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VyprVPN is the World’s First Publicly Audited No Log VPN Service

At Golden Frog، Blog، Featured، In the News، خرید اوپن وی پی ان، خرید فیلترشکن، خرید وی پی ان، وی پی ان تبلت، وی پی ان لینوکس، وی پی ان موبایل، وی پی ان ویندوز فون

Since our inception in 2009, Golden Frog has been dedicated to doing what’s right, with an unwavering commitment to the Internet.  We’re a small team on a mission: to provide people with better privacy, security, and Internet freedom.
When we founded Golden Frog and launched VyprVPN we believed that logging a minimal amount of VPN service data would vastly improve our customers experience when using a VPN. We kept this data to a minimum and focused on how this data could help improve speed, performance, reliability and troubleshooting. I am proud of our commitment to talking about issues in the VPN industry and our transparency with our users about our logging policies and our past reasons for retaining any user data.
What we formerly logged and retained for 30 days:

Customer’s source IP address (generally the IP address assigned by the customer’s ISP)
VyprVPN’s IP address assigned to the user
Connection start and end times
Total number of bytes used

So, I’m very excited to announce that VyprVPN is now a No Log VPN Service!
Why Did We Make the Change to No Log?
Over the course of the past year we have received significant feedback from our customers, our Policy Partners and the VPN market that any amount of activity logging by a VPN Provider erodes trust in the VPN service itself.
But, the tipping point was when Wirecutter published their review of the Best VPN Service and I saw one of our customers ask on Twitter why VyprVPN was excluded from the review.

So although we are one of the longest standing VPN Providers in the world and feel we have always fought to protect people’s privacy, our minimal logging excluded us from their review. Wow.
People’s expectations had clearly changed. It was time for action. People are demanding more privacy from the companies and that’s a good thing. I hope this positive trend continues.
As our service has matured over the past decade, we have become more experienced with running a global VPN network and the necessity for minimal logging has diminished. We have found better ways to improve performance and defeat fraudsters without needing a user’s connection information.
Isn’t This Just Another Blatant Marketing Campaign?
We have been very vocal about VPN Providers who promised total anonymity or a “no log” VPN service but turning over user data to authorities.  We have had legitimate concerns about new entrants in the VPN industry that promise privacy but deliver quite the opposite while leaving users none the wiser. We feared that trust in VPNs was eroding and if people can’t trust a VPN to protect them then they won’t use encryption at all. We felt that decisive action was needed. That’s why we partnered with the Center for Democracy & Technology over the past year to create the “Signals of Trustworthy VPNs” report so that users can better understand what questions to ask of their VPN Provider. This was a good start and we encourage more VPN Providers to answer these questions for the sake of consumers.
How to Change the Conversation and Challenge the VPN Industry
When we decided to become a No Log VPN this past summer, we wanted to do something more to create trust than just updating our website and privacy policy with No Log language. We wanted to change the conversation and challenge the VPN industry even further.
So, we made the decision to hire a respected, independent auditor to validate that when we say “No Log” users can trust us and aren’t left wondering if we are yet another VPN Provider who says one thing and does another. After extensive research we hired Leviathan Security to perform an independent audit and ensure that no Personally Identifiable Information (PII) is collected, with respect to the use of the VyprVPN service.  You don’t have to necessarily trust us (although I think you should), but we hope you can trust Leviathan Security when they attest that we have delivered on our No Log promise to our users.
So, I’m very proud to announce that we are the world’s first publicly audited No Log VPN Provider. Sure, this sounds like a marketing message, but our Engineers certainly don’t believe so! Our teams worked closely with the team at Leviathan Security to address any and all concerns that arose as they went through the investigation. We allowed Leviathan full access to our servers, application code, etc. – we let them get their hands dirty.
We spent a great deal of time modifying and ensuring that our server systems do not log any PII with respect to your connections.  This includes VPN servers, authentication servers, API servers, etc.  The normal, everyday path of connection logging was easy to modify, but the technical team went further and made drastic logging modifications across the entire suite of backend software to ensure that even accidental logging in exceptional cases does not occur.  Leviathan verified all of our changes.
Our application developers also got involved. They audited their apps and provided updated versions which ensure any logs on the device maintained by the application or the OS are only sent to us with your express action and permission. Again, Leviathan verified all of our claims. Our technical team spent a great deal of time making certain this was no mere marketing campaign.
I’m very proud of our Engineering teams who worked closely with Leviathan to earn this accolade. They all deserve our recognition and I’m very grateful for their efforts. Kudos!
You may read the full report from Leviathan here:  VyprVPN Privacy Audit
What’s Next?
First, we must not only make promises, we must continue to deliver on them. Server infrastructure, desktop apps and mobile apps are a living, breathing system with continual change. We must manage change well and continue to deliver on our promises to our users.
Second, I challenge other VPN Providers to audit how they deal with user data to create more trust with their users, which will help create more trust with VPN services in general.  I applaud Tunnelbear’s security audit and I hope they continue to do it every year. I also challenge them to do an audit of how they deal with user data and not just the security of their service. We are also considering a security audit in the near future.
I still believe there remain massive privacy questions about VPN Providers that promise anonymity but rely on third party hosting companies in various jurisdictions around the world to run their VPN servers. We’re lucky – we don’t rent, we own our servers, so this isn’t an issue for us.  I would like to see if an audit would address my concerns about the impact that third party hosting providers have on user privacy.
Facebook famously did a PricewaterhouseCoopers audit under demand by the Federal Trade Commission and that audit didn’t catch the massive abuses by Cambridge Analytica. So, not all audits are created equal. But, if we live in a world where companies are touting which audit vendor is more trustworthy rather than which marketing message to believe, then that is a world I would rather live in.
Third, I hope this audit serves as a beacon to other companies dealing with user data, not just privacy companies. The reality is that almost every company deals with user data and the abuses are too numerous to list here. The amount and kinds of data collected is only increasing too. Alexa, am I right? So, users deserve privacy and transparency more than ever and a thorough audit can only help to establish more trust with your users.
The Chinese proverb says “[t]he best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.” The same is true for privacy audits. So just do it. Do something, do anything and share it with your users.
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about where to start.

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Wi-Fi Not: The Dangers of Public Wi-Fi

Blog، Featured، Our Insights، خرید اوپن وی پی ان، خرید فیلترشکن، خرید وی پی ان، وی پی ان تبلت، وی پی ان لینوکس، وی پی ان موبایل، وی پی ان ویندوز فون

We’re all familiar with Wi-Fi, and the convenience it affords. Technically, Wi-Fi refers to a technology that enables computers and other devices to connect to the Internet and communicate wirelessly. Wi-Fi is configured using a wireless adaptor to create a “hotspot.” Once a connection is established, users within range of the hotspot can connect to the Internet network.
Wireless networks are located either in the home, which is generally referred to as a “closed network,” or in public places, which can be open or closed depending on the security settings. Public Wi-Fi is often unsecured, posing security risks to users.
Where are Public Wi-Fi Networks Found?
Public Wi-Fi networks are not hard to find. They are prevalent in locations around the world and you encounter them in your day-to-day life and during travel. Some common locations where you may encounter these networks include:
Restaurants, bars, cafes and coffee shops
Airports and airplanes (in-flight Wi-Fi), trains, subways and transportation stations
Hotels and hostels
Public parks and other public locations that offer Internet
Malls and shopping centers
Tourist attractions, commercial hubs
Home networks, if left unsecured
There are over 100,000 unsecured public Wi-Fi hotspots around the world, with reports that one out of four are completely unsecured. Mumbai holds the title for the largest public Wi-Fi city, with over 500 active hotspots and another 700 promised by May of 2017. Other major metro areas have large public Wi-Fi presence, such as New York City where all subway stations will have Wi-Fi coverage by the end of this year. In Europe, there is an initiative called WIFIEU, which plans to extend free Wi-Fi all over the European Union in public places.
Why Are These Networks Insecure
An unsecured Wi-Fi network is any network that does not require you to enter a password or login credentials to use the network. These “open” networks also involve unencrypted connections, leaving users at great risk. These hotspots are an easy target for hackers and nefarious people trying to steal login passwords, credit card information, content of communications or other personal details. These also pose other threats, such as man-in-the-middle attacks, Wi-Fi sniffing and malware.
Hackers/Snoops: Hackers or snoops can infiltrate unsecured Wi-Fi networks and use them to collect personal details or sensitive login information. Think hacking is hard? Think again. Hacking is easier and easier these days, with the help of tools like packet analyzers.
Man-in-the-Middle Attacks: A man-in-the-middle attack occurs when a malicious actor intercepts communication between two people and inserts themselves into the conversation. The criminal can then access information being sent and intercept personal data – all without the senders or recipients knowing. This type of attack allows for eavesdropping, exploiting real-time transactions, conversations and data transfers allowing the hacker to steal personal information.
Malware: Unsecured Wi-Fi networks can be used to inject malware into devices connected to the network. Malware is very dangerous, as it could give an attacker access to everything on your device. This includes files or photos, and can go as far as microphone activation for eavesdropping.
Rogue Hotspots/Fake Networks: These are hotspots that are set up by criminals, using a name close to that of the actual, legitimate Wi-Fi hotspot. These hotspots are created to trick users into connecting, thinking they are using a legitimate network at a coffee shop, for example. When you connect to one of these networks you become vulnerable to hacking/snooping conducted by the owner of the fake network.
What Information is at Risk
Now that you know unsecured public Wi-Fi networks are an easy target for criminals or snoops trying to steal your personal details, it’s important to understand what exactly they can get their hands on – and how revealing this data can be. When using these networks, the following information may be at risk:
Your location
The websites you visit
Your personal communications, such as emails, chats and messages
Whom you are communicating with
Files you send, photos
Your passwords and other sensitive information
Login credentials for various websites, such as banking websites
All this isn’t just hype! There are reports of users connecting to unsecured Wi-Fi networks around the globe, often with devastating consequences for their users.
Tourist Attractions: Some of the most unsecured Wi-Fi networks can be found at popular tourist attractions and destinations around the world. These include popular places such as Times Square, Notre Dame and Disneyland Paris.
Onboard Airplanes: Last year, there was quite a stir when a journalist was hacked while using in-flight Wi-Fi onboard a plane. The hacker revealed details of what the journalist was working on, compromising the story as well as alarming all who heard about it. This incident proved just how quick and easy hacking in-flight Wi-Fi was.
Public Buses: The city of Sydney Australia recently announced plans to offer Wi-Fi onboard all public buses. But this Wi-Fi comes with a catch – it will collect and sell personal user information. While this risk doesn’t occur because the Wi-Fi is insecure, it’s another privacy violation that users need to be aware of on Wi-Fi.
Ignorance is Not Bliss
According to a study conducted by the Identity Theft Resource Center, about 40% of people were unconcerned about using public Wi-Fi. Of those who were worried, less than half took steps to secure their connection on these networks. This is very concerning, considering the activities that most frequently take place on public Wi-Fi:
Checking personal email accounts (including logging in)
Using social media (including logging in)
Accessing banking or financial information
What’s even more concerning is peoples’ willingness to use these networks, despite being aware of the risks. A McAfee poll revealed that a large percentage of people – 38% – still opt to use free unsecured Wi-Fi. Combine that with a statistic from the AARP’s Convenience Versus Security report that “A quarter of the adults who use the Internet access it via public Wi-Fi once a week or more,” and you get an idea of how common using unsecured networks is.
Protecting Yourself on Public Wi-Fi
All of this is very unsettling, especially for those who have never considered the risks of public Wi-Fi before. But you don’t have to avoid WI-Fi networks or accept the inevitability of privacy risks – there are things you can do!
While there are several ways to protect yourself when using a Wi-Fi network, one way beats the rest – using a VPN. The most important thing you can do every time you connect is to use a VPN. A VPN encrypts your Internet connection to secure it and protect your privacy. When connecting with a VPN, no one – not the Internet service provider, the business/network owner nor any third-party hacker or snoop – can see the information you send over the network. When using Wi-Fi with a VPN your privacy and security is protected at all times.
There are also several other precautions you can take, and the first step is really awareness – always “think before you connect.” It’s essential to realize that when you’re logging on to a Wi-Fi network in a public place, especially one labeled “free,” you’re at risk. It’s also important to understand what you’re agreeing to. When you accept the terms and conditions of a public Wi-Fi hotspot, it’s likely you’re giving the service permission to collect information about you or what you’re looking at. Once you’re aware, you can make better choices about when to connect (or not connect!) and actively take measures to protect your privacy.
Other things you can do to increase privacy:
Turn off sharing settings, so others on the network cannot access your information
Use a firewall
Always use HTTPS for websites you visit
Use 2-factor authentication for all login credentials on accounts
Turn off Wi-Fi whenever you aren’t using it – this prevents it from automatically connecting and putting you at risk
Update settings to forget networks so they are not saved on your phone
VyprVPN: A VPN You Can Trust
VyprVPN is a fast, highly-secure VPN that encrypts your Internet connection to protect your privacy. It will protect your connection every time you connect – including on public and unsecured Wi-Fi networks. As mentioned above, using a VPN is especially important, due to the automatic nature of public Wi-Fi. Often, these networks connect to your device automatically, meaning you could be putting your privacy at risk without even knowing it! VyprVPN’s Connect on Untrusted Wi-Fi feature automatically connects the VPN anytime you are on an untrusted network, ensuring you stay secure and protected…without having to think about it! VyprVPN’s Kill Switch feature is also helpful in preventing against threats on Wi-Fi. Kill Switch automatically kills, or disconnects, your Internet connection whenever you are not connected to VyprVPN, ensuring you are not at risk without being aware. It’s nearly impossible to avoid using Wi-Fi networks (not to mention inconvenient), so the best solution is to use a VPN. Then you can enjoy the Internet AND rest assured your privacy is protected.

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China Finally Asserts that VPNs are Illegal, but VyprVPN Remains Accessible

Blog، China، Featured، Great Firewall، Our Insights، VPN، خرید اوپن وی پی ان، خرید فیلترشکن، خرید وی پی ان، وی پی ان تبلت، وی پی ان لینوکس، وی پی ان موبایل، وی پی ان ویندوز فون

China Finally Asserts VPNs Are Illegal
The Chinese government has finally come out and said it: VPN services are not allowed without authorization. These updated Chinese regulations effectively outlaw VPNs within China after years of sporadic VPN blocking and degradation by the Great Firewall. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology on Sunday announced a “clean-up” of Internet access services, including VPNs, which will take place over a period of 14 months. The new Chinese regulations appear to target ISPs and network providers that are operating from within China. It remains to be seen if China will enact any new blocking strategies against VPN services that operate outside of China, such as VyprVPN.
VyprVPN Remains Accessible from China
Currently, VyprVPN continues to operate normally for our customers in China. Amidst these claims, it’s business as usual for us here at Golden Frog – and for VyprVPN customers. Golden Frog is incorporated in Switzerland and does not operate any servers within China, so we are not subject to the harsh new regulations.  We will continue to provide our customers connecting from China and around the world unrestricted, uncensored Internet access via any of our 70+ worldwide VyprVPN server locations. We will also continue to offer our proprietary Chameleon technology, which defeats VPN blocking by scrambling OpenVPN packet metadata to ensure it’s not recognizable to the Great Firewall or other deep-packet inspection (DPI) technologies.
“China has targeted VPN providers in the past,” said Phil Molter, co-CTO at Golden Frog, “but VyprVPN has been able to quickly and effectively update our service to defeat these blocks, bringing our users back online more quickly than other providers. We are one of the biggest, and most successful, VPN providers in China – and despite implications of the new legislation we remain confident in offering VyprVPN as an effective solution around China’s harsh censorship. While we do not believe the new regulations affect VyprVPN users at this time, we will, of course, continue to follow Chinese developments.”
A Continued Fight for a Free and Open Internet
While this news out of China is highly concerning, it’s nothing new from a country who imparts some of the strictest Internet censorship in the world. We are unsurprised to see China tightening its already-strong grip on the Internet, which they have been controlling and censoring for the past two decades. It is alarming to see their control increase so greatly in recent months, but Golden Frog’s mission drives us to provide a way around this control.
“Golden Frog was founded to stand for a free and open Internet,” said Sunday Yokubaitis, President of Golden Frog. “We created VyprVPN to offer Internet users around the world with a tool to preserve their privacy and freedom, and to enable them to access the unrestricted Internet experience. VyprVPN is the portal to the free world for many Chinese users, so we take that responsibility very seriously and it drives us to continue our fight for the free and open Internet. Our Operations teams are prepared to implement the technical measures to defeat any new VPN crackdown.”
It appears China’s latest crackdown is politically-motivated, and may be in a response to a change in political power that happens only once per decade. The new rules aim to support a new “party congress” by further restricting Internet freedoms. We’ll provide more information on why the crackdown may be occurring in a follow-up piece later this week, so be sure to stay tuned. We will also offer additional information as we continue learning about the new legislation and understanding the implications. If you have questions, please reach out to us at [email protected] and we will be happy to discuss the news further.

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۲۰۱۶: The Year in Privacy & Security

Blog، Encryption، Featured، Our Insights، Privacy، security، خرید اوپن وی پی ان، خرید فیلترشکن، خرید وی پی ان، وی پی ان تبلت، وی پی ان لینوکس، وی پی ان موبایل، وی پی ان ویندوز فون

As the year comes to a close, we take a look back at 2016. This year, the debates over privacy and security continued to rage on with victories and setbacks alike.
Encryption
By far, the biggest theme of 2016 was encryption – and the debates over privacy and security that came along with it. The Apple v. FBI case in early 2016 ignited a worldwide debate, calling attention to important issues about privacy, security and the right to protect yourself online. The debate hit the main stage when the FBI asked Apple to offer access into encrypted communications on an iPhone (iMessage) app, and Apple refused as they do not have access to the messages. This set off a huge debate about when – if ever – it is OK to break encryption. Most of the tech community and privacy companies took a strong stance against backdoor encryption, citing threats to innovation and technology as well as the danger of introducing vulnerabilities that can be exploited by bad actors.
Surveillance
Unfortunately, this year we saw a trend of surveillance practices increasing around the world. Some shocking revelations were made about massive spying projects in both the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as many other regions who increased their ability to spy or access personal communications. Legislation was also passed which granted more powers to mass surveillance in many areas, continuing the debate about what the appropriate balance is between personal privacy and national security.
Decline in Internet Freedom
As detailed in an annual report by Freedom on the Net, Internet freedom was on the decline for the 6th consecutive year in a row. This alarming trend illustrates increasing censorship around the world, both of websites and content. This year there was a trend of popular messaging apps (for example, WhatsApp) being blocked in various countries – sometimes due to the fact they employ unbreakable encryption, at other times to stymie communication or organizing during protests. These outages took place in a span of areas, but were strong in the Middle East and Africa, and other regions. Countries like China, Russia and others also tightened grips via mass censorship and the introduction or strengthening of “Great Firewalls.”
Data Sharing & Privacy
This year, we saw several regulations aimed at both protecting consumer privacy and restricting the amount of personally-identifiable data that can be viewed or shared by companies or across platforms. On the other side of this, the year brought legislation aimed at decreasing privacy and data protections for users, as well as measures for data retention. At Golden Frog, we delved into the topic “you are the product,” exploring ways that companies often exploit user data.
Some of the legislation that went into place this year included:
Google’s privacy policy updates to allow for tracking of personally identifiable data across platforms
New FCC regulations calling for explicit consumer consent before sharing or collecting any data about users
The Investigatory Powers Bill in the Uk, which is not only a surveillance bill but also allows for sharing of personal information
IoT and Insecurity
The Internet of Things (IoT) continues to be a big topic this year, with reports about the insecurity of connected devices appearing in the news. The IoT was a major focus at this year’s CES in early January, and continued to dominate the news throughout the year. Just recently, a study again highlighted how dangerous this network of items is and the inherent vulnerabilities that exist. There were some very large DDoS attacks at the end of the year, which employed botnets comprised of IoT devices to carry out attacks (a departure from the past when they employed computers). As more and more devices continue to be connected, it’s likely the buzz over the IoT will continue.
Other Topics
Some other themes this year included an increase in consumer awareness and concern over privacy, which is a positive step in that people are taking more ownership of their privacy and strides to improve it. We also saw a trend of people becoming concerned and more aware of unsecured Wi-Fi networks, and the risks associated with these.

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