Does VPN/OpenVPN really 'capture' 3rd party applications?

Hello,

I've recently tried a couple VPN anonymity services based on OpenVPN (goldens.com / netherlands, and VPNtunnel / UK). Stated privacy policies are clear and reasonable in both cases.

But...I've just installed the excellent Online Armor2 with HIPS which has raised some questions: I see OpenVPN using ports 1194 and 4899, both UDP. However, other applications are making incoming AND outgoing TCP/UDP connections on a number of other ports. These include IDMan (internet download manager 5.12, full), Windows Media Player (9 and 11), and DivX, as well as my malware/antivirus apps.

I confess my ignorance about VPNs, OpenVPN, and most other computer security and privacy issues. I've looked at the OpenVPN site and wiki pages and remain ignorant. My questions are:

1) Are these applications really being routed through the VPN service, inbound and outbound?

2) When I download or use these applications, do they identify my IP as the download or user destination, or the VPN service?

3) Is there anything specific to these issues I should do to improve my online security and privacy?

Thank you in advance

 

1. Yes

2. Your external IP, the one the VPN service gives you. However, Flash, Java, etc. can be employed to discover your internal network IP address, but I do not yet think the attacks are sophisticated enough to determine your true external IP yet.

3. You can use xB VPN, which is a portable version of OpenVPN. You can take your VPN settings with you. I have discovered a vulnerability in OpenVPN GUI for Windows, so we are writing a new opensource GUI from scratch for OVPN.

 

Where I can download that xB VPN?

 

go to xerobank.com, pay 35 dollars a month and then you can download the vpn software

 

You can download the latest beta here, and hook it up to any OpenVPN service.