VPN service explained

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

Legality

See also: VPN blocking. 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, because some providers collect information about their customers' VPN usage.[19] 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.[20]

Service! colspan="5" scope="col" class="unsortable"
LoggingAnonymous payment and communication
TrafficDNS requestsTimestampsBandwidthIP address
Atlas VPN
Avira Phantom VPNUnknown[21]
ExpressVPN[22] [23] [24] [25] [26] [27] [28]
Hotspot Shield[29] [30]
IPVanish[31] [32]
IVPN[33] [34] [35]
Mullvad[36] [37] [38]
NordVPN[39] [40] [41]
PrivadoVPN[42]
Private Internet Access[43] [44] [45] [46] [47]
ProtonVPN[48]
PureVPN[49] [50] [51] [52] [53]
Surfshark[54]
TunnelBear[55] [56] [57] [58] [59] [60]
Windscribe[61]

Notes

Technical features

Service! colspan="3"
Leak ProtectionProtocolsObfuscation / Censorship AvoidanceNetwork NeutralityServer
First-party DNS serversIPv6 supported / blockedOffers kill switchOffers OpenVPNOffers WireGuardSupports multihopSupports TCP port 443Supports ObfsproxyOffers SOCKSLinux supportSupports SSL tunnelSupports SSH tunnelBlocks SMTP (authent.)Blocks P2PDedicated or virtualDiskless
Atlas VPN
Avast SecureLine[62] [63]
Avira Phantom VPN[64]
ExpressVPN[65] [66] [67]
Hotspot Shield?
IPVanish[68] [69] [70] [71] [72] [73] [74]
IVPN[75] [76] [77] [78] [79] [80] [81]
Mullvad[82] [83] [84] and SOCKS5[85] [86] [87] [88] [89]
NordVPN[90] [91] [92] [93] [94] and SOCKS5[95] [96] [97] [98]
PrivadoVPN
Private Internet Access[99] [100] [101] [102] [103] [104] [105] accessdate=15">Web site: Stats on 89 Linux VPN Providers Across 16 Linux Distributions. 15 February 2018. English. [106] [107] [108]
ProtonVPN[109] [110]
PureVPN[111] [112] [113] [114] [115] [116]
Surfshark
TunnelBear[117] [118] [119] [120]
Windscribe[121] [122] (via Stealth protocol)[123]

Notes

Encryption

ServiceData encryptionHandshake encryptionData authentication
Default providedStrongest providedWeakest providedStrongest providedWeakest providedStrongest provided
Atlas VPNChaCha20-Poly1305 / AES-256ChaCha20-Poly13052048-bit Diffie-HellmanECP521SHA-384SHA-384
Avast SecureLineAES-256AES-256
Avira Phantom VPNAES-256AES-256
ExpressVPNAES-256AES-256CA-4096
Hotspot ShieldAES-128[124] AES-128TLS 1.2 ECDHE PFSTLS 1.2 ECDHE PFSHMAC[125] HMAC
IPVanishAES-256[126] AES-256RSA-2048RSA-2048SHA-256SHA-256
IVPNAES-256[127]
MullvadAES-256 (GCM)AES-256RSA-4096RSA-4096SHA-512SHA-512
NordVPNAES-256[128] AES-256 (CBC)2048-bit Diffie-Hellman2048-bit Diffie-Hellman
Private Internet AccessAES-128 (CBC)[129] AES-256ECC-256k1RSA-4096SHA-1SHA-256
PrivadoVPNAES-256AES-256
ProtonVPNAES-256AES-256RSA-4096RSA-4096HMAC with SHA-384HMAC with SHA-384
PureVPNAES-256AES-256
SaferVPNAES-256[130] AES-2562048bit SSL/TLS2048bit SSL/TLSSHA-256SHA-256
TunnelBearAES-128 (CBC)AES-256 (CBC)1548 bit Diffie-Hellman group4096 bit Diffie-Hellman groupSHA-1SHA-256
SurfsharkAES-256AES-256 (CBC)2048-bit Diffie-Hellman2048-bit Diffie-Hellman
WindscribeAES-256[131] AES-256RSA-4096RSA-4096SHA-512SHA-512
Notes

Definitions

The following definitions clarify the meaning of some of the column headers in the comparison tables above.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Paul . Ian . Best VPN services of 2018: Reviews and buying advice . . How we tested . 2018-01-02 . 2018-01-04 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180104160416/https://www.pcworld.com/article/3198369/privacy/best-vpn-services-apps-reviews-buying-advice.html#toc-7 . dead.
  2. Web site: Eddy . Max . The Best VPN Services of 2018 . . 2018-01-15 . 2018-01-18 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180118002225/http://uk.pcmag.com/software/138/guide/the-best-vpn-services-of-2018 . dead . 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. .
  3. Web site: Athow . Desire . The best VPN services for 2018 . . How to test a VPN . 2018-01-13 . 2018-01-17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180117232459/http://www.techradar.com/vpn/best-vpn#how-to-test-a-vpn . 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). . dead.
  4. Web site: Athow . Desire . The best VPN services for 2018 . . How to choose a VPN: Here are 6 tips . 2018-01-13 . 2018-01-17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180117232459/http://www.techradar.com/vpn/best-vpn#how-to-choose-a-vpn-here-are-6-tips . dead.
  5. Perta. Vasile C.. Barbera. Marco V.. Tyson. Gareth. Haddadi. Hamed. Mei. Alessandro. 2015-04-01. A Glance through the VPN Looking Glass: IPv6 Leakage and DNS Hijacking in Commercial VPN clients. Proceedings on Privacy Enhancing Technologies. 2015. 1. 77–91. 10.1515/popets-2015-0006. 2299-0984. 10044/1/56834. 3468680. free.
  6. Web site: Grauer . Yael . VPN Testing Reveals Poor Privacy and Security Practices, Hyperbolic Claims . 2023-01-18 . . 30 September 2022 . en-US.
  7. News: Chen. Brian X.. 2021-10-06. It's Time to Stop Paying for a VPN. en-US. The New York Times. 2021-12-21. 0362-4331.
  8. Web site: You Tossed Your Cookies But They're Still Tracking You; Here's How to Hide Your Browser Fingerprint. 2021-12-21. PCMAG. en.
  9. Web site: O'sullivan . Fergus . VPN Myths Debunked: What VPNs Can and Cannot Do . How-To Geek . 27 September 2021 . 16 January 2022 . 13 November 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221113172155/https://www.howtogeek.com/753661/vpn-myths-debunked-what-vpns-can-and-cannot-do/ . live .
  10. Web site: Understanding and Circumventing Network Censorship . 25 April 2020 . 15 October 2022 . 15 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221015202322/https://ssd.eff.org/en/module/understanding-and-circumventing-network-censorship . live .
  11. Web site: Techsplanations: Part 5, Virtual Private Networks . 16 October 2018 . 15 October 2022 . 15 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221015202316/https://cdt.org/insights/techsplanations-part-5-virtual-private-networks/ . live .
  12. News: Businesses, consumers uncertain ahead of China VPN ban . en-US . Reuters . 2018-04-03.
  13. Web site: 2017-12-21. Man jailed for 5½ years, fined US$76,000 for selling VPN in China. 2020-08-10. South China Morning Post. en.
  14. Web site: Cimpanu. Catalin. Chinese man arrested after making $1.6 million from selling VPN services. 2020-08-10. ZDNet. en.
  15. Web site: 2020-07-30. Using a VPN to watch porn gets a man punished in China. 2020-08-10. South China Morning Post. en.
  16. News: 2019-01-11. "翻墙"网民受罚 中国进一步强化网络管控. zh-Hans. Internet User Fined for Scaling Great Firewall - China strengthens Internet Control. BBC News 中文. 2020-08-10.
  17. News: 2022-03-14 . Russians' demand for VPNs skyrockets after Meta block . en . Reuters . 2022-04-07.
  18. Web site: Eddy . Max . The Best VPN Services of 2018 . . Can You Trust Your VPN Service? . 2018-01-15 . 2018-01-18 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180118002225/http://uk.pcmag.com/software/138/guide/the-best-vpn-services-of-2018 . dead.
  19. Web site: Krebs . Brian . Brian Krebs . Post-FCC Privacy Rules, Should You VPN? . Krebs on Security . 2017-03-17 . 2018-01-18 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180118024429/https://krebsonsecurity.com/2017/03/post-fcc-privacy-rules-should-you-vpn/ .
  20. Web site: Paul . Ian . Best VPN services of 2018: Reviews and buying advice . . What to look for in a VPN . 2018-01-02 . 2018-01-04 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180104160416/https://www.pcworld.com/article/3198369/privacy/best-vpn-services-apps-reviews-buying-advice.html#toc-6 .
  21. Web site: Avira Privacy Policy Account and products . 2023-11-04 . Avira . en.
  22. Web site: ExpressVPN Privacy Policy . ExpressVPN . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180104021316/https://www.expressvpn.com/privacy-policy . 2018-01-04 . 2018-01-04 . 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. .
  23. Web site: ExpressVPN Privacy Policy . ExpressVPN . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180104021316/https://www.expressvpn.com/privacy-policy . 2018-01-04 . 2018-01-04 . We collect information about whether you have successfully established a VPN connection on a particular day (but not a specific time of the day). .
  24. Web site: ExpressVPN Privacy Policy . ExpressVPN . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180104021316/https://www.expressvpn.com/privacy-policy . 2018-01-04 . 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. .
  25. News: Paul . Ian . ExpressVPN review: A good service with no public leadership . . 2017-09-20 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180104010156/https://www.pcworld.com/article/3223384/privacy/expressvpn-vpn-review.html . 2018-01-04 .
  26. Web site: Buy VPN with Bitcoin, PayPal, Credit Card / ExpressVPN . ExpressVPN . 2. Enter your email address . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180104022027/https://www.expressvpn.com/order . 2018-01-04 . 2018-01-04 .
  27. News: Williams . Mike . ExpressVPN review . . 2017-10-23 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180104005945/http://www.techradar.com/reviews/pc-mac/software/utilities/expressvpn-1325564/review . 2018-01-04 .
  28. Web site: Buy VPN with Bitcoin, PayPal, Credit Card / ExpressVPN . ExpressVPN . 3. Select your preferred method of payment . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180104022027/https://www.expressvpn.com/order . 2018-01-04 . 2018-01-04 . Continue below to buy VPN with Bitcoin. .
  29. Web site: AnchorFree Hotspot Shield Privacy Policy . When you visit our websites . live . https://archive.today/20171228152839/https://www.hotspotshield.com/privacy/ . 2017-11-29 . 2017-12-28 . Your IP address may be collected when you visit our websites. .
  30. Web site: AnchorFree Hotspot Shield Privacy Policy . When you launch Hotspot Shield . live . https://archive.today/20171228152839/https://www.hotspotshield.com/privacy/ . 2017-11-29 . 2017-12-28 . 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. .
  31. Web site: Privacy Policy - IPVanish VPN. www.ipvanish.com. 27 July 2021 . en.
  32. Web site: The Best VPN Service Provider with Fast, Secure VPN Access. www.ipvanish.com. en.
  33. Web site: IVPN Privacy Policy . IVPN . What information is logged when customers connect to our network? . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180326220242/https://www.ivpn.net/privacy . 2018-03-26 . We do not store any connection logs whatsoever. In addition we do not log bandwidth usage, session data or requests to our DNS servers. . IVPN .
  34. Web site: IVPN Pricing . IVPN . What payment types do you accept? . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180326220704/https://www.ivpn.net/pricing . 2018-03-26 . We accept all major credit cards, Paypal, Bitcoin and cash. However paying with cash is only available when purchasing an annual subscription. . IVPN .
  35. Web site: How do I send a secure PGP encrypted email to IVPN? . IVPN . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180326220850/https://www.ivpn.net/knowledgebase/117/How-do-I-send-a-secure-PGP-encrypted-email-to-IVPN.html . 2018-03-26 . IVPN .
  36. Web site: No-logging data policy - Guides / Mullvad . What we don't log . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20171226113621/https://www.mullvad.net/en/guides/no-logging-data-policy/ . 2017-12-26 . 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..
  37. Web site: No-logging data policy - Guides / Mullvad . How Mullvad handles payment information . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20171226113621/https://www.mullvad.net/en/guides/no-logging-data-policy/ . 2017-12-26 . Mullvad accepts Bitcoin, cash, bank wire, credit card, PayPal, and Swish..
  38. Web site: Mullvad client - Settings - Guides / Mullvad . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20171226114824/https://www.mullvad.net/en/guides/mullvad-client-settings/ . 2017-12-26 . You do have the option of sending an encrypted email to us using PGP. Mullvad's PGP key is found on our website. . 2017-12-26 .
  39. Web site: Terms of Service . NordVPN . NordVPN . Logging policy . 2017-10-28 .
  40. Web site: Terms of Service . NordVPN . NordVPN . Privacy policy . 2017-10-28 .
  41. Web site: Do you have a PGP key so I could reach you anonymously?. support.nordvpn.com. en. 2018-06-16.
  42. Web site: Privacy Policy PrivadoVPN . privadovpn.com.
  43. Web site: Privacy Policy, VPN Network Services / Private Internet Access . live . https://archive.today/20171114165616/https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/pages/privacy-policy/ . 2016-08-11 . 2017-11-14 . PrivateInternetAccess.com does not collect or log any traffic or use of its Virtual Private Network ("VPN") or Proxy. . 2017-12-27 .
  44. Web site: Do you impose any limitations on usage or bandwidth when using your service? / Private Internet Access . dead . https://archive.today/20171226130355/https://helpdesk.privateinternetaccess.com/hc/en-us/articles/219457517-Do-you-impose-any-limitations-on-usage-or-bandwidth-when-using-your-service- . 2017-11-28 . 2017-12-26 . We do not impose any restrictions or limitations on usage and/or bandwidth consumption. . 2017-12-26 .
  45. Web site: We accept all kinds of payment methods... including all major gift cards!.
  46. Web site: What methods of payment do you accept for account purchases? / Private Internet Access . dead . https://archive.today/20171226125645/https://helpdesk.privateinternetaccess.com/hc/en-us/articles/219331288-What-methods-of-payment-do-you-accept-for-account-purchases- . 2017-04-22 . 2017-12-26 . 2017-12-26 .
  47. Web site: Private Internet Access Management Team .
  48. Web site: 2024-02-04 . Proton VPN - Privacy Policy Proton VPN . 2024-02-15 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240204022759/https://protonvpn.com/privacy-policy . 2024-02-04 . live.
  49. Web site: PureVPN's Privacy Policy . 2016-01-15 . None of the following records are stored by PureVPN’ ... Browsing activity ... Browsing history ... Sites visited ... Content or data accessed.
  50. Web site: PureVPN's Privacy Policy . 2016-01-15 . None of the following records are stored by PureVPN’ ... DNS queries generated by the user.
  51. Web site: PureVPN's Privacy Policy . 2018-07-30 . None of the following records are stored by PureVPN’ ... Connection timestamps.
  52. Web site: PureVPN's Privacy Policy . 21 April 2021 . 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..
  53. Web site: PureVPN's Privacy Policy . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20171227154944/https://www.purevpn.com/privacy-policy.php . 2016-01-15 . 2017-12-27 . Since we are huge believers in anonymity, we have included Bitcoin and Gift Cards – 100% anonymous payment methods – in the payment methods accepted by us..
  54. Web site: Surfshark Privacy Policy . Surfshark . en.
  55. Web site: A Privacy Policy You Can Actually Understand . 1.5 Other Data TunnelBear Just does NOT Collect . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20171228134356/https://www.tunnelbear.com/privacy-policy#1.5 . 2017-12-28 .
  56. News: Williams . Mike . TunnelBear VPN review . . 2017-05-23 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180110164917/http://www.techradar.com/reviews/tunnelbear-vpn . 2018-01-10 .
  57. Web site: A Privacy Policy You Can Actually Understand . 1.5 Operational Data . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20171228134356/https://www.tunnelbear.com/privacy-policy#1.3 . 2017-12-28 . Understanding how much data people are using is a critical metric for TunnelBear. [...] We felt that overall usage would respect individual user privacy (i.e. no login timestamps [...]) [...]..
  58. News: Paul . Ian . TunnelBear review: If you can stand the puns, TunnelBear is a speedy VPN . . 2017-06-16 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180110170622/https://www.pcworld.com/article/3201008/privacy/tunnelbear-vpn-review.html . 2018-01-10 .
  59. Web site: Buy TunnelBear VPN with Credit Card, Bitcoin . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180103172152/https://www.tunnelbear.com/pricing . 2018-01-03 .
  60. News: Eddy . Max . TunnelBear VPN . . 2017-05-02 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180110165526/http://uk.pcmag.com/tunnelbear-vpn/83271/review/tunnelbear-vpn . 2018-01-10 .
  61. Web site: Windscribe Privacy Policy . Windscribe . en.
  62. Web site: Avast SecureLine / A VPN to protect your online activities . It’s your Internet. Take it back - Connect with your peers. No tricks . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20171229094517/https://www.avast.com/secureline-vpn#pc . 2017-12-29 . We support peer-2-peer (P2P) networking in some of our server locations. .
  63. Web site: Avast SecureLine / A VPN to protect your online activities . Where speed meets capacity - Rows upon rows of dedication . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20171229094517/https://www.avast.com/secureline-vpn#pc . 2017-12-29 . All of our VPN gateways run on dedicated hardware servers. .
  64. Web site: Avira Phantom VPN Pro Review . PC Mag. 2024-05-05.
  65. News: Eddy . Max . ExpressVPN . . 2017-05-12 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20170514144901/http://uk.pcmag.com/expressvpn/83190/review/expressvpn . 2017-05-14 .
  66. Web site: Stay Safe and Keep Your Online Privacy With a Secure VPN . ExpressVPN . ExpressVPN Features . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180104015732/https://www.expressvpn.com/what-is-vpn/secure-vpn . 2018-01-04 . Our network is SSL-secured .
  67. Web site: Virtual server locations . ExpressVPN . 2017-12-04 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180104013616/https://www.expressvpn.com/support/troubleshooting/virtual-server-locations/ . 2018-01-04 .
  68. Web site: DNS Leaks. IPVanish.
  69. Web site: IPv6. IPVanish.
  70. Web site: WireGuard® VPN Protocol - What is WireGuard? | IPVanish . 12 October 2021 .
  71. Web site: Ports used for VPN Protocols. IPVanish.
  72. Web site: Android VPN Software Setup - IPVanish. www.ipvanish.com. 8 October 2021 . en.
  73. Web site: VPN Software Setup - Choose Your Platform - IPVanish. www.ipvanish.com. 6 October 2021 . en.
  74. Web site: IPVanish Interview - BestVPN.com. BestVPN.com. 7 March 2018.
  75. Web site: Do you offer IPv6? . IVPN . IVPN Help Center . IVPN . https://web.archive.org/web/20190725132024/https://www.ivpn.net/knowledgebase/109/Do-you-offer-IPv6.html . 2019-07-25 . dead.
  76. Web site: Introducing WireGuard, fully automated. . IVPN . IVPN Blog . 2018-12-11 . IVPN .
  77. Web site: VPN Setup guide for Linux using the terminal . IVPN . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180326223437/https://www.ivpn.net/setup/gnu-linux-terminal.html . 2018-03-26 . IVPN .
  78. Web site: Does IVPN protect SSH connections? . IVPN . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180326221837/https://www.ivpn.net/knowledgebase/184/Does-IVPN-protect-SSH-connections.html . 2018-03-26 . IVPN .
  79. Web site: Do you allow SMTP (email) whilst connected to IVPN? . IVPN . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180326222125/https://www.ivpn.net/knowledgebase/113/Do-you-allow-SMTP-email-whilst-connected-to-IVPN.html . 2018-03-26 . IVPN .
  80. Web site: Do you allow P2P / BitTorrent / torrents downloading? . IVPN . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180326222320/https://www.ivpn.net/knowledgebase/78/Do-you-allow-P2P-or-BitTorrent-or-torrents-downloading.html . 2018-03-26 . IVPN .
  81. Web site: Answers for "18 Questions to ask your VPN service provider" . IVPN . IVPN Help Center . IVPN .
  82. Web site: Features / Mullvad . Details . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20171222160219/https://www.mullvad.net/en/features/ . 2017-12-22 . 2017-12-26 .
  83. Web site: WireGuard is no longer the new kid - Blog / Mullvad VPN . 2020-03-30 . 2020-03-30 .
  84. Web site: New features for WireGuard users . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180324045323/https://www.mullvad.net/en/blog/2017/8/7/new-features-wireguard-users/ . 2017-08-07 . 2018-03-24 .
  85. Web site: Client version 65 released - Blog / Mullvad . Mullvad . Blog . 2017-10-24 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180111043702/https://www.mullvad.net/en/blog/2017/10/24/client-version-65-released/ . 2018-01-11 . Mullvad .
  86. Web site: Increased security with SOCKS5 proxy - Blog / Mullvad . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20171227150919/https://mullvad.net/en/blog/2016/11/29/increased-security-socks5-proxy/ . 2016-11-29 . 2017-12-27 .
  87. Web site: Linux OpenVPN Installation - Guides / Mullvad . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20171226121448/https://mullvad.net/en/guides/linux-openvpn-installation/ . 2017-12-26.
  88. Web site: Features / Mullvad . Technical . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20171222160219/https://www.mullvad.net/en/features/ . 2017-12-22 . 2017-12-26 .
  89. Web site: We have successfully completed our migration to RAM-only VPN infrastructure . 2024-03-25 . Mullvad VPN . 20 September 2023 . en.
  90. Web site: Use DNS Leak Test & Quickly Identify DNS Requests Exposure! . NordVPN . NordVPN . How can it affect you? . 15 June 2017 .
  91. Web site: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) . NordVPN . NordVPN . Do you support IPv6? . live . https://archive.today/20170113030557/https://nordvpn.com/faq/ . 2017-01-13 . No, but we are planning to add the support of IPv6 in 2018. .
  92. Web site: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) . NordVPN . NordVPN . Technical information . live . https://archive.today/20170113030557/https://nordvpn.com/faq/ . 2017-01-13 .
  93. Web site: November 15, 2019. The VPN Industry Is on the Cusp of a Major Breakthrough. Max. Eddy. August 14, 2019. PCMag.
  94. Web site: Extra Security With Double VPN . NordVPN . NordVPN . What is Double VPN & how does it work? . 14 June 2017 .
  95. Web site: What is OpenVPN? . NordVPN . NordVPN . March 14, 2018 . For OpenVPN TCP connections - port 443..
  96. Web site: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) . NordVPN . NordVPN . Do you offer socks5 proxies? . live . https://archive.today/20170113030557/https://nordvpn.com/faq/ . 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). .
  97. Web site: How to setup OpenVPN on Linux . NordVPN . NordVPN .
  98. Web site: Best VPN for P2P . NordVPN . NordVPN . Why is NordVPN the best VPN for P2P? . 18 April 2018 .
  99. Web site: Client Support Area / Private Internet Access VPN Service . DNS Leak Protection . live . https://archive.today/20171231150012/https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/pages/client-support/ . 2017-12-31 . We use our own private DNS servers for your DNS queries while on the VPN. . 2017-12-31 .
  100. Web site: Client Support Area / Private Internet Access VPN Service . IPv6 Leak Protection . live . https://archive.today/20171231150012/https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/pages/client-support/ . 2017-12-31 . IPv6 leak protection disables IPv6 traffic while on the VPN. This includes 6to4 and Teredo tunneled IPv6 traffic. .
  101. Web site: How a VPN Tunnel Works / Private Internet Access VPN Service . live . https://archive.today/20171227092922/https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/pages/how-it-works/%23 . 2017-12-27 . This is used in conjunction with the OpenVPN protocol [...] . 2017-12-27 .
  102. Web site: WireGuard on PIA is out of beta and available to use on Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS . 2020-04-10 . 2023-02-04.
  103. Web site: Understanding the Multi-Hop Feature - Knowledgebase / Technical / Application Settings and Features / Application & Features - PIA Support Portal . 2022-06-06 . helpdesk.privateinternetaccess.com.
  104. Web site: What ports are used by your VPN service? / Private Internet Access . dead . https://archive.today/20170131093923/https://helpdesk.privateinternetaccess.com/hc/en-us/articles/220934827-What-ports-are-used-by-your-VPN-service- . 2016-08-29 . 2017-01-31 . 2017-12-26 .
  105. Web site: Client Support Area / Private Internet Access VPN Service . SOCKS5 Proxy Usage Guides . live . https://archive.today/20171231150012/https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/pages/client-support/ . 2017-12-31 . Although quite different from a VPN, we provide a SOCKS5 Proxy with all accounts in the event users require this feature. .
  106. Web site: How a VPN Tunnel Works / Private Internet Access VPN Service . live . https://archive.today/20171227092922/https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/pages/how-it-works/%23 . 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. .
  107. https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/archive/forum/discussion/21619/telescope-private-internet-access-is-safe-from-the-tls-communications-vulnerability Private Internet Access™ is default secure from this vulnerability since we use real bare metal servers.
  108. Web site: PIA's NextGen Servers – How Colocated Servers Improve Our Infrastructure. 2024-05-05 . Private Internet Access. 20 October 2022 .
  109. Web site: How to change VPN protocols or select Smart Protocol . 2021-08-31 .
  110. Web site: Free Downloads. ProtonVPN.
  111. Web site: PureVPN Features - Get Premium Anonymity, Security, & Privacy All In One! . deviated . https://web.archive.org/web/20201112000514/https://www.purevpn.com/features. 2020-11-12 . 10 Multi-Logins per Household.
  112. Web site: PureVPN Supported Ports . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20171227162743/https://support.purevpn.com/on-what-ports-purevpn-work-and-should-i-allow-them-on-my-anti-virus-programfirewall . 2017-07-27 . 2017-12-27 .
  113. Web site: Setup PureVPN app on LinuA. 4 February 2023. English.
  114. Web site: PureVPN P2P File Sharing - Break P2P barriers anonymously! . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180103185035/https://support.purevpn.com/p2p-file-sharing . 2014-07-08 . 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. .
  115. Web site: PureVPN Servers . Virtual Servers and When you Should Use them? . 2017-11-11 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180104011633/https://support.purevpn.com/virtual-servers-and-when-you-should-use-them . 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. .
  116. News: Paul . Ian . ExpressVPN review: A good service with no public leadership . . 2017-09-20 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180104010156/https://www.pcworld.com/article/3223384/privacy/expressvpn-vpn-review.html . 2018-01-04 . Similar to PureVPN, ExpressVPN says it uses virtual servers in certain locations due to infrastructure issues. .
  117. Web site: TunnelBear DNS: Protecting Your Privacy and Mauling DNS Leaks . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20171228145059/https://www.tunnelbear.com/blog/tunnelbear-dns-protecting-your-privacy-and-mauling-dns-leaks/ . 2017-06-22 . 2017-12-28 . 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..
  118. Web site: GhostBear: How to Hide Your VPN From DPI . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20171228143716/https://www.tunnelbear.com/blog/how-to-hide-your-vpn-from-dpi/ . 2017-07-18 . 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..
  119. Web site: TunnelBear / Search Results . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20180103190929/https://help.tunnelbear.com/customer/portal/articles/search?b_id=17004&q=smtp . 2018-01-03 . TunnelBear does not block SMTP on our network. . 2018-01-03 .
  120. Web site: TunnelBear. 2024-05-05.
  121. Web site: What Protocols are available with Windscribe? Windscribe . 2023-07-09 . windscribe.com.
  122. Web site: SOCKS5 servers are phased out and are no longer offered by Windscribe. Windscribe . 2023-07-09 . windscribe.com.
  123. Web site: 2023-12-19 . NodeOS: How We Stopped Worrying about Disks and Started Booting from RAM . 2024-05-05 . Windscribbles . en.
  124. Web site: Hotspot Shield Privacy Frequently Asked Questions / Hotspot Shield . live . 2017-12-28 . How does Hotspot Shield secure my Internet connection? . 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. . https://archive.today/20171228150759/https://www.hotspotshield.com/privacy-faq/ . 2017-12-28.
  125. Web site: 2017-11-29 . AnchorFree Hotspot Shield Privacy Policy . live . Security . 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. . https://archive.today/20171228152839/https://www.hotspotshield.com/privacy/ . 2017-12-28.
  126. Web site: Online Data Encryption - IPVanish VPN . www.ipvanish.com . 13 October 2021 . en.
  127. Web site: IVPN . IVPN . Why IVPN . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180326223025/https://www.ivpn.net/why-ivpn . 2018-03-26 . IVPN offers you more than any other VPN.
  128. Web site: NordVPN . 2 March 2020 . Military-Grade VPN Encryption . How secure and reliable is NordVPN? . NordVPN.
  129. Web site: Private Internet Access / VPN Encryption . live . 2017-12-27 . https://archive.today/20171227094141/https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/pages/vpn-encryption . 2017-12-27.
  130. Web site: VPN Protocols . SaferVPN . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20180116203437/https://www.safervpn.com/vpn-protocols . SaferVPN . 2018-01-16 .
  131. Web site: What kind of encryption does Windscribe use? Windscribe . 2023-07-09 . windscribe.com.

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