Tag: app-subdomain-redirection:proton-vpn

Proton VPN is one of the apps that have been built out of the original privacy-first email service Proton Mail. Proton, the company behind the apps offers products that stick to some of the original ideas of freedom, openness, and ownership that fueled the early days of the internet before the major companies and platforms began harvesting all our data to sell to advertisers. As well as privacy, there are other notions from those early days that Proton seeks to protect such as being against censorship, which is the subject of a new update coming to Proton’s VPN service. Here is what you need to know.

Proton VPN has just announced a new VPN protocol called Stealth, which the company says will help to protect internet freedom by allowing users to bypass detection and therefore censorship attempts.

In the blog post announcing the new feature, Proton describes how some authoritarian governments have moved to block their citizens from having access to privacy-protecting products like Proton Mail, saying that the VPN service has been developed to help users bypass those attempts:

“With Proton VPN, people can bypass those blocks and continue using Proton Mail. Over the past few years, Proton VPN has become an essential tool, helping ensure the free flow of information for tens of millions of people during crises and wars around the world.”

Stealth builds onto this mission by adding an undetectable VPN protocol that is able to bypass most firewalls and VPN-blocking software to all Proton VPN plans. This means that even users of the Proton VPN Free Plan will be able to use Stealth to bypass even the most advanced attempts to censor their internet usage.

The new feature is already available for Proton VPN users on Android, macOS, and iOS. However, there has been no mention of when it will land on Windows devices.

If you are interested in internet privacy issues, you may be happy to learn that Google has recently backtracked on a privacy mishap.

VPNs are incredibly useful software tools that help you to keep your security on-point and your privacy intact. Not only do they encrypt your data so that not even your internet service provider can access it, but they also allow you to route your web use through different servers spread out around the world so that you may access geo-restricted materials such as different catalogs on Netflix or country specific services such as the BBC iPlayer. Unfortunately, however, a new law in India is causing VPN providers to flee the country so that they can continue to protect the privacy of their users. Here is what you need to know.

Proton VPN, which is a part of the privacy-first suite of Proton apps including Proton Mail, has decided to pull out of India and shut off its servers in the country due to concerns over the controversial new CERT-in regulations that is about to come into force in the country. The move from Proton VPN marks the latest in a series of similar exoduses from the country from the likes of Express VPN, Surfshark, and Nord VPN.

The concerns of the VPN companies relate to being able to effectively protect the privacy of their users. The controversial new law, which will be enforced from September 25, would see VPN companies required to store the private data of their users including their names, IP addresses, various other identifying data, and even usage patterns for five years. Then, should the authorities in the country ever decide that they needed to access the stored information they would be required by law to hand it over to them. Describing the reasoning by the move, Proton Mail said:

“This is against everything we stand for. We work to ensure that Proton VPN keeps your online browsing private with a strict no-logs policy that was recently audited by independent security professionals. […] We have no intention of complying with this invasive mass surveillance law, leaving us no choice but to remove our VPN servers from Indian jurisdiction.”

Fortunately for Proton VPN users seeking access to an Indian IP address, the company is still able to do so via its Smart Routing servers. The only difference is that they will actually be located in Singapore.

In other recent news, Proton Mail has recently gone through a major rebranding effort.

Mobile browsing has come a long way since the Nokia Communicator 9000. Today, we enjoy the power and speeds of 5G internet on our Android and iOS devices. Having the world wide web at our fingertips has made life a lot easier. Unfortunately, it also puts our privacy, personal information, and devices at risk of malicious attacks.

How do you stay safe while browsing the internet on your mobile device? You use a virtual private network (VPN), like ProtonVPN, to encrypt and protect your data.

What Is a VPN?

A VPN encrypts the data sent to or from your device over the internet. You expose personal information just by using your smartphone, ranging from your devices’ ID to your physical location. On public WiFi, especially open and unsecured networks, are particularly unsafe. Your emails, login credentials, and even banking information could be vulnerable and accessed without your consent. You may even encounter very real-looking malicious hotspots without realising the risk they pose.

ProtonVPN keeps that personal information safe by using encryption to scramble the data, making it useless to anyone intercepting it. It can also isolate and conceal your data from other people using a network.

In short, VPN servers act as a protective middleman to encrypt, disguise, and protect your data from malicious cyber activities. Additionally, you can unlock regionally restricted content on the internet, access streaming services, and even prevent your online activity from being tracked by third parties.

What You Should Look for in a Mobile VPN

If you’re looking for a reliable, robust VPN, there are a few features that you should consider. We’ve listed four critical elements that the service must include.

Proven Security Track Record

Security is one of the main reasons to install a VPN app on your mobile device, so it’s vital to consider these capabilities before choosing a provider. Location, laws, software, and hardware can all impact the quality of a provider’s services.

ProtonVPN is based in Switzerland, a country with stringent privacy laws, and was founded by CERN scientists and engineers. The VPN service keeps no logs, offers advanced protection with its hardened Secure Core servers, uses NetShield to block ads, and is compatible with TOR and streaming services. Additionally, as of February 2020, Proton applied full-disk encryption to all their VPN servers.

Most importantly, ProtonVPN became the first provider to open source all of their apps and have them audited by an independent security expert.

Global Server Availability

If a provider has only a few servers in a small number of countries, users are forced to share limited bandwidth. That impacts your overall experience, and you may not have access to the network when you need it. ProtonVPN boasts over 1,200 servers in 55 countries, giving users access to fast connection speeds from almost anywhere on earth.

Subscription Costs

Almost all VPN applications come with subscription costs, but it’s not enough to look at the paid plans. While ProtonVPN has highly affordable plans, it also offers an excellent and completely free plan.

Unlike other “free plans” that limit how much data you can use, bombard you with ads, or share your information with third parties, ProtonVPN’s free option imposes a few minor feature and device limitations. However, your information remains completely secure while you enjoy a safe online experience.

Connection Speed 

When you use a VPN, your data takes a detour through a remote server. Since the journey is a little longer, you may end up with slower connection speeds. ProtonVPN’s extensive network means there is always a server nearby (the closer a server is to your location, the faster your connection, the majority of its servers run on 10Gbps networks, and its users often report high speeds.

Conclusion

In today’s busy online world, it’s not easy to keep your data safe. However, a trustworthy, robust VPN can help you protect your Android and iOS devices from cyber dangers. With excellent security, global servers, high speeds, and low subscription costs, ProtonVPN is currently one of the top virtual private networks available for mobile.