Using SSL To Secure Usenet Access
Every Usenet service provider offers SSL encryption for everything you download. Usenet is safe.
What is the security level of exchanges and transfers on the Usenet network?
All Usenet servers offer SSL. Secure Sockets Layers or SSL is a secure transaction procedure that increases your security of access to Usenet. (Usenet providers use the same security protocols as online banking). SSL is like a tunnel, a secure channel of communication (encoded by a 256 bit key) between two machines (a client and a server). SSL allows secure and anonymous downloading on newsgroups. With 256 BIT SSL Encryption, you can trust your activity is completely safe. It has 4 main advantages:
1 - SSL encrypting stops any interception of data downloaded or sent
2 - SSL allows you to bypass any filter your ISP might have for Usenet
3 - SSL fights any network surveillance. This way the articles you read or download from your Usenet provider are visible to you and only you.
4- Your downloads are not monitored. Confidentiality of usage is respected.
Will a VPN make you more secure?
There is no need to use a VPN to improve your connection safety. SSL connection to your Usenet server should be enough IMO. If Usenet is encrypted then there's no reason to use the VPN encryption as well. You need a VPN for downloading if you are hiding your IP of origin because a VPN gives you a new IP from its global servers or if you plan to upload to Usenet and want to stay as anonymous as possible: Usenet anonymity.
The second disadvantage is a loss of speed. The great thing about Usenet compared to torrenting is high, constant speed.
Without a VPN, I've been downloading hundreds of gigs a month from usenet binaries for the last 20 years without a single problem from my ISPs.
Which newsgroup providers offer SSL?
All providers now offer SSL - 256-bit SSL encryption comes at no extra charge. We would recommend NewsHosting. For $9.99/month or $99/year (with 30 connections and 4,200 days retention) you can benefit from encrypted newsgroup access with free Newsreader at an unbeatable price.
How do you connect to newsgroups with SSL?
There are 3 steps to take:
- TIck the SSL box in your Newsreader.
- Use the SSL address from your Usenet provider
=> For Newshosting use: news.newshosting.com
- Choose port 563 (or 443) to connect with SSL. The default SSL port for NNTP is 563. Some work better than others depending on your configuration or your ISP. For example, the benefits of using port 443 instead of port 563 is that the latter could be closed if you are behind a firewall, while port 443 is often open for HTTPS traffic.
Which Usenet Services Take Your Security Seriously?
Newshosting SSL
Newshosting helps ensure your privacy with free 256-bit SSL encryption.
Newshosting has servers in the USA and Europe they have multiple redundant backbone connections to the Internet so speed is only limited by your own ISP if you live in the USA or Europe.
Geographic auto-select hostnames:
IPv4 - news.newshosting.com
IPv6 - news6.newshosting.com
United States hostnames:
IPv4 - news-us.newshosting.com
IPv6 - news-us6.newshosting.com
Europe hostnames:
IPv4 - news-eu.newshosting.com
IPv6 - news-eu6.newshosting.com
Netherlands hostnames:
IPv4 - news-nl.newshosting.com
IPv6 - news-nl6.newshosting.com
Germany hostnames:
IPv4 - news-de.newshosting.com
IPv6 - news-de6.newshosting.com
SSL Ports: 563, 443, 23, 25, 80, 3128
UsenetServer SSL
UseNetServer helps ensure your privacy with free 256-bit SSL encryption.
UsenetServer has servers in the USA, Germany and the Netherlands.
IPv4: news.usenetserver.com
IPv6: news6.usenetserver.com
IPv4: news-us.usenetserver.com
IPv6: news-us6.usenetserver.com
IPv4: news-eu.usenetserver.com
IPv6: news-eu6.usenetserver.com
Secure SSL ports: 563, 443, 8080
Eweka SSL
Eweka starts out by offering 256-bit encryption on their connections, so you’re protected.
Eweka has servers located in the Netherlands.
sslreader.eweka.nl
Secure SSL port: 563
Tweaknews SSL
Tweaknews allows members to connect via 256-bit SSL encryption.
Tweaknews has servers located in the Netherlands.
Secure SSL ports: 563, 443
Easynews SSL
Easynews supports SSL connections for both their web-Usenet interface and NNTP servers.
This gives you an encrypted connection to their website and newsgroup servers.
Easynews has servers located in the USA (East Coast and West Coast) and servers in the Netherlands.
The United States server address options are as follows:
secure-us.news.easynews.com (IPv4)
secure6.news.us.easynews.com (IPv6)
The European server address options are as follows:
secure-eu.news.easynews.com (IPv4)
secure6.news.eu.easynews.com (IPv6)
Secure SSL ports: 21, 23, 25, 53, 80, 110, 443, 563, 8000 and 8080
UsenetExpress SSL
UsenetExpress offers 256 bit SSL NNTP Connections.
Hostname: news.usenetexpress.com
Secure SSL ports:
563 or 443 for SSL (TLS 1.0+).
564 for old SSL clients (SSLv2).
ExtremeUsenet SSL
ExtremeUsenet provides 256-Bit SSL Encrypted Connections.
ExtremeUsenet has servers located in the Netherlands.
Secure SSL ports: 563 or 443
NewsDemon SSL
NewsDemon provides 256-Bit SSL Encrypted Connections.
NewsDemon is headquartered in America and supports servers in both the United States and Europe.
news.newsdemon.com
us.newsdemon.com
nl.newsdemon.com
eu.newsdemon.com
Secure SSL ports: 563, 80, 81, 9119
Newsgroupdirect SSL
Newsgroupdirect provides 256-Bit SSL Encrypted Connections.
NewsgroupDirect has news servers in the US.
news.newsgroupdirect.com
Secure SSL ports: 563, 80, 81
UsenetBucket SSL
UsenetBucket provides 256-Bit SSL Encrypted Connections.
UsenetBucket has servers located in the Netherlands.
Secure SSL ports: 563 or 443
ViperNews SSL
Vipernews provides 256-Bit SSL Encrypted Connections.
Vipernews has servers located in the Netherlands.
Secure SSL ports: 563 or 443
Usenet.Farm SSL
Usenet.Farm’s plans include 256 bit SSL encryption with their USENET service.
Usenet.Farm has servers located in the Netherlands.
news.usenet.farm
Secure SSL ports: 563 or 443
XSNews SSL
XSNews provides users with free 256-bit SSL encryption to protect their connection.
XSNews has servers located in the Netherlands.
reader.xsnews.nl
Secure SSL ports: 563 or 443
EasyUsenet SSL
EasyUsenet provides users with free 256-bit SSL encryption to protect their connection.
EasyUsenet has servers located in the Netherlands.
reader.easyusenet.nl
Secure SSL port: 563
TheCubeNet SSL
TheCubeNet provides 256-Bit SSL Encrypted Connections.
TheCubeNet has U. S. and European server farms.
US Secure secure.news.thecubenet.com
Europe Secure secure.europe.thecubenet.com
Secure SSL ports: 563, 80, 81
PureUsenet SSL
PureUsenet members can connect using 256-bit SSL at no additional cost.
PureUsenet has servers located in the Netherlands.
Secure SSL ports: 563, 443
UsenetNow SSL
UsenetNow offers 256-bit SSL encryption for privacy.
Usenetnow has U. S. and European server farms.
The addresses for the news server are as follows:
US Server: usnews.usenetnow.net
EU Server: eunews.usenetnow.net
EU Server 2: eunews2.usenetnow.net
Secure SSL ports: 563, 443, 5563
Blocknews SSL
Blocknews provides 256-bit SSL encryption.
Blocknews has U. S. and European server farms.
With all accounts, you have access to the following servers:
US Server: usnews.blocknews.net
EU Server: eunews.blocknews.net
EU Server 2: eunews2.blocknews.net
Secure SSL ports: 563, 443, 5563
FrugalUsenet SSL
FrugalUsenet provides 256-bit SSL encryption.
FrugalUsenet has U. S. and European server farms.
With all accounts, you have access to the following servers:
eunews.frugalusenet.com
eunews2.frugalusenet.com
Secure SSL ports: 563, 5563
5EuroUsenet SSL
5EuroUsenet provides 256-bit SSL encryption.
reader.5eurousenet.com
Secure SSL ports: 563, 443
FastUsenet SSL
Usenet plans include 256-bit SSL encrypted connections.
FastUsenet has U.S. server farms.
Secure SSL ports: 465, 563, 5563
XLNed SSL
XLNed allows members to connect via 256-bit SSL to provide an extra layer of encryption.
XLNed has servers located in the Netherlands.
Secure SSL ports: 563, 443
Conclusion:
Security is very important for many users of newsgroup services. Many Usenet service providers provide an extra layer of privacy by offering 256-bit SSL Encryption to their nntp news servers. SSL helps usenet users bypass throttling attempts by ISP's who try limit the speed of Usenet traffic on their network. SSL also provides a secure way to connect to the news server- encrypting the nntp traffic that the user downloads.
TIP: Using VPN does not increase sercurity. You can read numerous articles about the necessity of VPN for Usenet use, but it does not help when it comes to security. SSL already serves to secure the channel.