networks and provide privacy.
How does it work?
When you activate your personalVPN™, it instantaneously builds an encrypted tunnel from wherever you are to our Secure Internet Gateway. All data between you and us is now encrypted. You cannot be sniffed, snooped, or spied on by anyone on your local network or across the Internet. To allow you to use all Internet resources, we assign you a completely random WiTopia Internet address and decrypt your data to its destination (so your intended party can make sense of it). When we receive the data from your destination we re-encrypt it and send it to you through the tunnel. Sound complicated? It only takes milliseconds.
If I am IM’ing with someone is it secured end to end?
If you enable a “direct IM” session with your IM client, and you are both using personalVPN™ all data will be encrypted end to end.
Can personalVPN™ help if my ISP blocks certain websites or services like VoIP?
Yes. personalVPN™ uses non-standard ports which are usually left open by Internet Providers. Also, since your data is encrypted, your provider can’t tell what kind of traffic it is anyways so they usually just leave it alone.
Does personalVPN™ work globally?
Yes. We have happy customers on every continent but Antarctica. With any luck, Global Warming will take care of this soon enough. Just kidding.
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