Fast Company recently covered a story about a blogger named José Casanova who claimed that he had hacked Kayak to get cheaper plane tickets. It turns out the word “hacking” was used loosely by Casanova. What he really did was log on to a virtual private network (VPN) so that the online travel agency would be incapable of tracking him accurately.
Why did he do this? Casanova was interested in taking advantage of the low end of what’s called dynamic pricing. The Christian Science Monitor defines dynamic pricing as differences in the cost of a product or service based on numerous factors (including demand, rate adjustments at competitors, location of the user, time of purchase, type of PC or browser being used, and even weather patterns) built into sophisticated algorithms. Casanova wanted the algorithms to be on his side, so he accessed Kayak via VPN and saved himself $100.
Installing a VPN on your VPS
One way to avoid algorithm-based overcharging and simultaneously accomplish online privacy is to update your virtual private server (VPS) so that it can function as a VPN. One popular VPN is the open source solution OpenVPN. Installation is simple, as described on the informational repository yaui.me.
- Go into the control panel for your server and make sure that both PPP (point-to-point protocol) and TUN/TAP (an operating system kernel driver) are permitted.
- Adjust your root password and upgrade your packages using the following two commands — the first of which retrieves updates and the second of which installs them:
apt-get update
apt-get upgrade - Download and install OpenVPN Access Server per the instructions in the OpenVPN documentation (simple as well), but hold off on clicking the link once that’s complete.
- Again, don’t click the link when you see it, but you will know that installation has completed correctly when you see a link through which you can enter the VPN’s control panel.
Now you need to adjust the password to the VPN. Enter the following command:
passwd openvpn
That password will allow you into the control panel in the future. - Go ahead and click the link to enter the control panel. Agree to the terms. Now you have full access.
Other ways to protect your IP address and privacy
The Washington Post pointed out last June that efforts to make oneself untrackable online are not just about lowering your prices. You may also not like the idea of the National Security Agency (NSA) following your every move. Some of us are less concerned about government “spying,” but if it bothers you, you can use any of the below approaches as well to privatize web access on your PC or cell phone (with a special focus on the latter):
- Anonymous browsing – Tor allows you to browse the Internet with your IP address and other details related to your personal device blocked. Tor operates via network distribution. Your request is routed through randomized proxy machines prior to heading to its intended recipient. The website you visit will assume that the visit is from the last node through which your request traveled.
- Chat encryption – An OTR (off the record) application acts as an extension for chat programs and encrypts everything you transmit. That means you and whoever you are instant messaging can use a chat program from any of the major brands – such as Google or Microsoft – without the content being readable. Adium is an Apple OTR, while Pidgin works with Linux and Windows operating systems. Make sure the settings encrypt the messages from both sides.
- Call encryption – Making phone calls through a major carrier should not be considered private, and even voice-over-IP (VoIP) providers such as Skype may allow government intrusion as well. Silent Circle, though, provides encryption in a similar manner to OTR. The ACLU’s technological expert, Chris Soghoian, has stated that the security of the open-source Silent Circle is third-party verified.
- Call encryption alternative – Another option to enable private calling is Redphone, which was developed (ironically enough) through the Open Technology Fund. In other words, it is a federally financed project that protects you from federal monitoring. The idea behind this application was to allow people in totalitarian political climates to communicate without government interference. The result is third-party-verified open source software that anyone can use to prevent digital wiretapping. Be aware that neither of these technologies hides who you’re calling. It just hides the content.
- Disable your phone – Some forms of tracking will occur no matter what applications you install. According to The Guardian, as part of the data it collects on phone data, the NSA logs locations of the cell phone tower nearest you – your current access point to the phone network. In other words, the NSA knows where you are when you make calls and possibly at all times (via the cell phone signal). The only way to combat this surveillance is to turn off your phone; to be extra safe, remove the battery or leave the phone in a safe place whenever you don’t want your movements to be monitored.
Choosing a secure solution that prevents intrusion and allows VPN
Atlantic.Net offers cloud-based VPS servers, which can be used to create your own VPN network for privacy. We are also SSAE 16 (SOC 1) TYPE II (Formerly SAS 70) certified, which not only means our auditing is sound but that are security is solid as well (double-verified by our HIPAA compliance and Safe Harbor certification).
By Kent Roberts; comic words by Kent Roberts and art by Leena Cruz.