Servicios web de Amazon (Os) lanzó un nuevo servicio en su conferencia en curso, re:Invent, que ayudará a las organizaciones a reducir los casos de alucinaciones de inteligencia artificial (IA). La herramienta de verificación de inferencia automatizada lanzada el lunes está disponible para vista previa y se puede encontrar en Amazon Bedrock Guardrails. La compañía afirmó que la herramienta verifica matemáticamente la precisión de las respuestas generadas por grandes modelos de lenguaje (LLM) y evita errores de alucinaciones en la vida real. Es similar a la función Grounding with Google Search disponible tanto en la API de Gemini como en Google AI Studio.
Comprobaciones de inferencia automatizadas de AWS
Los modelos de IA suelen generar respuestas incorrectas, engañosas o ficticias. Esto se conoce como alucinación de IA y el problema afecta la credibilidad de los modelos de IA, especialmente cuando se utilizan en el ámbito empresarial. Si bien las empresas pueden mitigar el problema hasta cierto punto entrenando un sistema de IA con datos regulatorios de alta calidad, los datos previos al entrenamiento y las fallas arquitectónicas aún pueden hacer que la IA alucine.
AWS detalló su solución a las alucinaciones de IA en un documento Publicación de blog. El verificador heurístico automatizado se introdujo como una nueva protección y se agregó en una versión preliminar dentro de Amazon Bedrock Guardrails. Amazonas Explicó que utiliza “procesos de inferencia y verificación algorítmica basados en lógica” para verificar la información generada por los LLM.
El proceso es claro y directo. Los usuarios deberán cargar documentos relevantes que describan las reglas de la organización en la consola de Amazon Bedrock. Bedrock analizará automáticamente estos documentos y creará una política de inferencia automática inicial, que convertirá el texto en lenguaje natural a un formato matemático.
Una vez hecho esto, los usuarios pueden ir al menú Inferencias automáticas en la sección Medidas preventivas. Allí se puede crear una nueva política y los usuarios pueden agregar documentos existentes que contienen la información que la IA debería aprender. Los usuarios también pueden configurar los parámetros de procesamiento y el objetivo de la política manualmente. Además, también se pueden agregar preguntas y respuestas de muestra para ayudar a la IA a comprender la interacción típica.
Una vez hecho todo esto, la IA estará lista para implementarse y el verificador heurístico automatizado comprobará automáticamente si el chatbot da alguna respuesta incorrecta. Actualmente, la herramienta está disponible para versión preliminar en la región de AWS Oeste de EE. UU. (Oregón). La empresa planea extenderlo pronto a otras regiones.
Jio Financial Services Ltd anunció el lanzamiento de “JioFinanzas“La aplicación está en modo beta. La plataforma tiene como objetivo revolucionar las finanzas diarias y la banca digital con una interfaz completa y fácil de usar. Según un comunicado de prensa emitido por la empresa, la aplicación JioFinance ofrece integración de servicios de banca digital, incluidos. Interfaz de pago unificada (UPI). Transacciones, pagos de facturas y consultas de seguros.
Los usuarios pueden acceder a una vista unificada de sus cuentas y ahorros, todo dentro de una plataforma fácil de usar. La aplicación está diseñada para satisfacer las necesidades de las personas en todos los niveles de conocimientos de tecnología financiera y garantiza una fácil administración del dinero al alcance de los usuarios.
Servicios Geofinancieros Tiene planes para la aplicación 'JioFinance'. Las actualizaciones futuras ampliarán las soluciones de préstamos, comenzando con préstamos sobre fondos mutuos e introduciendo gradualmente préstamos hipotecarios.
Las características clave de la aplicación incluyen la apertura instantánea de cuentas digitales, lo que permite a los usuarios abrir rápidamente cuentas digitales y acceder a servicios bancarios al instante.
La función de cuenta bancaria de Jio Payments proporciona una gestión simplificada de las cuentas bancarias dentro de la aplicación, mientras que la liquidación de facturas y las transacciones UPI se simplifican para las transacciones financieras del día a día.
Además, la aplicación ofrece consultas sobre seguros, brindando orientación experta sobre productos de seguros para garantizar una planificación financiera integral.
JioFinance pone un fuerte énfasis en la confianza, la conveniencia y la transparencia.
El lanzamiento beta de la aplicación invita a los usuarios a recibir comentarios para mejorar y potenciar continuamente la experiencia de banca digital. Este enfoque demuestra la dedicación de Jio para cumplir y superar las expectativas de los clientes mediante la mejora continua y el diseño centrado en el usuario.
“Estamos entusiasmados de lanzar al mercado la aplicación 'JioFinance'. Una plataforma que tiene como objetivo redefinir la forma en que las personas administran sus finanzas hoy en día. Nuestro objetivo final es simplificar todo lo relacionado con las finanzas en una sola plataforma para cualquier usuario de todo el mundo. La combinación Demographics, con su conjunto integral de ofertas como préstamos, inversiones, seguros, pagos y transacciones, hace que los servicios financieros sean más transparentes, asequibles e intuitivos”.
(Esta historia no ha sido editada por el personal de NDTV y se genera automáticamente a partir de un feed sindicado).
Los enlaces de afiliados pueden generarse automáticamente; consulte nuestro sitio web Declaración de ética Para detalles.
Microsoft, which has gone “all-in” on artificial intelligence, has developed a generative AI model designed expressly for U.S. intelligence services. Unlike other AI platforms, such as Microsoft’s own Copilot, this one will be “air gapped” and won’t require a potentially unsafe connection to the internet.
Bloomberg notes, “It’s the first time a major large language model has operated fully separated from the internet… Most AI models, including OpenAI’s ChatGPT rely on cloud services to learn and infer patterns from data, but Microsoft wanted to deliver a truly secure system to the US intelligence community.”
18 months of development
The tool will allow intelligence services to use AI for tasks such as analyzing vast swathes of classified data without the fear of data leaks or hacks that could potentially compromise national security.
William Chappell, Microsoft’s CTO for Strategic Missions and Technology, told Bloomberg that the company spent 18 months working on this special GPT-4-based tool which will be able to read and analyze content, answer questions and write code without needing to go online. Equally importantly, it reportedly won’t learn from, or be trained on, the data it is fed.
At a security conference last month, Sheetal Patel, assistant director of the CIA for the Transnational and Technology Mission Center, said, “There is a race to get generative AI onto intelligence data, and I want it to be us.”
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Using cloud-hosted large language models (LLM) can be quite expensive, which is why hackers have apparently begun started stealing, and selling, login credentials to the tools.
Cybersecurity researchers Sysdig Threat Research Team recently spotted one such campaign, dubbing it LLMjacking.
In its report, Sysdig said it observed a threat actor abusing a vulnerability in the Laravel Framework, tracked as CVE-2021-3129. This flaw allowed them to access the network and scan it for Amazon Web Services (AWS) credentials for LLM services.
New methods of abuse
“Once initial access was obtained, they exfiltrated cloud credentials and gained access to the cloud environment, where they attempted to access local LLM models hosted by cloud providers,” the researchers explained in the report. “In this instance, a local Claude (v2/v3) LLM model from Anthropic was targeted.”
The researchers were able to discover the tools that the attackers used to generate the requests which invoked the models. Among them was a Python script that checked credentials for ten AI services, analyzing which one was useful. The services include AI21 Labs, Anthropic, AWS Bedrock, Azure, ElevenLabs, MakerSuite, Mistral, OpenAI, OpenRouter, and GCP Vertex AI.
They also discovered that the attackers didn’t run any legitimate LLM queries in the verification stage, but were rather doing “just enough” to find out what the credentials were capable of, and any quotas.
In its news report, The Hacker News says the findings are evidence that hackers are finding new ways to weaponize LLMs, besides the usual prompt injections and model poisoning, by monetizing access to LLMs, while the bill gets mailed to the victim.
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The bill, the researchers stressed, could be quite a big one, going up to $46,000 a day for LLM use.
“The use of LLM services can be expensive, depending on the model and the amount of tokens being fed to it,” the researchers added. “By maximizing the quota limits, attackers can also block the compromised organization from using models legitimately, disrupting business operations.”
Microsoft has announced a new, upcoming feature, that aims to solve a decades-old conundrum with DNS security.
The feature is called ZTDNS, or Zero Trust Domain Name System, and is currently entering private preview. Microsoft promised a separate announcement once the feature makes it to the Insiders program.
In a blog post, Microsoft explained how virtually since its inception, the process of translating human-readable domain names into IP addresses was, from a security standpoint, a major risk. Due to the way DNS was designed, IT admins were often faced with a choice: to either add cryptographic authentication and encryption to DNS and risk losing visibility over malicious traffic, or route DNS traffic in clear text and leave no option for the server and the client device to authenticate each other, which is as equally risky.
No new protocols
To solve this problem, Microsoft decided to integrate the Windows DNS engine with a core part of Windows Firewall – Windows Filtering Platform – directly into end devices.
Commenting for Ars Technica, VP of research and development at Hunter Strategy, Jake Williams, said integrating these engines will allow Windows Firewall to be updated with a per-domain name basis. In other words, organizations will be able to tell clients “only use our DNS server, that uses TLS, and will only resolve certain domains.” Microsoft calls this DNS server or servers the “protective DNS server.”
“For DNS servers to be used as Protective DNS servers for ZTDNS lockdown, the minimum requirement is to support either DNS over HTTPS (DoH) or DNS over TLS (DoT), as ZTDNS will prevent the use of plain-text DNS by Windows,” Microsoft explained in its blog post. “Optionally, use of mTLS on the encrypted DNS connections will allow Protective DNS to apply per-client resolution policies.”
To conclude, Microsoft stressed that ZTDNS doesn’t include new network protocols, which should enable an “interoperable approach” to domain-name-based lockdown.
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New graduates have a lot to manage: applying for jobs or further education, staying on top of their finances, keeping healthy and maybe even finding a more permanent place to live. Instead of a gift basket full of food they don’t eat, consider giving them a subscription to a service they’ll use regularly instead. Be it a new service that can make their lives easier, or footing the bill for something they already pay for, your new grad will thank you for the thoughtful yet practical gift. Here are some of the best subscription services to consider gifting to new graduates this year.
Commuting
Waxe
Many navigation apps can help a grad find their way around an unfamiliar town, but Waze might offer the best way. The free service’s crowdsourced alerts can help drivers avoid construction or gridlock that isn’t always visible in competing apps, including Google Maps — its sibling. Tie-ins with streaming services like Spotify and TuneIn make it easier to soundtrack a lengthy trip without using separate apps. The ads that display while stopped aren’t ideal, but the sacrifice might be worthwhile if it helps a grad arrive on time for a new job.
If your grad relies on public transportation, Transit’s app is virtually a must-have. It provides detailed, real-time mass transit directions in hundreds of cities, letting riders know when to leave and which stops to take. More importantly, it’s integrated with alternative transportation options like shared bikes, scooters and Uber rides. The core app is free, but it’s worth paying $25 per year for a Royale subscription (if it isn’t offered for free by a local agency) to look up any transit line and future schedules.
Ridesharing today is for more than just getting to parties or visiting family — for some, it may be the most effective way to get to work. In that light, a subscription to Lyft Pink or Uber One could easily be a welcome gift. Both $10-per-month services offer discounts on rides and food delivery as well as a handful of other perks, such as Lyft’s free priority pickups and Uber’s access to top-rated drivers. Either service is a good choice, although you’ll want to be sure there are plenty of drivers where your recipient lives.
Students can make do with a free cloud account or join a parent’s family plan, but there’s a good chance they’ll want a paid account of their own once they graduate. Thankfully, all the major platform creators have cloud service bundles that cover much of what they need. Apple One ($17 per month for Individual), Google One ($20 per year for Basic) and Microsoft 365 Personal ($70 per year) all deliver extra cloud storage as well as services you’re likely to use for entertainment, productivity and security.
The choice of service depends on what your grad is looking for. Apple One is, unsurprisingly, best for iPhone and Mac users — you get 50GB of iCloud storage, Apple Music, Apple TV+ and Apple Arcade. Google One, meanwhile, provides 100GB of shareable space, advanced Photos editing features and a VPN to secure your connection. Microsoft 365 Personal, meanwhile, is a big boost to productivity with Office apps, 1TB of storage and security tools like Windows Defender. While these bundles don’t cover every possible need, they can easily save money versus paying for each service on its own.
A VPN (virtual private network) can be extremely helpful for the security conscious. It can hide sensitive information from prying eyes and help access regional content that would normally be off-limits. There are many good VPNs, but our pick for a grad is ExpressVPN. While it’s not the cheapest at $100 per year, our security reporter Katie Malone says it’s extremely well-rounded. It’s easy to set up, works across many devices, includes a password manager, doesn’t log activity and is even gaming-friendly. Simply put, your ex-student is more likely to keep the VPN running regardless of what they’re doing.
Passwords are already a hassle in school, but they get worse once you leave — how is a grad supposed to remember all those new logins for utilities and other must-have services? That’s why we’re recommending 1Password. For $36 per year, it makes sign-ins easier on many of your devices. It can also store credit cards and other sensitive information. And importantly, 1Password is moving to passkeys to access its accounts. A grad won’t have to worry that someone will guess their master password and effectively have access to their entire digital life.
Money management will be more important than ever before for recent graduates, and Quicken’s Simplifi budgeting app can help them get a handle on their finances. It’s our current favorite budgeting app and the one we recommended most Mint users switch to once that service was shut down earlier this year. We like Simplifi’s clean interface and general ease of use: it’s a relatively painless process to connect all of your accounts, including ones with Fidelity, and the app then shows you things like recent spending, upcoming recurring payments, top spending categories, a snapshot of your current spending plan and more. The app does a fine job of categorizing transactions as well, and your grad can do things like label certain transactions like their monthly phone bill as recurring. And you may gift them a subscription to start, but the standard $48-per-year pricing will hopefully be affordable enough for your giftee to continue paying for it in the future, if they find it useful.
To-do lists can help anyone stay organized, but the free options (such as Google Keep) might not cut it for a grad who suddenly has to juggle more than just classes. If that’s the case, they may appreciate a Todoist Pro subscription as a gift. While the free version already includes advanced features like filtering and labels, the $48 per year for Pro adds genuinely useful extras like reminders, automatic backups, more filters and larger 100MB file uploads. Throw in access across many platforms and it’s an easy choice for someone figuring out how to manage their personal and professional lives.
Graduates don’t have to stop learning just because they got their degrees. A subscription to Masterclass Individual may seem expensive at $180 per year, but it could easily help grads learn important personal and professional skills from (often famous) experts in different fields. They can perfect their cooking with Gordon Ramsay, or writing with Margaret Atwood. And importantly, this isn’t just about watching videos — pupils can follow a curriculum that involves finishing real projects. Skillshare ($168 per year) can be a better fit if a new grad primarily values creative skills, but Masterclass may be worth the outlay for honing life skills or simply indulging curiosity.
If you know a grad who has an iPhone and is eager to get fit, an Apple Fitness+ subscription is an easy gift. A relatively low $80 yearly outlay provides access to 12 workout types that cover a wide range of durations and skill levels that can fit into a busy schedule. There are even audio-only running and walking workouts for those who prefer to exercise outside. The service works best when paired with an Apple Watch, but that’s no longer necessary — an iPhone is all they need to participate.
Peloton’s equipment isn’t always a viable gift for a grad, but a Peloton One subscription certainly can be. The $13-per-month membership gives Android and iOS users access to Peloton’s well-known trainers as they guide you through a variety of workouts that even include bootcamps. This is also an ideal gift if your recipient prefers structure — there’s a range of programs that help develop skills, such as running marathons. Add community elements (such as seeing who’s participating in the same workout) and it can help newcomers stay committed.
There’s a good chance the grad in your life wants to soundtrack their commute or work day, and a subscription to Apple Music ($99 per year) or Spotify Premium ($10 per month) should provide exactly what they’re looking for. Both music streaming services offer ad-free streaming and offline access to large song selections and well-curated playlists on many devices — you can listen to Apple Music on an Android phone, or play Spotify on your favorite game console.
The choice depends on a grad’s tastes. Apple Music clearly has an advantage for users heavily invested in Apple’s ecosystem, but it’s also best if you want lossless or spatial audio. Spotify, meanwhile, has a strong social element, broader device support (particularly for smart speakers),exclusive podcasts and a hard-to-beat library of niche playlists.
There’s a real possibility your giftee has already signed up for Amazon Prime Video or Netflix, but what if they want more? That’s where a streaming service like Disney+ subscription might come in handy. The $110 per year no-ads plan ($8 per month with ads) provides access to a library that might not beat rivals in sheer quantity, but includes plenty of new and back-catalog material from Disney’s many huge franchises. Grads can see what The Mandalorian is all about, or catch up on the Marvel Cinematic Universe before the next big movie comes out.
YouTube TV has been subject to price creeps, but it’s still the best live TV streaming service for most people, including new graduates. The core $73 monthly plan offers over 100 channels, including multiple 24-hour news networks and live sports from ESPN. Add-ons bring networks like HBO, too. There’s far-ranging device support, and unlimited cloud DVR storage means a grad won’t have to miss a favorite show.
The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has issued a warning that hackers are attempting to target the helpdesks of hospitals in order to gain access to critical hospital systems.
The hackers have been observed contacting hospital IT help desks using local area code phone numbers and then pretending to be a hospital employee, providing the helpdesk with stolen identification.
The hackers then request that their device be set up to use the employee’s multi-factor authentication. Once they have access to the hospital’s internal systems, they are free to steal data and re-route transactions into their own bank accounts.
Hospital data and finances a honeypot for hackers
The Health Sector Cybersecurity Coordination Center (HC3) issued a warning for hospitals to be vigilant in the face of hackers using elaborate social engineering campaigns to gain access to hospital systems. The HC3 stated that the hackers “specifically targeted login information related to payer websites, where they then submitted a form to make ACH changes for payer accounts” in order to steal money.
“Once access has been gained to employee email accounts, they sent instructions to payment processors to divert legitimate payments to attacker-controlled U.S. bank accounts,” HC3 continued. “The funds were then transferred to overseas accounts. During the malicious campaign, the threat actor also registered a domain with a single letter variation of the target organization and created an account impersonating the target organization’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO).
While no threat actor has been formally identified as responsible for these attacks, HC3 issued a number of guidance points to IT help desks in order to avoid succumbing to such an attack: (PDF)
Require callbacks for employees requesting new device MFA enrollment or password resets using the number on file for the employee
Monitor ACH changes for suspicious activity and frequently revalidate users who have access to payer websites
Employees requesting MFA device enrollment, password resets, or ACH changes should report in person to the IT helpdesk
Where this is not possible, contact the employee supervisor for verification
Train helpdesk employees to identify social engineering techniques and spearphishing attempts
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Virtual private networks (VPNs) are notoriously difficult to work with. Maybe you’re a remote worker who has to sign in to one each day to access company services, or you tried it once because you heard you could use it to access international content, but were met with laggy service and frequent disruptions. Today’s VPNs don’t have to come with those headaches, and they can be a useful tool to help protect your online privacy. We tested nine of the most popular VPN services available now to come up with our top picks for the best VPN for 2024, and lay out what you should know before paying for one.
What is a VPN?
VPNs, or virtual private networks, mask your IP address and the identity of your computer or mobile device on the network and creating an encrypted “tunnel” that prevents your internet service provider (ISP) from accessing data about your browsing history. VPNs are not a one-size-fits-all security solution, though.
Instead, they’re just one part of keeping your data private and secure. Roya Ensafi, assistant professor of computer science and engineering at the University of Michigan, told Engadget that VPNs don’t protect against common threats like phishing attacks, nor do they protect your data from being stolen. Much of the data or information is stored with the VPN provider instead of your ISP, which means that using a poorly designed or unprotected network can still undermine your security. But they do come in handy for online privacy when you’re connecting to an untrusted network somewhere public because they tunnel and encrypt your traffic to the next hop.
That means sweeping claims that seem promising, like military-grade encryption or total digital invisibility, may not be totally accurate. Instead, Yael Grauer, program manager of Consumer Reports’ online security guide, recommends looking for security features like open-source software with reproducible builds, up-to-date support for industry-standard protocols like WireGuard (CR’s preferred protocol) or IPsec, and the ability to defend against attack vectors like brute force.
Understand your VPN needs
Before considering a VPN, make sure your online security is up to date in other ways. That means complex passwords, multi-factor authentication methods and locking down your data sharing preferences. Even then, you probably don’t need to be using a VPN all the time.
“If you’re just worried about somebody sitting there passively and looking at your data then a VPN is great,” Jed Crandall, an associate professor at Arizona State University, told Engadget.
If you use public WiFi networks a lot, like while working at a coffee shop, then VPN usage can help give you private internet access. They’re also helpful for hiding information from other people on your ISP if you don’t want members of your household to know what you’re up to online.
Geoblocking has also become a popular use case as it helps you reach services in other parts of the world. For example, you can access shows that are only available on streaming services, like Netflix, Hulu or Amazon Prime, in other countries, or play online games with people located all over the globe.
Are VPNs worth it?
Whether or not VPNs are worth it depends how often you could use it for the above use cases. If you travel a lot and rely on public WiFi or hotspots, are looking to browse outside of your home country or want to keep your traffic hidden from your ISP, then investing in a VPN will be useful. But, keep in mind that even the best VPN services often slow down your internet connection speed, so they may not be ideal all the time.
In today’s world, we recommend not relying on a VPN connection as your main cybersecurity tool. VPN use can provide a false sense of security, leaving you vulnerable to attack. Plus, if you choose just any VPN, it may not be as secure as just relying on your ISP. That’s because the VPN could be based in a country with weaker data privacy regulation, obligated to hand information over to law enforcement or linked to weak user data protection policies.
For VPN users working in professions like activism or journalism that want to really strengthen their internet security, options like the Tor browser may be a worthwhile alternative, according to Crandall. Tor is free, and while it’s less user-friendly, it’s built for anonymity and privacy.
How we tested
To test the security specs of different VPNs and name our top picks, we relied on pre-existing academic work through Consumer Reports, VPNalyzer and other sources. We referenced privacy policies, transparency reports and security audits made available to the public. We also considered past security incidents like data breaches.
We looked at price, usage limits, effects on internet speed, possible use cases, ease of use, general functionality and additional “extra” VPN features like multihop. The VPNs were tested across iOS, Android and Mac devices so we could see the state of the mobile apps across various platforms (Windows devices are also supported in most cases). We used the “quick connect” feature on the VPN apps to connect to the “fastest” provider available when testing internet speed, access to IP address data and DNS and WebRTC leaks or when a fault in the encrypted tunnel reveals requests to an ISP.
Otherwise, we conducted a test of geoblocking content by accessing Canada-exclusive Netflix releases, a streaming test by watching a news livestream on YouTube via a Hong Kong-based VPN and a gaming test by playing on servers in the United Kingdom. By performing these tests at the same time, it also allowed us to test claims about simultaneous device use. Here are the VPN services we tested:
Simultaneous connections: 10 | Number of devices: 10 | Platforms: Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, and Linux | Browser extensions: Chrome, Firefox | Dedicated IP addresses: Yes, for business users only | Trial/Money-back guarantee: None/30-day money-back guarantee
The VPNs we tried out ranked pretty consistently across all of our tests, but ProtonVPN stood out as a strong option because of its overall security, usability and privacy features. The Proton Technologies suite of services includes mail, calendar, drive and a VPN known for its end-to-end encryption. This makes it a strong contender for overall security, but its VPN specifically came across as a well-rounded independent service.
ProtonVPN’s no-logs policy has passed audits, and the company has proven not to comply with law enforcement requests. Because it is based in Switzerland, there are no forced logging obligations, according to the company. Plus, it’s based on an open-source framework, and has an official vulnerability disclosure program along with clear definitions on what it does with personal information.
While ProtonVPN offers a free version, it’s limited compared to other options, with access to server networks in just three countries. Its paid version, starting at about $5.39 per month, includes access to VPN server locations in more than 65 countries on 10 devices at a time. For dedicated Proton Technologies users, they can pay closer to $8.63 for a monthly plan to access the entire suite.
ProtonVPN passed our geoblock, streaming and gaming tests with only a very small toll on connection speeds. It also comes with malware-, ad- and tracker-blocking as an additional service, plus it has a kill switch feature on macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and the latest version of Android. It’s available on most major operating systems, routers, TV services and more including Firefox, Linux and Android TV. For dedicated Linux users, ProtonVPN added a new Linux-specific app to support its services in August.
Pros
Easy to use
No-logs policy
Based on open-source framework
Kill switch feature on macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android
Simultaneous connections: Unlimited | Number of devices: Unlimited | Platforms: Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, and Linux | Browser extensions: Chrome, Firefox | Dedicated IP addresses: No | Trial/Money-back guarantee: None/None
By signing up for Windscribe’s free plan with your email, users can access 10GB per month of data, unlimited connections and access to more than 10 countries. We selected it as the best free VPN because of its high security and wide range of server locations compared to other free VPNs. It has over 500 servers in over 60 countries, according to the company, and can be configured to routers, smart TVs and more on top of the usual operating systems.
Windscribe doesn’t have a recent independent security audit, but it does publish a transparency report showing that it has complied with zero requests for its data, runs a vulnerability disclosure program encouraging researchers to report flaws and offers multiple protocols for users to connect with.
On top of that, it’s easy to use. The set up is intuitive and it passed our geoblock, streaming and gaming tests. The paid version costs $5.75 to $9 each month, depending on the plan you choose, and includes unlimited data, access to all servers and an ad/tracker/malware blocker. Or, for $1 per location per month, users can build a plan tailored to the VPNs they want to access. Windscribe is still expanding its reach, adding Japan to its list of available spots.
We picked the best VPN service for travel, gaming and streaming based on which one had access to the most locations with high speed connections and no lag. ExpressVPN met all those criteria and was one of the most premium VPNs we tried with fast connections. Now, it even comes with an in-house password manager, ExpressVPN Keys, to manage and autofill logins across sites included with the subscription. That will make it easier to toggle between streaming and gaming accounts while browsing securely.
An internet speed test measured faster upload and download speed compared to using no VPN, practically unheard of compared to the other VPNs tested. But being this fast is likely a fluke due to the VPN service circumventing traffic shaping by the ISP or another disparity because even top VPNs will in some way slow down speeds. With 2,000 servers in 160 cities, according to the company, it had one of the broadest global reaches. It also passed our geoblock, streaming and gaming tests, and it does regular security audits. Plus, Network Lock is its kill switch feature, which keeps your data safe even if you lose connection to the VPN. Subscription costs range from $8.32 to $12.95 per month depending on the term of the plan, and include a password manager.
With ExpressVPN, users can connect to up to five devices at once, which is on the lower side compared to other services. That said, it works on a bunch of devices from smart TVs to game consoles, unlike some other services that lack support beyond the usual suspects like smartphones and laptops.
Pros
High speed connections with no lag in many locations
Supports Network Lock kill switch feature
Works on a variety of devices like smart TVs and game consoles
Simultaneous connections: 7 | Number of devices: 7 | Platforms: Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, and Linux | Browser extensions: Chrome, Firefox | Dedicated IP addresses: Yes, additional purchase required | Trial/Money-back guarantee: 2 free months/45-day money-back guarantee
Because several of the best VPN services connect to routers, cross-platform accessibility isn’t always necessary. By connecting a VPN to your home router, you can actually connect to unlimited devices in your household, as long as they all access the internet through that router.
But if you use VPNs on the go, and across several devices, being able to connect to a wide range of platforms will be indispensable. CyberGhost offers simultaneous connectivity on up to seven devices for $2.11 to $12.99 per month depending on subscription term. It supports several types of gadgets like routers, computers, smart TVs and more. It’s similar to the support that ExpressVPN offers, but CyberGhost provides detailed instructions on how to set up the cross-platform connections, making it a bit more user-friendly for those purposes. Plus, it just expanded its network of servers from 91 to 100 countries, adding Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, Uruguay, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Guatemala and the Dominican Republic to its available locations.
From a security perspective, CyberGhost completed an independent security audit by Deloitte earlier this year, runs a vulnerability disclosure program and provides access to a transparency report explaining requests for its data. An updated version of its transparency report went live in August. While it did pass all of our tests, it’s worth noting that we had trouble connecting to servers in the United Kingdom and had to opt to run our gaming test through an Ireland-based server instead.
Pros
Works well across different kinds of devices/platforms
Provides detailed instructions for setting service up on different devices
As we mentioned before, connecting to a router can provide nearly unlimited access to devices in a single household. But Surfshark VPN is one of few VPN services that offer use on an unlimited number of devices without bandwidth restrictions, according to the company. And you get that convenience without a significant increase in price: Surfshark subscriptions cost about $2.49 to $12.95 for a monthly subscription, and the company recently conducted its first independent audit. It added QR-code-enabled login across devices and expanded support for alternative ID profiles since our initial review, a feature that some of its competitors already had.
We ran into some trouble connecting to Surfshark’s WireGuard protocol, but tested on an IKEv2 protocol instead. The VPN speed was a bit slow and struggled to connect for our geoblock test at first, but ultimately passed. What makes it different from other VPNs with unlimited connection options is that it has access to a larger number of servers and is available on more types of devices.
NordVPN didn’t quite make the cut because it’s overhyped, and underwhelming. As I’ve written in our full review of NordVPN, the pricing, up to $14.49 for a “complete” subscription, seemed high compared to other services, and its free or lower cost plans just didn’t have the same wide variety of features as its competitors.
TunnelBear
Despite the cute graphics and user friendliness, TunnelBear wasn’t a top choice. It failed numerous basic security tests from Consumer Reports, and had limited availability across platforms like Linux. It did, however, get a major security boost in July when it updated to support WireGuard protocol across more of its platforms.
Bitdefender VPN
Bitdefender doesn’t offer support for devices like routers, which limits its cross-platform accessibility. It also lacked a transparency report or third-party audit to confirm security specs.
Atlas VPN
Atlas ranked lower on our speed tests compared to the other VPNs tested, with a notably slower difference on web browsing and streaming tests. It was a good option otherwise, but could easily cause headaches for those chasing high speed connections. Security-wise, an Atlas VPN vulnerability leaked Linux users’ real IP addresses.
FAQs
What are some things VPNs are used for?
VPNs are traditionally used to protect your internet traffic. If you’re connected to an untrusted network like public WiFi in a cafe, using a VPN hides what you do from the internet service provider. Then, the owner of the WiFi or hackers trying to get into the system can’t see the identity of your computer or your browsing history.
A common non-textbook use case for VPNs has been accessing geographically restricted content. VPNs can mask your location, so even if you’re based in the United States, they can make it appear as if you’re browsing abroad and unblock access. This is especially useful for streaming content that’s often limited to certain countries, like if you want to watch Canadian Netflix from the US.
What information does a VPN hide?
A VPN doesn’t hide all of your data. It only hides information like your IP address, location and browser history. A common misconception is that VPNs can make you totally invisible online. But keep in mind that the VPN provider often still has access to all of this information, so it doesn’t grant you total anonymity. You’re also still vulnerable to phishing attacks, hacking and other cyberthreats that you should be mindful of by implementing strong passwords and multi-factor authentication.
Are VPNs safe?
Generally, yes. VPNs are a safe and reliable way to encrypt and protect your internet data. But like most online services, the safety specifics vary from provider to provider. You can use resources like third-party audits, Consumer Reports reviews, transparency reports and privacy policies to understand the specifics of your chosen provider.
What about Google’s One VPN?
As of early 2023, Google One subscriptions include access to the company’s VPN. It works similarly to other VPNs on our list, hiding your online activity from network operators. Google One subscribers can access the VPN in 22 countries on Android, iOS, Windows and Mac devices, and they can share VPN access with up to five people who are on their One plans. We have not fully tested the Google One VPN yet, but we will add it to this list if we feel it is.
Update November 10, 2023: This story was updated after publishing to remove mention of PPTP, a protocol that Consumer Reports’ Yael Grauer notes “has serious security flaws.”
What if you scored a free trial of Apple TV+ for three months, or you have six free months of Apple Music through an offer you redeemed? Unfortunately, Apple One will cut those free trials down to the standard one-month period, after which you will start to pay the Apple One plan price you chose. Note: You don’t get any free trial allowance back if you cancel your Apple One plan.
Apple One Services
Courtesy of Apple
What exactly do some of these services offer? Here’s a closer look:
Apple Music
Apple Music appears in our Best Streaming Services guide because the entire library of more than 90 million songs is available in lossless format, and you get immersive 3D sound with albums tuned in Dolby Atmos. It has an excellent iPhone app and Siri support, but the Android app is just OK, and we’re not fans of the desktop app. Social playlist sharing and curation don’t quite match up to our favorite service, Spotify, but the gap is closing. If you want to switch from Spotify to Apple Music, you can also take your playlists.
Apple TV+
With a focus on quality over quantity, Apple TV+ isn’t competing with the enormous libraries offered by Netflix, Disney+, and Hulu, and it deserves its place in our Best Streaming Services guide. It’s light on movies, though there are highlights, like Killers of the Flower Moon, Wolfwalkers, and Finch. But the real appeal of Apple TV+ is unmissable hit shows like Severance, Foundation, Ted Lasso, and The Morning Show, and it boasts excellent music documentaries, too. Everything is offered in 4K with HDR, and no, you don’t need an Apple TV to watch content in Apple TV+.
Apple Arcade
Closing in on three years since its release, the impact of Apple Arcade on mobile gaming is still unclear. What isn’t up for debate is the fact it offers some of the best mobile games without ads or in-app purchases. There are more than 200 titles in the Apple Arcade now, many of them exclusive. Some of our favorites include Mini Motorways, Sayonara Wild Hearts, Sneaky Sasquatch, Bloons TD6, and Assemble With Care.
iCloud+
Everyone gets 5 GB of storage space in iCloud for free, but that soon fills up with device backups, photos, and videos. You can upgrade to iCloud+ to get 50 GB, 200 GB, or 2 TB, and each option supports family sharing. There are several alternative cloud storage services that work well with Apple devices, but iCloud is tightly integrated. Aside from the extra space, another reason to upgrade to iCloud+ is for HomeKit Secure Video. It allows HomeKit security cameras and video doorbells to record 10 days of activity, viewable in the Home app. The 50-GB plan supports a single camera, the 200-GB plan covers up to five cameras, and the 2-TB plan supports unlimited cameras. These HomeKit videos don’t count against your iCloud storage limit. Every iCloud+ subscription also includes Private Relay, which encrypts your Safari web browsing, and Hide My Email, which gives you unique, random email addresses to use when you’d prefer to keep yours private.
Apple News+
If you love to read great magazines like (ahem) WIRED, National Geographic, The New Yorker, Time, People, Vogue, Rolling Stone, and Popular Science, or newspapers like The Wall Street Journal and Los Angeles Times, you can find them and many more, cover-to-cover, in the News app with an Apple News+ subscription. The service saves you from paywalls, features slick presentation, and offers curation based on your interests. On the downside, it doesn’t include everything—The New York Times and The Washington Post are famously unavailable. It also only works on Apple devices.
Apple Fitness+
Workout subscription services grew popular at the start of the pandemic, as people could no longer visit the gym. Apple Fitness+ offers various workout types, from yoga to strength training, audio-guided walks and runs, and meditations, along with plenty of real-time metrics. It works via the Fitness app on an iPhone, iPad, or Apple TV, and it requires an Apple Watch Series 3 or newer. You can read more about it in our review, but the service has since expanded. (Apple adds around 30 new workouts and meditations every week.)
How to Subscribe to Apple One
If you are sold on Apple One, signing up on an Apple device is easy. Go to Settings, Account (tap on your name), Subscriptions, and you will see Apple One with the option to Try It Now. That’s it!
