Network Security

Even with a dedicated device, your connection to the internet can still expose you. Internet Service Providers (ISPs), governments, advertisers, and malicious actors often monitor or intercept traffic. This chapter focuses on how to protect your network privacy and integrity.

3.1 Why Network Security Matters

Whenever you visit a site:

• Your ISP can see which domains you access.
• Advertisers can track you through IP addresses and DNS requests.
• Malicious Wi-Fi operators (e.g., coffee shop hotspots) can intercept traffic.

Without network security, device segmentation is only half effective. You need to make your traffic private and encrypted.

3.2 Key Tools

Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)

• What it does: Encrypts your internet traffic and routes it through a secure server.
• Benefits: Hides activity from your ISP and masks your IP address.
• Risks: You must trust the VPN provider — they could log your activity.

Checklist for choosing a VPN:

• No-logs policy (ideally independently audited).
• Based outside intrusive jurisdictions (avoid “5 Eyes” countries).
• Supports modern protocols (WireGuard, OpenVPN).
• Allows anonymous payment (crypto, prepaid cards).

Tor Browser

• What it does: Routes traffic through multiple volunteer-run nodes for anonymity.
• Benefits: Strong anonymity, no single operator sees both your identity and your activity.
• Risks: Slower than VPNs, some sites block Tor, exit nodes can inject malware if not using HTTPS.

Best practice:

• Use Tor Browser instead of normal browsers — it is hardened for anonymity.
• Do not log into personal accounts over Tor.
• Combine with a VPN for “VPN over Tor” setups if you want extra protection.

Encrypted DNS

Even with VPN or Tor, DNS requests can leak information.

• DNS over HTTPS (DoH) or DNS over TLS (DoT) ensures DNS queries are encrypted.
• Many privacy-respecting DNS providers exist (e.g., Quad9, Mullvad, NextDNS).

Configure your system or browser to use encrypted DNS to prevent leaks.

3.3 Layering Approaches

You don’t need every tool at once, but you can layer protections:

• Basic setup: VPN with a trustworthy provider.
• Stronger setup: Tor Browser for all adult content browsing.
• Advanced setup: VPN + Tor + encrypted DNS for maximum anonymity.

3.4 Common Pitfalls

• Free VPNs: Often monetize by selling user data. Avoid them.
• Misconfigured DNS: Can leak queries even when using a VPN.
• Reused browsers: Don’t use your daily Chrome/Edge with VPN; use a separate browser profile or Tor.

3.5 Summary

• Network security ensures your traffic is private, encrypted, and harder to trace.
• VPNs protect against ISP monitoring but require trust in the provider.
• Tor offers stronger anonymity but at the cost of speed.
• Encrypted DNS prevents leaks and strengthens your setup.
• Layering tools gives you flexibility based on your threat model.

Next chapter: Advanced Anonymity — using Tails, Whonix, and hardened operating systems for maximum security.