is the VPN a true encrypted VPN or just a proxy?

A Former User

I find too much conflicting evidence online and wondered if Opera staff could clarify the issue? I use Opera because of the VPN and Battery Saver, but if the Opera VPN is just a proxy which hides my IP but not the DATA then I would consider buying a dedicated one.

thanks

sgunhouse

sgunhouse Moderator Volunteer

It is a VPN, though of course it only applies to the browser itself. Any other online application on your computer will not use Opera's VPN, and also Flash and some other features may bypass the VPN.

A Former User

thanks for the reply,

I understand its browser only, what Iam trying to find out is if my connection to Operas server is encrypted exactly like a VPN should be...cos there is tons of info online saying that its NOT a VPN and its just a proxy...?

burnout426

burnout426 Volunteer

Don't know for sure, but I think Opera's VPN isn't considered a real VPN as it doesn't use a normal VPN tunneling protocol between Opera and Opera's VPN server like a normal VPN Client / VPN server would. I think Opera uses something different, which might be the reason why Flash connections for example leak through. Or, the Flash thing could just be because it's its own process that makes its own connections and just notifies Opera through the PPAPI. Then again, NPAPI fetching for Flash in old Presto-based Opera still used Opera's downloading functions. The Windows Media Player plug-in did not though. So I don't know.

Others just say it's not a true VPN because it only works for the browser and not for the whole system where it would tunnel Flash connections loaded in the browser too. I don't know.

But, whether you call it a secure proxy or a VPN, your stuff is encrypted between Opera and Opera's VPN server like if you were tunneling Opera through a standalone VPN and a VPN server. It's just that Opera might leak certain things other than http and https connections from Opera itself, but again, not sure of the details.

See https://forums.opera.com/topic/30061/is-the-opera-vpn-a-true-vpn-or-just-a-proxy for an old discussion of this.

https://www.tomsguide.com/us/opera-vpn,review-4496.html just feels Opera's is not a true VPN as it's not system-wide. No other reason there.

burnout426

burnout426 Volunteer

You could probably assume that since Opera bought out SurfEasy, Opera's VPN works like the "SurfEasy VPN Proxy".

A Former User @burnout426

@burnout426 - its a shame Opera staff dont come forward and verify this, ive seen tons of info reporting that the connection is NOT secure and is simply a proxy (putting everything aside about browser or system wide) that simply masks your IP address

blackbird71

blackbird71 @Guest

@1bit To be clear, Opera's VPN is a 'proxy' in that it routes browser traffic through its servers. However, because its connection is https to/from its servers, the traffic (and target website destination headers/IPs) is encrypted using the https encryption protocols, hence in that regard it acts like a VPN for browser traffic coming from/to Opera's browser. An observer noting a user's traffic would only see that the user is routing encrypted data through Opera's servers, but could not see what the data or final website destination were without cracking the https encryption.

From: https://www.tomsguide.com/us/opera-vpn,review-4496.html :
"The Opera "VPN" is technically a secure proxy service. It encrypts only the Opera browser's traffic and routes it through a server operated by Canadian VPN provider SurfEasy. Opera won't protect other web browsers or stand-alone email clients."

leocg

leocg Moderator Volunteer

Just remembering that Surfeasy no longer belongs to Opera and VPN traffic goes through Opera's own servers.