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Comment by ronnier | Hacker News Reader

I strictly use my iPhone to tether. I keep it updated with the latest updates but I still worry about it being remotely exploitable but I feel a lot more safe with it than these other devices.

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If all your hotspot does, be it iPhone, Linux box or anything else, is forwarding VPN traffic between your devices and your cloud instance (your VPN exit node), why should you care about hotspot vulnerabilities?

The device running the VPN is still exposed to the attacker-controlled device. Now, on a decently-configured system this is probably fine (your workstation doesn't allow password-based SSH, right?), but it's still not great.

Seems silly to care so much about your tethered connection when the average home network has a bunch of computers, random IOT kit, a end-of-lifed smart TV, friends mobile devices and the random MAC addresses in your DHCP lease pool that you can't even account for.

Network security is unmaintaniable. Start caring about defensible boundaries instead.

To some extent, sure; seriously, you should be okay exposing your laptop to an attacker-controlled hotspot. I'm actually pretty sure my machines would be fine exposed like that. But that doesn't mean that you shouldn't minimize that exposure if possible:)

Also, I really do question the premise; it is possible to be selective with what you let on your network. You shouldn't rely on it, of course, but again, better to minimize exposure.

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