Why is BiggerPockets blocking me using a VPN?

Question

With as much hacking and sensitive banking data that most investors have on their machines. Going to any website requires running through VPN Software. Why would BiggerPockets block the ability of us to protect ourselves from hackers? I think you would lose a lot of users.

Mark

Mark Spritz · Answer

So I keep getting blocked. The error message showing

that this IP address I get from my VPN.  "199.116.118.153" is being blocked by BiggerPockets. So instead I have to be unsecured when visiting this site.

Mark Spritz · Answer

It has happened again today. I have to disconnect from my VPN in order to get to any page here on BiggerPockets.

Steve Hall · Answer

I get this occasionally too. Just got it now and that's how I found this thread. I use PIA VPN. Normally I get the reCAPTCHA prompt (several times per day) but I have found a work around for that with a Chrome Plugin that allows me to get get 30 reCAPTCHA "passes" at a time.

I understand the desire for BP to protect against attacks and scrapers that may use VPNs, but many smart people use VPNs  as well, so all this really does in the end is upset the paying members. If this is not resolved when my membership is up for renewal, it will weigh heavily on whether I continue using the site.

It would be so simple to create a setting allowing Plus or Pro members to white list their IP address.

FWIW, I've reported to @BiggerPockets Support several times about the @ mention not always linking to other members and all I get is "try refreshing the page" instead of a fix. Mentions are a basic requirement of any forum. Come on BP programmers - find the problem and fix it.

EDIT: It is ironic that my mention of @BiggerPockets Support did not work (twice!) in this post...

Account Closed · Answer

And I just read that the founder of Mt Gox is the one that founded PIA..   I had what now would have been hundreds of thousands of dollars in bitcoins that were lost/stolen because of that guy. Now, all I have to show for that is emails from the Japanese bankrupcy court cleaning up the aftermath. Read up on that criminal P.O.S. . I'm surprised organized crime hasn't taken him out yet.

So back to my comment about the sleaziest people running these kinds of companies.....

Account Closed · Answer

So, I'm actually a software engineer and involved in network security topics (dont let the handsome old guy in my profile pic fool you)..

The connection to biggerpockets is already encrypted (note the https:// in the URL), and ironically, you're actually MORE susceptible to bad actors when using a VPN:

First, VPN providers are already pretty skeezy as a general rule, so why would you now want to route all your traffic through them?   Second, they can only add an additional layer of encryption between you and themselves, but they have to decrypt that traffic before they send it out to wherever its supposed to go. If you were sniffing networks, wouldn't it be great to sit on that outbound pipe from large VPN providers? (cough cough NSA)

Honestly, you're safer with the random and unpredictable nature of having your traffic pass directly between yourself and your destination, and https:// is already really strong as-is.

If you really really need it, its a lot better to set up your own VPN using a virtual private server (such as via Amazon AWS) and freeware VPN client like OpenVPN.  Your traffic will still look bot-like since its coming from Amazon or whatever, but at least you dont have a giant flag on your back saying "I'm using a VPN and therefore probably have something to hide!"

Mark Spritz · Answer

I also have PIA VPN. Interesting idea about paying customers white listing the IP address, but wouldn't we have a hidden IP addresses via the VPN?

Mark Spritz · Answer

Funny thing, is today I am on my VPN and I was able to see Bigger Pocket pages. I will keep this up to date if the issue returns.

Thanks

Mark

Michael S. · Answer

@Mark Spritz

Please send a screenshot to support@biggerpockets.com so we can check the error message. Thank you.

Mark Spritz · Answer

No response from Bigger Pockets on why they block people's VPN?

Why is BiggerPockets blocking me using a VPN?

Most Popular Reply