vpn security

A VPN on Windows 11 does not stop Microsoft from tracking activity tied to Windows, Edge, or a signed-in Microsoft account. It changes the network path for traffic; it does not erase the identity, account data, service logs, or diagnostic data generated after the connection reaches Microsoft...

CVE-2026-50696 exposes supported Windows clients and servers to a network-based denial-of-service attack against the Internet Key Exchange protocol, making July’s cumulative Windows updates a priority for systems that terminate IPsec or VPN connections. Microsoft rates the heap-based buffer...

Microsoft’s Global Device Identifier, or GDID, has moved from an obscure Windows data field into a live privacy controversy after appearing in a federal cybercrime complaint unsealed on June 30, 2026. The filing describes a persistent identifier that allowed investigators to correlate one...

Do not assume that a free VPN from Google Play protects all traffic simply because Android shows it as connected. Remove VPN apps you cannot identify or justify, use a vetted provider—or an organization-managed VPN for work—and test for DNS and public-IP leakage after connecting. Researchers...

Peter Stokes, a 19-year-old accused of being part of Scattered Spider, was reportedly linked to alleged activity after Microsoft provided the FBI with IP-address history tied to a Windows Global Device Identifier, according to Korben’s account of a 39-page complaint made public in early July...

To control a Windows 10 PC remotely in July 2026, the host must run Pro, Enterprise, or Education, Remote Desktop must be enabled for an authorized account, and the connection should travel over a trusted local network or VPN rather than an internet-exposed port. The mechanics are still...

Incognito mode is better for hiding browser traces from other people using the same computer, while a VPN is better for hiding your network location and traffic path from local networks and internet providers. Neither tool makes you anonymous, and treating either one as a magic privacy switch is...