VPN service

For the more general concept, see virtual private network.
This article contains dynamic lists that may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

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 VPN services 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] Recommendation websites for VPNs tend to be affiliated with or even owned by VPN service providers.[5]

VPN Use Cases

[edit]
  • Accessing Geo-Restricted Content. VPNs allow users to bypass regional restrictions by masking their IP address and simulating a connection from another country. For example, users in regions with limited streaming libraries can use VPNs to access content available in other locations, such as accessing Netflix US from abroad.[6][7]
  • Protecting Data on Public Wi-Fi. Public Wi-Fi networks, such as those in cafes or airports, are often unsecured and susceptible to hacking. VPNs encrypt users' internet traffic, protecting sensitive data like login credentials, financial information, and personal communications from potential interception.[8][9]
  • Ensuring Privacy for Activists and Journalists. Activists and journalists working in restrictive or authoritarian regions often use VPNs to maintain anonymity and protect sensitive communications. VPNs mask IP addresses and encrypt data, ensuring safe access to information and secure communication channels.[10]

Criticism and limitations

[edit]

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.[11] According to Consumer Reports, VPN service providers have poor privacy and security practices and also make hyperbolic claims.[12] The New York Times has advised users to reconsider whether a VPN service is worth their money.[13] VPN services are not sufficient for protection against browser fingerprinting.[14]

Common misconceptions

[edit]
  • 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.[15]
  • A VPN can log the user's traffic, although this depends on the VPN provider.[15]
  • A VPN does not make the user immune to hackers.[15]
  • 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.[16][17]

Legality

[edit]
Further information: 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.[18] Operators received prison sentences and were penalized with fines.[19][20][21][22] Russia banned various VPN service providers in 2021.[23]

Comparison of commercial virtual private network services

[edit]

Privacy

[edit]

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.[24] PC Magazine and TechRadar also suggest that users read the provider's logging policy before signing up for the service,[24][3] because some providers collect information about their customers' VPN usage.[25][26] 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.[25]

Service Based in Logging[a] Anonymous payment and communication
Traffic DNS requests Timestamps Bandwidth IP address
Atlas VPN United States No No No No (Premium), Yes (Free) No Some
Avira Phantom VPN Germany No[b] Unknown Yes[29] Yes[b] Yes[29] No
ExpressVPN British Virgin Islands[30][31][32] No[33] No[33] Yes[34] Yes[35] No[33] Some[32][36][31][37]
Hotspot Shield United States Yes[c] Yes[39] Yes[39] Yes[39] Yes[39][40] No
IPVanish United States No[41] No[41] No[41] No[41] No[41] No[42]
IVPN Gibraltar No[43] No[43] No[43] No[43] No[43] Some[44][45]
Mullvad Sweden No[46] No[46] No[46] No[46] No[46] Yes[47][48]
NordVPN Panama No[49] No[49] No[49] No[49] No[49] Some[50][51]
PrivadoVPN Switzerland No[52] No No No (Premium), Yes (Free) No Some
Private Internet Access United States No[53] No[53] No[53] No[53][54] No[53] Yes[55][56][57]
ProtonVPN Switzerland No[58] No No[58] No No Some
PureVPN Hong Kong No[59] No[60] No[61] Yes[62] No[d] Some[e][66]
Surfshark Netherlands No[67] No Yes No No Some
TunnelBear Canada[68][69][70] No[71] No[71][72] No[73] Yes[70][73] No[71] Some[68][74][69]
Windscribe Canada No[75] No No Yes No Yes

Notes

  1. ^ As claimed by provider unless otherwise noted.
  2. ^ 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.[27] It is also stated that bandwidth is logged.[27] When visiting Avira's website, the visitor's IP address is logged by both Google Analytics and the CrazyEgg tool.[28]
  3. ^ Hotspot Shield claims to collect "anonymous, aggregate data about which websites you visit and which apps you use."[38]
  4. ^ "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."[63] However, in 2017, PureVPN provided connection logs including IP addresses to the FBI for use in a criminal investigation.[64]
  5. ^ Name and e-mail is required for every payment method.[65]

Technical features

[edit]
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[76] Dedicated[77] No
Avira Phantom VPN Yes Yes Yes Yes No No Yes No No No No[78] Dedicated No
ExpressVPN Yes[30] Yes Yes Yes[30] No No Yes[30] Yes[79] No[31] Both[80][81] Yes
Hotspot Shield No No Yes No No No No ?
IPVanish Yes[82] Yes[83] Yes Yes[42] Yes[84] No Yes[85] Yes[86] Yes[42] Yes[87] No No No[42] No[42] Dedicated No
IVPN Yes[88] No[89] Yes Yes Beta[90] Yes; OpenVPN Yes Yes Yes[91] Yes[92] No[93] No[94] Dedicated[95]
Mullvad Yes[96] Yes[96] Yes Yes[96] Yes[97] Yes; WireGuard[98] and SOCKS5 Yes[96] No[99] Yes[100][96] Yes[101] Yes Yes[96] No[96] No[96] Dedicated[102] Yes[103]
NordVPN Yes[104] No[105] Yes Yes[106] Yes; NordLynx based on WireGuard[107] Yes; OpenVPN[108] and SOCKS5 Yes[109] Yes[110] Yes[111] Yes No[112] Dedicated Yes
PrivadoVPN Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes[113] Yes Yes No
Private Internet Access Yes[114] Yes[115] Yes Yes[116] Yes[117] Yes[118] Yes[119] No Yes[120] Yes[121] Some[a] No[123] Dedicated[124] Yes[125]
ProtonVPN Yes No Yes Yes Yes[126] Yes Yes No No Yes[127] Yes Yes Some[b] Dedicated
PureVPN Yes Yes Yes Yes[129] No No Only through SSTP[130] No No Yes[131] No Some[132] Both[133][81] No
Surfshark Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes (WG, OVPN, IKEv2) Yes No No Yes Some No Both Yes
TunnelBear Yes[72] Yes Yes Yes[134][69] No No No Yes[135][70] Yes Yes No[136] Some[137]
Windscribe Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes[138] Yes Yes No No[139] Yes

(via Stealth protocol)

No No No Dedicated[c] Yes[141] Yes

Notes

  1. ^ The support team may be willing to whitelist your email provider's SMTP server upon request.[122]
  2. ^ Only on free plan.[128]
  3. ^ With the exception of one virtual server located in Antartica.[140]

Encryption

[edit]
Service Data encryption Handshake encryption Data authentication
Default provided Strongest provided Weakest provided Strongest provided Weakest provided Strongest provided
Atlas VPN ChaCha20-Poly1305 / AES-256[a] ChaCha20-Poly1305 2048-bit Diffie-Hellman ECP521 SHA-384 SHA-384
Avast SecureLine AES-256 AES-256
Avira Phantom VPN AES-256 AES-256
ExpressVPN AES-256 AES-256 CA-4096
Hotspot Shield AES-128[142] AES-128[142] TLS 1.2 ECDHE PFS[142] TLS 1.2 ECDHE PFS[142] HMAC[143] HMAC[143]
IPVanish AES-256[144] AES-256[144] RSA-2048[144] RSA-2048[144] SHA-256[144] SHA-256[144]
IVPN AES-256[88] AES-256[88] RSA-4096[88]
Mullvad AES-256 (GCM)[96] AES-256[96] RSA-4096[96] RSA-4096[96] SHA-512[96] SHA-512[96]
NordVPN AES-256[145] AES-256 (CBC)[145] 2048-bit Diffie-Hellman[145] 2048-bit Diffie-Hellman[145]
Private Internet Access AES-128 (CBC)[146] AES-256[146] ECC-256k1[146] RSA-4096[146] SHA-1[146] SHA-256[146]
PrivadoVPN AES-256 AES-256
ProtonVPN AES-256 AES-256 RSA-4096 RSA-4096 HMAC with SHA-384 HMAC with SHA-384
PureVPN AES-256 AES-256
SaferVPN AES-256[147] AES-256[147] 2048bit SSL/TLS[147] 2048bit SSL/TLS[147] SHA-256[147] SHA-256[147]
TunnelBear AES-128 (CBC)[b] AES-256 (CBC)[134] 1548 bit Diffie-Hellman group[c] 4096 bit Diffie-Hellman group[134] SHA-1[d] SHA-256[134]
Surfshark AES-256 AES-256 (CBC) 2048-bit Diffie-Hellman 2048-bit Diffie-Hellman
Windscribe AES-256[148] AES-256[148] RSA-4096[148] RSA-4096[148] SHA-512 SHA-512

Notes

  1. ^ ChaCha20-Poly1305 for all devices except for Windows, which does not support it and therefore uses AES-256
  2. ^ Only on iOS 8 and earlier. All other supported devices and operating systems use AES-256 (CBC).[134]
  3. ^ iOS 9 and later use 2048 bit. iOS 8 and earlier use 1548 bit. All other supported devices and operating systems use 4096 bit.[134]
  4. ^ iOS 8 and earlier use SHA-1. All other supported devices and operating systems use SHA-256.[134]

Definitions

[edit]

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.[149]
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.[150] 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.[150] 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".[150] The metric is developed by WebCookies.org.[150]
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.[151][152]
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.[151][152]

References

[edit]
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  2. ^ a b Eddy, Max (2018-01-15). "The Best VPN Services of 2018". PC Magazine. Archived from the original on 2018-01-18. 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. ^ a b Athow, Desire (2018-01-13). "The best VPN services for 2018". TechRadar. How to test a VPN. Archived from the original on 2018-01-17. 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).
  4. ^ Athow, Desire (2018-01-13). "The best VPN services for 2018". TechRadar. How to choose a VPN: Here are 6 tips. Archived from the original on 2018-01-17.
  5. ^ "Investigating the VPN Recommendation Ecosystem" (PDF). IEEE Security.
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  34. ^ ExpressVPN. "ExpressVPN Privacy Policy". Archived from the original on 2018-01-04. Retrieved 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).
  35. ^ 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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