nostr:npub1xtscya34g58tk0z605fvr788k263gsu6cy9x0mhnm87echrgufzsevkk5s what is the worst thing that could happen using Damus without vpn? I don’t use VpN most of the time

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Someone who was targeting you could see how often you use nostr i guess?

Ok, then I’m fine

Maybe it would be a good idea to integrate tor into Damus the way Vitor did with Amethyst? I understand Orbot is an Android-only app, but perhaps there's an iOS equivalent? Or maybe include an integrated tor engine?

Orbot is also available on iOS, but it’s clunky

I did not know that. The last Apple product I used was an Apple IIgs back in the late 80s. Is there another tor engine for iOS that's more popular than Orbot?

Not that I know of

yeah i’m not against embedding tor

They get your IP, deduce your address, find you and murder you

why would somebody want to murder me or anyone else by just using Damus or any nostr client lol

Evil exists. Does there need to be more reason than that?

evil is inflated like so many things today/fear is a fav tool! been in the bowels & will answer doubts. love is baselayer peace/no fear

Murder aside, I think the information could be used in conjunction with other metadata and sources as the basis of an exploitation. I just think it's preferable to give users the option to decide for themselves whether or not their IP is exposed.

Why not just use a VPN? It’s not a perfect solution but it’s easily available and at least provides some level of opsec.

Mullvad.net is great and accepts bitcoin pmts.

nostr:npub1wlx4wqeyzzspw43gk56hlfj4k8ava262let5wvammn8djwx7jx3qp5zy3z accepts bitcoin and Lightning ⚡️

Your IP address is visible to your relays.

If a relay operator was malicious they could abuse that information in identifying you (perhaps to punish you for how you use Bitcoin, in a country with an authoritarian regime) or could package your nostr activity with other data brokers’ information about you to sell into the profile(s) that exist on nearly everyone for as-targeting (at best) or government surveillance (in the US, for example, it’s illegal to spy on citizens, but not to buy the entirety of their internet activity from a broker and use that for profiling and “criminal prediction” police lists).

These are all “ugly” (although not “worst case”) scenarios, but it’s more likely that some of those things are already happening with your online data outside of nostr.

It depends also, of course, what relays you use. You asked “worst case” so yeah someone could go after nostriches in a few years with the assumption that many of them hold lots of (massively appreciated) Bitcoin. Kidnappings and theft already happen; user data from crypto exchanges is sold on the dark web every day, and people get scammed and stole from as a result.

Nostr isn’t necessarily “big” enough yet to make us targets… but data is forever.

Using an always-on VPN is just best practice, on Nostr or anywhere else, and while it’s of course far from a perfect solution, a high-quality VPN is such an easy way to limit the data that can be easily traced to you, making it just inconvenient enough that your average bad actor would prefer a different, easier target.

Hope this is helpful 🫡

What VPN recommendations would you make?

I use nordvpn and have been using it for 7 yrs now. I also checked if they have been compromised or not. Eg. Where their jurisdiction, the data/metadata they collect. ☺️

Nord has excellent UI/UX, and many, many servers you can choose from around the world. I’ve heard some hesitation from privacy-focused friends, although I don’t know the specific reason behind it

Always do your research regardless of who recommend it and if the service/product fit your needs.

💯🎯🫡

Mullvad is fast and reliable, no KYC, accepts Bitcoin, doesn't store customer data as runs in RAM and has a track record of resisting police raids.

Turns out, as a paying proton customer, I was able to start using theirs very easily

Not sure why I didn't do this before!

Another step on the privacy ladder. Achievement unlocked.

Congrats!

Awesome 🔥

Mullvad would be my first recommendation. Others like Proton and (I believe) iVPN. My first was Nord which was excellent user experience, but they don’t accept Bitcoin/Monero for added privacy

Depends.

They may be able to find your real location and identity.

If you are armed then you may have a big mess to clean up.

If you are not armed then then you may need to take PEP after they rape you.

there are a lot of negative things but this is just the worst I could think of.

Be armed & use VPN.

Follow me for more common sense advice.