VPN Services
Introduction
A Virtual Private Network (VPN) creates an encrypted tunnel between your device and a VPN server, masking your IP address and protecting your online activity from ISPs, hackers, and other third parties. VPNs are essential tools for maintaining privacy and security while browsing the internet, especially when using public Wi-Fi networks.
Threat Model
When considering a VPN service, you need to protect against several threats: ISP surveillance, public Wi-Fi attacks, geo-location tracking, and network throttling. However, it's important to note that your VPN provider can see your traffic, so choosing a trustworthy provider with a strong no-logs policy is crucial. Your threat model should consider whether you need protection from casual observers, your ISP, or more sophisticated adversaries.
Legend
Trust Level
Compatibility
macOS, Windows, Linux, MobileTop 3 Recommended Providers
Other Recommended Providers
VPN Comparison Matrix
| Criteria | ExpressVPN | NordVPN |
|---|---|---|
| Company jurisdiction | ||
| Infrastructure jurisdiction | ||
| Implicated in giving customers' data to intelligence agencies? | ||
| Surveillance capability built into the app? | ||
| Does the company provide a transparency report? | ||
| Company's general stance on customers' privacy | ||
| Company collects customers' data? | ||
| Funding | ||
| App collects customers' data? | ||
| User data and/or metadata sent to parent company and/or third parties? | ||
| Is encryption turned on by default? | ||
| Cryptographic primitives | ||
| Are the app and server completely open source? | ||
| Are reproducible builds used to verify apps against source code? | ||
| Can you sign up to the app anonymously? | ||
| Does the app allow local authentication when opening it? | ||
| Does the company log timestamps/IP addresses? | ||
| Have there been a recent code audit and an independent security analysis? | ||
| Is the design well documented? |