IVPN on Nostr

https://www.ivpn.net

IVPN is a sovereign, bootstrapped VPN service in operation since 2009. BTC + LN accepted via BTCPay. resist online surveillance.

Public Key

npub1wlx4wqeyzzspw43gk56hlfj4k8ava262let5wvammn8djwx7jx3qp5zy3z

NIP-05 Address

nostr@ivpn.net

NIP-57 Address

ivpn@getalby.com

Profile Code

nprofile1qqs80n2hqvjppgqh2c5t2dtl5e2mr7kw4d90u468xwaaenke8r0frgspz4mhxue69uhhyetvv9ujuerpd46hxtnfduhsuxxpsc

Publishing to

relay.damus.io

Author Public Key

npub1wlx4wqeyzzspw43gk56hlfj4k8ava262let5wvammn8djwx7jx3qp5zy3z

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Last Notes

2024-10-24 14:55:44

Cash payments for a digital service sounds insane to some when I mention it in person.
It's an operational hassle for the provider, but should be normalized, adopted and preferred by customers of privacy services.
#normalizecash (yes, this is the first - probably the last - hashtag we ever used on socials)
https://image.nostr.build/337a3844471225a20f7391365e8fd9782143a5d559214fe01edec6a17e443643.png
#nevent1q…3f2u

2024-10-24 14:48:23

Why you shouldn't pay with credit card or PayPal for a VPN service
Payment methods that support anonymity can help keep your service account (e.g., your randomly generated IVPN Account ID) separate from your personal information tied to CC/Paypal. When paying with cash, Lightning, or XMR a trustworthy VPN provider only sees your IP address, with no ability to link it to revealing payment details. If the provider has no identifying data, they can't misuse it, leak it or share it with third parties.
Paying with a credit card or PayPal exposes personally identifiable information to the service provider. Further, the payment gateway and each participants in the payment processing chain can learn you are using that specific provider. In the event of a leak, official request, or compromise, your use of the VPN service could be tied to you personally, and in the worst case your activities could be directly correlated to you as well.
The above also highlights why you should use providers that don't require an email or other personal information to sign up and accept anonymity-friendly payment methods without an third-party.
Should all of this matter to you?
As we often remark, it all comes down to your personal threat model. What information you want to protect? Who are the adversaries?
If you occasionally use a VPN to watch BBC iPlayer and you trust your provider, the risks are minimal. If you are concerned about potential compromise, or you might be at threat if your personal information is correlated to your activities, it's better to minimize the amount of information you (are required to) share.

2024-10-21 13:24:26

This should be now fixed. We have not considered that the nostr.json is queried with parameters ie. ?name=nostr so had to disable www redirect for /nostr.json*. Please let us know if our account shows up as unverified in any Nostr client. Thanks!
#nevent1q…yw47

2024-10-08 16:19:28

We'll be at Bitcoin Amsterdam on Wednesday and Thursday bearing gifts.
If you are attending and spot someone in this jacket -> don't be a stranger.
https://image.nostr.build/97cce5b8939e38d11e3524f0f1030c1ddaa204616c059cd502d4b221d3b883b2.jpg

2024-10-07 16:20:04

- reply

Thanks. Can you create multiple channels within your group?

2024-10-07 16:20:00

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Thanks. Can you create multiple channels within your group?

2024-10-07 15:28:46

Let's assume we have some product ideas for IVPN customers to test, invite-only.
We start a chat community to get feedback and offer a place to discuss our service, privacy etc.
Which platform would you prefer?
- Needs to support multiple channels
- Ideally self-hosted
- Discord and Telegram are no-go due to privacy policies
Options:
- Matrix
- IRC
- Nostr based solution which we have not heard about
- Something else

2024-10-07 08:54:19

Create and find opportunities that don't require these platforms. Build for people who explicitly reject the corporate surveillance status quo. They exist and they are not going to take it anymore. We can confirm - we talk to them every day. Opt out.
#nevent1q…vwz8

2024-10-04 13:50:56

@npub1ye5…knpr we've been testing a lot of different desktop nostr clients in the past two weeks and nostrudel is top of the crop - fully featured yet clean UX + very reliable. thanks!

2024-10-04 13:33:01

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happy to hear that!

2024-10-03 20:54:20

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Primary concern is your mobile provider. Further, apps/services that have access to your location due to permissions. They can collect and sell this information is most jurisdictions.
Masking it:
- with a VPN is only possible on Android using the built-in Mock Location option - we support this in the IVPN app, but don't recommend it as a leak-proof solution
- there are apps that promise this outcome you can buy/install, with questionable reliability

2024-10-03 16:07:31

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Can't say we agree as sovereign, doxxed individuals working on a privacy focused VPN service for 5-15 years (varies by team member), prioritizing team visibility and transparency so you will know who you trust with your data.
Having said that, you can't verify our claims directly - there are ongoing projects to tackle that problem, but we are not there yet.

2024-10-03 14:48:44

Do you really need a VPN?
Basics recap for consumer VPNs:
1. Not everyone needs a VPN. It depends on your threat model / jurisdiction you live in / expectations around privacy. You need to understand the extent of protection they provide to assess that.
2. Despite what most VPN providers will tell you in their marketing speak, using a VPN alone will be ineffective or useless for:
- Achieving anonymity or "perfect privacy"
- Preventing tech corporations from profiling you
- Protecting your passwords
- Hiding your mobile phone location
- Providing better security when working from home
3. Trustworthy VPNs can be effective at:
- Encrypting your data and DNS requests so your ISP or mobile network operator cannot monitor or log your online activity
- Masking your IP address from websites and servers you connect to
- Circumventing censorship or geo blocks
- Increasing your security on untrusted public networks by preventing MITM attacks (not common)
If you see claims from a VPN provider contrary to any of the points above, they are either lying to you or are incompetent. 95% of them won't pass this test.

2024-10-01 14:51:44

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Thanks. That's the next goal. Going through our BTCPay instance directly would be a straightforward (preferred) option but for now we'll compartmentalize from service payments. Will make it easier to account for incoming sats which we can then donate.

2024-10-01 14:36:53

Working on a www redirect issue that prevents proper validation of NIP-05 and lnurlp information fetched from ivpn.net. Zaps are now accepted via Alby but we're aiming for ivpn@ivpn.net lightning address as a desired outcome.

2024-09-30 20:14:10

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adding it to the list - will work on it

2024-09-30 19:56:48

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Thanks will look into it

2024-09-30 16:07:12

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https://www.ivpn.net/.well-known/nostr.json
should be accessible, if not we'll look into it

2024-09-30 15:04:37

We are evaluating running a Nostr relay on IVPN infra (compartmentalized).
It would make sense as relay preference appear to be a function of sufficient trust and privacy guarantees.
The risks are not clear yet, ie. how it would affect our company threat model and established/stess-tested legal guardrails.
Any suggestions for deep-dive documentation on running a relay?

2024-09-30 14:54:58

- reply

drop us a message if the issue persists

2024-09-27 15:43:33

We have removed 1Hosts Xtra as an individual block list option from AntiTracker as it is not actively maintained.
If you were using 1Hosts Xtra, please review other available list options in AntiTracker and select one that suits your needs.
https://www.ivpn.net/knowledgebase/general/antitracker-plus-lists-explained/

2024-09-24 13:36:12

New IVPN PoP locations added:
- Boston, US (us-ma1)
- Dublin, Ireland (ie1)
- Zagreb, Croatia (hr1)
These servers bring us to presence in 40 countries and 56 locations.
https://ivpn.net/status/

2024-09-19 15:27:58

IVPN for Desktop v3.14.17 is now available through our website and via in-app updates. Mirroring our recent iOS update, your account ID is now hidden by default in the app. Download: https://www.ivpn.net/en/apps/
Change log: https://github.com/ivpn/desktop-app/blob/master/CHANGELOG.md

2024-09-17 15:51:50

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Are there any (working, reliable) decentralized GitHub alternatives out there?

2024-09-17 15:50:21

IVPN for iOS v2.12.4 featuring several improvements and fixes is now available through the App Store. For improved privacy in public settings, your account ID is now hidden by default in the app.
Changelog: https://github.com/ivpn/ios-app/blob/develop/CHANGELOG.md

2024-09-17 15:32:48

IVPN is now on Nostr.
Following a conversation at Baltic Honeybadger with @npub18am…p424 regarding the pros and cons of 'company operated accounts on Nostr' + hearing talks on the future of free speech online, we are convinced that this is the right place (or rather, protocol) to be for us.
We've maintained a reserved, low-key presence on other social channels for many years. We as a team and as individuals prefer not to shout louder in a cacophony. While some companies thrive on oversharing for engagement and treating social communities as marketing funnels, such tactics don't align with our straightforward, no-bullshit approach.
For Nostr we are trying something different, without any compromise on these values. Expect more posts with direct opinions, in-depth analysis, privacy/VPN consultation and anything else that contributes to the community.
To anyone we've met at Bitcoin and other conferences over the years - hello! Nice to see you here. We are ready to continue the hundreds of conversations we had around trust, transparency, sovereignty, open-source ideals, LN merchant adoption, circular economy for Bitcoin and new radical ideas.
Reach out in public or private if you have any questions, ideas or suggestions. Let's do this!