is it secure to connect my linode with public network?
i am living in a place that using public network. I mean i am using the network that other people use. Is it a problem for my linode security? If yes how can i protect myself.
1 Reply
hphillips
Linode Staff
✓ Best Answer
In General
You should always assume that anything you transmit over the internet can be monitored. Your ISP, intermediary transit carriers, hosting providers, and the occasional government agency will be able to see your traffic.
Using a public network opens up the possibility that the general public can see your traffic and poke around at your local computer.
Use Encryption
Anything that uses end-to-end encryption, such as HTTPS, TLS, SSH or SFTP for data transfer will prevent eavesdroppers from seeing the data protected by the encryption but it will not prevent them from seeing who you are talking to.
VPN
Using a VPN (Virtual Private Network) lets a remote computer send network traffic on behalf of your local computer. This protects you from the public monitoring your traffic, as an eavesdropper will only be able to see that you are connecting to a VPN.
A VPN can keep the public from poking and prodding at you local computer if you configure it to disable access to the local network.
Getting a VPN
You can use a Linode Marketplace App to deploy a Linode preinstalled with one of many different VPN applications:
You may be able to install VPN software on top of a Linode you are already using to save money. How and what you can install will vary depending the distribution or operating system you are running.
There are third party VPN providers as well
General Security Tips
Don't use telnet or ftp, these programs transmit passwords in plain text
Don't enter passwords or sensitive information on websites that are not using HTTPS (you shouldn't do this anyway right?)
Don't allow you computer to automatically connect to a mail server that does not use encryption such as TLS. Without encryption, an eavesdropper will be able read any mail being exchanged.
Don't allow your local computer to share screens or files on a public network. Disable network login to your local machine.