Accurate location reporting when VPN connection is active?

Help Windows
#1

Let us help you. Please tell us about…

  • System Description
    Windows 10 laptop

  • Windows Version
    |Edition|Windows 10 Home|
    |—|---|
    |Version|20H2|
    |Installed on|‎9/‎5/‎2021|
    |OS build|19042.1165|
    |Experience|Windows Feature Experience Pack 120.2212.3530.0|

  • Part of Prey not working (Prey account, mobile app, a specific action or module, reports): ???
    Location reporting

Could you please describe the problem?

Location reporting when a VPN connection is active works - but the location is not the true location fof the device. This is of course expected behavior with a device that lacks an internal GPS receiver.

The problem is that if the laptop is declared lost and the VPN connection is active, location reporting will be incorrect, i.e. location will be the VPN exit point rather than the true location.

Potential solution:

  1. Monitor active network connection pre-VPN-tunnel (using OS hooks??) to potentially geo-locate ahead of the VPN connection rather than at the VPN exit point.
  2. Provide users ability to monitor and control VPN state - and disconnect VPN in favor of another network connection. Has this been considered?

I imagine you have probably considered all of these. For those of us who are security/privacy focused and who want/need to use VPN, this is an issue worth solving.

And finally, please attach a screenshot if available (you can drag and drop images)

#2

If you’re using a VPN like I do (Proton VPN using USA/Fastest/Wireguard protocol) it will throw your GPS location with Prey off about 10,000 feet. Mine showed my device way down the street in a dessert field with my VPN on. Then if you turn off your VPN it still shows that distance UNTIL YOU REBOOT YOUR DEVICE. Yes your device GPS needs to refresh fully along with refreshes of IP address and cell tower info. Ive tested this extensively, After your phone refreshes (sometimes it takes a while before Prey will see your true location) or you reboot (either one) then Prey can see your true location again,

The ONLY way to circumvent this (using VPN along with Prey finding your true location) it has to be written into the code of the app itself and this usually requires root access as far as I know.