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sometimes I need to do money transfer on my windows tablet when I'm connected to an open wifi, but I noticed that some of them don't allow VPN services.

This scares me, since I'm worried about session stealers and the consequent safeness of my payment sessions (while connecting into Paypal, for example).

I already use an antivirus safe zone (Kaspersky SafePay) but I'm afraid it's not enough.

Please note that I cannot use a live Linux distro nor an installed one because none of them does recognize the wireless adapter, but I have Whonix (Linux running on a Virtual machine) installed, so I could exploit this option too.

Is there any way to exploit VPN even when it's not allowed by the server? Otherwise can you suggest me any alternative method to avoid to run the risk of being monitored during a session on an unsafe network?

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    you could run your own VPN server - the bank/PayPal won't recognize your IP as being one from a VPN service
    – schroeder ♦
    Jan 30, 2016 at 0:34
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    Using HTTPS ensures end-to-end encryption between you and your bank, so you are safe without a VPN.
    – André Borie
    Jan 30, 2016 at 9:00
  • @AndréBorie : so by doing this kind of operations within the Kaspersky SafePay (a sort of virtualization provided by the Antivirus for safe home banking that automatically enable https, if I'm not mistaken) should I be protected even when connected to an open Wifi?
    – franz1
    Jan 30, 2016 at 13:13
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    @robertalrp HTTPS should be supported by your bank's website, Safepay can't magically "enable" HTTPS if the bank doesn't support it (but I've yet to come across a bank that doesn't). So you should be secure as long as you check the URL to make sure it starts with https:// and the certificate is valid (green lock icon).
    – André Borie
    Jan 30, 2016 at 13:20

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Banks do not block all VPN, but they might block known VPN which are advertised for anonymous surfing or similar. Because if such a VPN is advertised and used to hide the origin of the user then chances are high that it will be used for illegal activities too. This means an increased risk for the bank and it's users if the bank accepts orders for money transfers this way, because it's harder to verify the origin and legality of such transactions.

If you instead setup your own VPN so that it looks like that you connect from your own home then it should be no problem to use the online banking. If and how this can be done depends on your setup at home.

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  • Ok, thank you. By setting up my own VPN: - do you mean I should change the Pc settings -> Network -> Connections -> Add a VPN connection of my operative system? - Or do you mean that I should handle with a vpn already installed previously (I have been used hola free vpn so far) and then I should change its settings?
    – franz1
    Jan 30, 2016 at 13:26
  • @robertalrp: I mean that you setup your own VPN endpoint, i.e. an OpenVPN server or something similar under your control. Of course it must be reachable from outside. Some routers have a VPN server already built in.
    – Steffen Ullrich
    Jan 30, 2016 at 13:49
  • My aim is to use vpn within open wifi which are not under my control (public hotspots, public wifi of my library and similar), can I apply the method you suggested anyway?
    – franz1
    Jan 30, 2016 at 14:44
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    @robertalrp: Sure, it would work just like other VPN, only that the end of the VPN is your own system and something controlled by others and blocked by the bank. But for banking maybe using https is already sufficient, es recommend in a comment to your question.
    – Steffen Ullrich
    Jan 30, 2016 at 14:57
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    @robertalrp: it does not matter which VPN technology you use as long as the endpoint of the VPN is your own system. Yes, OpenVPN would work too.
    – Steffen Ullrich
    Feb 9, 2016 at 5:36

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