The Tails VPN Support page insists that combining Tails and VPNs is bad.
Moreover, replacing Tor with a VPN is a bad idea as well. As shown earlier, setting up a VPN isn’t too straightforward. If you’re inexperienced, it’s easy to make a mistake during the process.
Disabling Tor is a bad idea, but VPNs aren’t intrinsically bad or lacking in security, as suggested by an official statement on the Tails VPN Support page.
Example
If you use Bitcoins to purchase a subscription to a reliable VPN, then the level of security you get is at least on par with that of Tor.
Data packets go from the computer to the VPN and then to the Tor network by a permanent entry guard, which creates an endpoint server to receive data before reaching the Tor network.
The by the VPN. Therefore, there’s little difference between a permanent entry guard and a direct connection from the computer to the Tor network.
Here, if Tor or Tor exit nodes are compromised, the attacker would also have to bypass the VPN’s security. This is much safer than accessing Tor directly.
Almost no VPN providers work directly with Tails. But it’s possible to overcome this with a VPN router.
Moreover, replacing Tor with a VPN is a bad idea as well. As shown earlier, setting up a VPN isn’t too straightforward. If you’re inexperienced, it’s easy to make a mistake during the process.
Disabling Tor is a bad idea, but VPNs aren’t intrinsically bad or lacking in security, as suggested by an official statement on the Tails VPN Support page.
Example
If you use Bitcoins to purchase a subscription to a reliable VPN, then the level of security you get is at least on par with that of Tor.
Data packets go from the computer to the VPN and then to the Tor network by a permanent entry guard, which creates an endpoint server to receive data before reaching the Tor network.
The by the VPN. Therefore, there’s little difference between a permanent entry guard and a direct connection from the computer to the Tor network.
Here, if Tor or Tor exit nodes are compromised, the attacker would also have to bypass the VPN’s security. This is much safer than accessing Tor directly.
Almost no VPN providers work directly with Tails. But it’s possible to overcome this with a VPN router.
Risks of Using VPN Over Tor Network
Use VPN with Tails or a Tor network only when necessary, as this may weaken your anonymity and cause other problems if not configured properly. When considering a VPN, definitely consider the use cases previously discussed.
Circuit Switching isn’t supported when using a VPN over the Tor network.
Internet traffic goes through different exit relays when using a Tor network. This means network requests have different paths or addresses to access the internet. If your Tor network gets compromised, third parties will find what you requested and from where. However, using a VPN introduces a permanent exit node for internet traffic, allowing others to identify which location your data is coming from.
The anonymity of the network built with a VPN over Tor greatly depends on the VPN’s anonymity.
People prefer to use Tails because of its anonymity and because it doesn’t trust the services of other applications in securing user privacy. However, if you think adding one more hop with a VPN to the process of what Tails does will increase your safety, you’d be mistaken. The purpose of using Tails is wasted if your VPN provider sells you out. Make sure the VPN you choose is reliable and trustworthy.
Use a VPN over the Tor network only when necessary.
When using a VPN service over Tor, two instances are established in your machine: one will let you route VPN over Tor, and the other will use Tails normally with Tor. It might be inconvenient to go through CAPTCHA so often, but you should always use the VPN instance only when you absolutely must. Some websites may also block VPN users as well.
And if you’re new to VPN and Tails, aside from the recommendations outlined here, it’s still a good idea to go through all documentation carefully.
Circuit Switching isn’t supported when using a VPN over the Tor network.
Internet traffic goes through different exit relays when using a Tor network. This means network requests have different paths or addresses to access the internet. If your Tor network gets compromised, third parties will find what you requested and from where. However, using a VPN introduces a permanent exit node for internet traffic, allowing others to identify which location your data is coming from.
The anonymity of the network built with a VPN over Tor greatly depends on the VPN’s anonymity.
People prefer to use Tails because of its anonymity and because it doesn’t trust the services of other applications in securing user privacy. However, if you think adding one more hop with a VPN to the process of what Tails does will increase your safety, you’d be mistaken. The purpose of using Tails is wasted if your VPN provider sells you out. Make sure the VPN you choose is reliable and trustworthy.
Use a VPN over the Tor network only when necessary.
When using a VPN service over Tor, two instances are established in your machine: one will let you route VPN over Tor, and the other will use Tails normally with Tor. It might be inconvenient to go through CAPTCHA so often, but you should always use the VPN instance only when you absolutely must. Some websites may also block VPN users as well.
And if you’re new to VPN and Tails, aside from the recommendations outlined here, it’s still a good idea to go through all documentation carefully.