A virtual private network (VPN) service provides a proxy server to help users bypass Internet censorship such as geo-blocking and users who want to protect their communications against data profiling or MitM attacks on hostile networks.
A wide variety of entities provide "VPNs" for several purposes. But depending on the provider and the application, they do not always create a true private network. Instead, many providers simply provide an Internet proxy that uses VPN technologies such as OpenVPN or WireGuard. Commercial VPN services are often used by those wishing to disguise or obfuscate their physical location or IP address, typically as a means to evade Internet censorship or geo-blocking.
Providers often market VPN services as privacy-enhancing, citing security features, such as encryption, from the underlying VPN technology. However, users must consider that when the transmitted content is not encrypted before entering the proxy, that content is visible at the receiving endpoint (usually the VPN service provider's site) regardless of whether the VPN tunnel itself is encrypted for the inter-node transport. The only secure VPN is where the participants have oversight at both ends of the entire data path or when the content is encrypted before it enters the tunnel.
On the client side, configurations intended to use VPN services as proxies are not conventional VPN configurations. However, they do typically utilize the operating system's VPN interfaces to capture the user's data to send to the proxy. This includes virtual network adapters on computer OSes and specialized "VPN" interfaces on mobile operating systems. A less common alternative is to provide a SOCKS proxy interface.
In computer magazines, VPN services are typically judged on connection speeds; privacy protection, including privacy at signup and grade of encryption; server count and locations; interface usability; and cost.[1][2][3][4] In order to determine the degree of privacy and anonymity, various computer magazines, such as PC World and PC Magazine, also take the provider's own guarantees and its reputation among news items into consideration.[1][2]
Criticism and limitations
Users are commonly exposed to misinformation on the VPN services market, which makes it difficult for them to discern fact from false claims in advertisements.[5] According to Consumer Reports, VPN service providers have poor privacy and security practices and also make hyperbolic claims.[6] The New York Times has advised users to reconsider whether a VPN service is worth their money.[7] VPN services are not sufficient for protection against browser fingerprinting.[8]
Common misconceptions
- A VPN does not make one's Internet use private. Users can still be tracked through tracking cookies and device fingerprinting, even if the user's IP address is hidden.[9]
- A VPN can log the user's traffic, although this depends on the VPN provider.[9]
- A VPN does not make the user immune to hackers.[9]
- A VPN is not in itself a means for good Internet privacy. The burden of trust is simply transferred from the ISP to the VPN service provider.[10][11]
Legality
In March 2018, the use of unapproved VPN services was banned in China, as they can be used to circumvent the Great Firewall.[12] Operators received prison sentences and were penalized with fines.[13][14][15][16] Russia banned various VPN service providers in 2021.[17]
Comparison of commercial virtual private network services
Privacy
PC Magazine recommends that users consider choosing a provider based in a country with no data retention laws because that makes it easier for the service to keep a promise of no logging.[18] PC Magazine and TechRadar also suggest that users read the provider's logging policy before signing up for the service,[18][3] because some providers collect information about their customers' VPN usage.[19][20] PC World recommends that users avoid free services as a rule of thumb and said free services either sell their users' browsing data in aggregated form to researchers and marketers, or only offer a minimal amount of data transfer per month.[19]
Service | Logging[a] | Anonymous payment and communication | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Traffic | DNS requests | Timestamps | Bandwidth | IP address | ||
Atlas VPN | No | No | No (Premium), Yes (Free) | No | Some | |
Avira Phantom VPN | No[b] | Unknown | Yes[23] | Yes[b] | Yes[23] | No |
ExpressVPN | No[24] | No[24] | Yes[25] | Yes[26] | No[24] | Some[27][28][29][30] |
Hotspot Shield | Yes[c] | Yes[32] | Yes[32] | Yes[32] | Yes[32][33] | No |
IPVanish | No[34] | No[34] | No[34] | No[34] | No[34] | No[35] |
IVPN | No[36] | No[36] | No[36] | No[36] | No[36] | Some[37][38] |
Mullvad | No[39] | No[39] | No[39] | No[39] | No[39] | Yes[40][41] |
NordVPN | No[42] | No[42] | No[42] | No[42] | No[42] | Some[43][44] |
PrivadoVPN | No[45] | No | No | No (Premium), Yes (Free) | No | Some |
Private Internet Access | No[46] | No[46] | No[46] | No[46][47] | No[46] | Yes[48][49][50] |
ProtonVPN | No[51] | No | No[51] | No | No | Some |
PureVPN | No[52] | No[53] | No[54] | Yes[55] | No[d] | Some[e][59] |
Surfshark | No[60] | No | Yes | No | No | Some |
TunnelBear | No[61] | No[61][62] | No[63] | Yes[64][63] | No[61] | Some[65][66][67] |
Windscribe | No[68] | No | No | Yes | No | Yes |
Notes
- ^ As claimed by provider unless otherwise noted.
- ^ a b There is no mention of Avira's VPN logging policy in their privacy policy. However, it is stated in an FAQ section that neither traffic nor IP addresses are logged on their VPN service.[21] It is also stated that bandwidth is logged.[21] When visiting Avira's website, the visitor's IP address is logged by both Google Analytics and the CrazyEgg tool.[22]
- ^ Hotspot Shield claims to collect "anonymous, aggregate data about which websites you visit and which apps you use."[31]
- ^ "We DO NOT keep any record of your browsing activities, connection logs, records of the VPN IPs assigned to you, your original IPs, your connection time, the history of your browsing, the sites you visited, your outgoing traffic, the content or data you accessed, or the DNS queries generated by you."[56] However, in 2017, PureVPN provided connection logs including IP addresses to the FBI for use in a criminal investigation.[57]
- ^ Name and e-mail is required for every payment method.[58]
Technical features
Service | Leak Protection | Protocols | Obfuscation / Censorship Avoidance | Network Neutrality | Server | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
First-party DNS servers | IPv6 supported / blocked | Offers kill switch | Offers OpenVPN | Offers WireGuard | Supports multihop | Supports TCP port 443 | Supports Obfsproxy | Offers SOCKS | Linux support | Supports SSL tunnel | Supports SSH tunnel | Blocks SMTP (authent.) | Blocks P2P | Dedicated or virtual | Diskless | |
Atlas VPN | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Some | No | Dedicated | No | ||
Avast SecureLine | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | Some[69] | Dedicated[70] | No | |||||
Avira Phantom VPN | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | No[71] | Dedicated | No | |||
ExpressVPN | Yes[72] | Yes | Yes | Yes[72] | No | No | Yes[72] | Yes[73] | No[29] | Both[74][75] | Yes | |||||
Hotspot Shield | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | ? | ||||||||
IPVanish | Yes[76] | Yes[77] | Yes | Yes[35] | Yes[78] | No | Yes[79] | Yes[80] | Yes[35] | Yes[81] | No | No | No[35] | No[35] | Dedicated[82] | No |
IVPN | Yes[83] | No[84] | Yes | Yes | Beta[85] | Yes; OpenVPN | Yes | Yes | Yes[86] | Yes[87] | No[88] | No[89] | Dedicated[90] | |||
Mullvad | Yes[91] | Yes[91] | Yes | Yes[91] | Yes[92] | Yes; WireGuard[93] and SOCKS5 | Yes[91] | No[94] | Yes[95][91] | Yes[96] | Yes | Yes[91] | No[91] | No[91] | Dedicated[97] | Yes[98] |
NordVPN | Yes[99] | No[100] | Yes | Yes[101] | Yes; NordLynx based on WireGuard[102] | Yes; OpenVPN[103] and SOCKS5 | Yes[104] | Yes[105] | Yes[106] | Yes | No[107] | Dedicated | Yes | |||
PrivadoVPN | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | ||||||||
Private Internet Access | Yes[108] | Yes[109] | Yes | Yes[110] | Yes[111] | Yes[112] | Yes[113] | No | Yes[114] | Yes[115] | Some[a] | No[117] | Dedicated[118] | Yes[119] | ||
ProtonVPN | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes[120] | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes[121] | Yes | Yes | Some[b] | Dedicated | ||
PureVPN | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes[123] | No | No | Only through SSTP[124] | No | No | Yes[125] | No | Some[126] | Both[127][75] | No | ||
Surfshark | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes (WG, OVPN, IKEv2) | Yes | No | No | Yes | Some | No | Both | Yes | ||
TunnelBear | Yes[62] | Yes | Yes | Yes[128][67] | No | No | No | Yes[129][64] | Yes | Yes | No[130] | Some[131] | ||||
Windscribe | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes[132] | Yes | Yes | No | No[133] | Yes
(via Stealth protocol) |
No | No | No | Dedicated[c] | Yes[135] | Yes |
Notes
Encryption
Notes
- ^ ChaCha20-Poly1305 for all devices except for Windows, which does not support it and therefore uses AES-256
- ^ Only on iOS 8 and earlier. All other supported devices and operating systems use AES-256 (CBC).[128]
- ^ iOS 9 and later use 2048 bit. iOS 8 and earlier use 1548 bit. All other supported devices and operating systems use 4096 bit.[128]
- ^ iOS 8 and earlier use SHA-1. All other supported devices and operating systems use SHA-256.[128]
Definitions
The following definitions clarify the meaning of some of the column headers in the comparison tables above.
- Anonymous payment method
- Whether the service offers at least one payment method that does not require personal information. Even if a service accepts a cryptocurrency like bitcoin, it might still require that the customer hands over personally identifiable information (PII) like their full name and address.
- Bandwidth
- Whether the users' bandwidth is logged while using the service, according to the service's privacy policy.
- Diskless
- Whether the service's server hardware is connected to hard drives, according to the service provider. If the servers are diskless, the service provider should be unable to log any usage data.
- First-party DNS servers
- Whether the service provides its own domain name system (DNS) servers.
- Kill switch
- Whether the service has the ability to immediately sever your connection to the Internet in the event that the VPN connection fails. This prevents a user IP address leak.[143]
- Logging
- Whether the service stores information about their users' connection or activity on the network, according to the service's privacy policy or terms of service. If logging isn't mentioned in those sections but denied somewhere else on the website, the particular table cell will be marked as "No" in yellow and include an explanatory note.
- Privacy Impact Score
- An indicator of a website's usage of potentially privacy intrusive technologies such as third-party or permanent cookies, canvas trackers etc.[144] The score can be in the range from 0 to 100, where 0 is minimal privacy impact (best) and 100 is the biggest privacy impact (worst) relative to other web sites.[144] The score also has a simplified letter and colour presentation from A to F where A is "No cookies" and F is "Score above three standard deviations from the average".[144] The metric is developed by WebCookies.org.[144]
- Obfuscation
- Whether the service provides a method of obfuscating the VPN traffic so that it's not as easily detected and blocked by national governments or corporations.[145][146]
- Offers WireGuard
- Whether the service provider offers the WireGuard tunneling protocol.
- SSL rating
- The service's website's overall SSL server rating according to Qualys SSL Labs' SSL Server Test tool.
- Supports Obfsproxy
- Whether the service has an implementation of the Tor subproject Obfsproxy.[145][146]
References
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It's important to keep a few things in mind when evaluating which VPN service is right for you: reputation, performance, type of encryption used, transparency, ease of use, support, and extra features.
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We were looking for features, value, and clear and honest pricing. Free ways to learn more about a service - free plans, trial periods, refund periods - were important, and we also looked for companies which maintained your privacy when you signed up (no email address required, trials available without credit cards, Bitcoin available as a payment option).
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Information about your use of our website the Cookie generates is usually transferred to a Google server in the USA and saved there. However, before this happens, Google shortens and anonymizes your IP address [...] if located within a member state of the European Union or in other contracting member states to the Agreement on the European Economic Area. The entire IP address is transferred to a Google server in the USA and saved there only in exceptional cases. [...] Information about your use of our website (including your IP address) that Cookies generate is transferred to a CrazyEgg server in the USA and stored there.
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We do not collect logs of your activity, including no logging of browsing history, traffic destination, data content, or DNS queries. We also never store connection logs, meaning no logs of your IP address, your outgoing VPN IP address, connection timestamp, or session duration.
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We collect information about whether you have successfully established a VPN connection on a particular day (but not a specific time of the day).
- ^ ExpressVPN. "ExpressVPN Privacy Policy". Archived from the original on 2018-01-04. Retrieved 2018-01-04.
We may know, for example, that our customer John had connected to our New York VPN location on Tuesday and had transferred an aggregate of 823 MB of data across a 24-hour period.
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Continue below to buy VPN with Bitcoin.
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When you use Hotspot Shield to access the internet, we collect only anonymous, aggregate data about which websites you visit and which apps you use.
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Your IP address may be collected when you visit our websites.
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We collect your IP address [...]. We may also use your IP address to derive your approximate location [...]. Your true IP address is stored only for the duration of your VPN session and is cleared after your session is closed.
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We do not store any connection logs whatsoever. In addition we do not log bandwidth usage, session data or requests to our DNS servers.
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We accept all major credit cards, Paypal, Bitcoin and cash. However paying with cash is only available when purchasing an annual subscription.
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We log nothing whatsoever that can be connected to a numbered account's activity: no logging of traffic; DNS requests; connections, including when one is made, when it disconnects, for how long, or any kind of timestamp; IP addresses; user bandwidth [or] account activity except total simultaneous connections [...] and the payment information detailed in this post.
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Mullvad accepts Bitcoin, cash, bank wire, credit card, PayPal, and Swish.
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You do have the option of sending an encrypted email to us using PGP. Mullvad's PGP key is found on our website.
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PrivateInternetAccess.com does not collect or log any traffic or use of its Virtual Private Network ("VPN") or Proxy.
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We do not impose any restrictions or limitations on usage and/or bandwidth consumption.
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None of the following records are stored by PureVPN' ... Browsing activity ... Browsing history ... Sites visited ... Content or data accessed
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None of the following records are stored by PureVPN' ... DNS queries generated by the user
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None of the following records are stored by PureVPN' ... Connection timestamps
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We keep track of the total bandwidth consumed by a user to make sure everybody is getting the highest speeds and the best possible experience from our product.
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From here on forward, we do not keep any records of anything that could associate any specific activity to a specific user.
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Every time you connect to TunnelBear, your DNS requests are directed to TunnelBear DNS servers, so your ISP can no longer see what websites you're visiting. And because we don't keep any records of your DNS, you're the only one that knows your browsing history.
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We support peer-2-peer (P2P) networking in some of our server locations.
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All of our VPN gateways run on dedicated hardware servers.
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Our network is SSL-secured
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- ^ NordVPN (14 June 2017). "Extra Security With Double VPN". What is Double VPN & how does it work?.
- ^ NordVPN. "What is OpenVPN?". Retrieved March 14, 2018.
For OpenVPN TCP connections - port 443.
- ^ NordVPN. "Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)". Do you offer socks5 proxies?. Archived from the original on 2017-01-13.
Yes, we do support Socks5 proxies as well as HTTP proxies (1 HTTP and Socks5 proxy at each of our VPN server destinations).
- ^ NordVPN. "How to setup OpenVPN on Linux".[dead link]
- ^ NordVPN (18 April 2018). "Best VPN for P2P". Why is NordVPN the best VPN for P2P?.
- ^ "Client Support Area / Private Internet Access VPN Service". DNS Leak Protection. Archived from the original on 2017-12-31. Retrieved 2017-12-31.
We use our own private DNS servers for your DNS queries while on the VPN.
- ^ "Client Support Area / Private Internet Access VPN Service". IPv6 Leak Protection. Archived from the original on 2017-12-31.
IPv6 leak protection disables IPv6 traffic while on the VPN. This includes 6to4 and Teredo tunneled IPv6 traffic.
- ^ "How a VPN Tunnel Works / Private Internet Access VPN Service". Archived from the original on 2017-12-27. Retrieved 2017-12-27.
This is used in conjunction with the OpenVPN protocol [...]
- ^ "WireGuard on PIA is out of beta and available to use on Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS". 2020-04-10. Retrieved 2023-02-04.
- ^ "Understanding the Multi-Hop Feature - Knowledgebase / Technical / Application Settings and Features / Application & Features - PIA Support Portal". helpdesk.privateinternetaccess.com. Retrieved 2022-06-06.
- ^ "What ports are used by your VPN service? / Private Internet Access". 2016-08-29. Archived from the original on 2017-01-31. Retrieved 2017-12-26.
- ^ "Client Support Area / Private Internet Access VPN Service". SOCKS5 Proxy Usage Guides. Archived from the original on 2017-12-31.
Although quite different from a VPN, we provide a SOCKS5 Proxy with all accounts in the event users require this feature.
- ^ "Stats on 89 Linux VPN Providers Across 16 Linux Distributions". Retrieved 15 February 2018.
- ^ "Why can't I send email when on the VPN? / Private Internet Access". 2017-10-31. Archived from the original on 2017-12-27. Retrieved 2017-12-27.
Any VPN provider that does not retain logs must block outgoing SMTP traffic due to rampant spam associated with usage of VPN services. With that said, we can whitelist (allow) any outgoing email server that a) require authentication, and b) is correctly setup so as not to be an open relay.
- ^ "How a VPN Tunnel Works / Private Internet Access VPN Service". Archived from the original on 2017-12-27.
In addition, any blocked software by your ISP including P2P and other various software applications will be unblocked and unrestricted on our systems.
- ^ Private Internet Access™ is default secure from this vulnerability since we use real bare metal servers.
- ^ "PIA's NextGen Servers – How Colocated Servers Improve Our Infrastructure". Private Internet Access. 20 October 2022. Retrieved 2024-05-05.
- ^ "How to change VPN protocols or select Smart Protocol". 2021-08-31.
- ^ ProtonVPN. "Free Downloads".
- ^ Proton VPN. "How does P2P VPN redirection work with Proton VPN?". Retrieved 2024-05-05.
- ^ "PureVPN Features - Get Premium Anonymity, Security, & Privacy All In One!". Archived from the original on 2020-11-12.
10 Multi-Logins per Household
- ^ "PureVPN Supported Ports". 2017-07-27. Archived from the original on 2017-12-27.
- ^ "Setup PureVPN app on LinuA". Retrieved 4 February 2023.
- ^ "PureVPN P2P File Sharing - Break P2P barriers anonymously!". 2014-07-08. Archived from the original on 2018-01-03.
Furthermore, we have blocked P2P on some of our servers as per changing Global Web Policy. We don't allow p2p/filesharing where it's illegal by law named United Kingdom (UK), United States (US), Canada, Australia etc.
- ^ "PureVPN Servers". Virtual Servers and When you Should Use them?. 2017-11-11. Archived from the original on 2018-01-04.
PureVPN has never denied using virtual servers. To make matters simpler, an update on our Server Location page will state which servers are virtual and which are physical.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Rawwwr! Even Stronger Encryption". 2015-03-17. Archived from the original on 2017-08-14.
- ^ "GhostBear: How to Hide Your VPN From DPI". 2017-07-18. Archived from the original on 2017-12-28.
When you turn GhostBear on, it changes your VPN traffic signature to look like a different kind of traffic. To do this, GhostBear uses a technology called Obfsproxy.
- ^ "TunnelBear / Search Results". Archived from the original on 2018-01-03. Retrieved 2018-01-03.
TunnelBear does not block SMTP on our network.
- ^ "TunnelBear". Retrieved 2024-05-05.
- ^ "What Protocols are available with Windscribe? | Windscribe". windscribe.com. Retrieved 2023-07-09.
- ^ "SOCKS5 servers are phased out and are no longer offered by Windscribe. | Windscribe". windscribe.com. Retrieved 2023-07-09.
- ^ "Does Windscribe use virtual servers/locations? | Windscribe". windscribe.com. Retrieved 2024-05-05.
- ^ "NodeOS: How We Stopped Worrying about Disks and Started Booting from RAM". Windscribbles. 2023-12-19. Retrieved 2024-05-05.
- ^ a b c d "Hotspot Shield Privacy Frequently Asked Questions / Hotspot Shield". How does Hotspot Shield secure my Internet connection?. Archived from the original on 2017-12-28. Retrieved 2017-12-28.
Turning Hotspot Shield on encrypts all of the traffic between your device and our servers using TLS 1.2 with perfect forward secrecy (ECDHE), 128-bit AES data encryption.
- ^ a b "AnchorFree Hotspot Shield Privacy Policy". Security. 2017-11-29. Archived from the original on 2017-12-28.
We encrypt all of the traffic between your device and our servers using TLS 1.2 with perfect forward secrecy (ECDHE), 128-bit AES data encryption, and HMAC message authentication.
- ^ a b c d e f "Online Data Encryption - IPVanish VPN". www.ipvanish.com. 13 October 2021.
- ^ a b c d NordVPN (2 March 2020). "Military-Grade VPN Encryption". How secure and reliable is NordVPN?.
- ^ a b c d e f "Private Internet Access / VPN Encryption". Archived from the original on 2017-12-27. Retrieved 2017-12-27.
- ^ a b c d e f SaferVPN. "VPN Protocols". Archived from the original on 2018-01-16.
- ^ a b c d "What kind of encryption does Windscribe use? | Windscribe". windscribe.com. Retrieved 2023-07-09.
- ^ "What Is a VPN Kill Switch?". Archived from the original on 2022-08-02.
- ^ a b Tor (2012-02-16). "Obfsproxy: the next step in the censorship arms arce / Tor Blog". Tor Blog. Archived from the original on 2018-01-11.
- ^ a b OpenVPN. "TrafficObfuscation - OpenVPN Community". Wiki. Archived from the original on 2018-01-11.