Is VPN secure?

With the rise of global data theft, mass surveillance and Internet censorship, virtual private networks have become very important cyber security tools.

But can VPNs always be used securely? The short answer is no.

While there are many legitimate and secure VPN services available, you must also avoid using a large number of dangerous VPN products.

Downloading an insecure VPN puts you at risk of malware, hacking, identity theft, lawsuits and more.

Free VPNs are the most common offenders. Our free VPN security research exposed dangerous free VPN applications that steal users' personal data and sell their internet activity.

Even paid VPNs may not be safe to use if you don't understand some important concepts.

VPN logging policies: Your VPN service poses a threat to your privacy if it records your original IP address, the time you connect to its servers and the websites you visit. This information may be compromised or the government may force the VPN to hand it over. For maximum security, you must check the VPN's logging policy and use a verified log-free VPN service.

VPN Leaks: The purpose of a VPN is to hide your IP address and keep your Internet activity private and secure. A VPN that leaks your IP and DNS credentials will not work properly and you should not use it. Use our VPN leak test tool to see if your service is leaking, or test your DNS servers directly.

VPN laws: VPNs are legal in most countries. However, in some countries - including China, Turkey and Russia - the use of VPNs is either illegal or severely restricted.

VPN Jurisdictions: Different countries/regions have different legislation regarding the privacy of their citizens' data. For example, the governments of the Five Eyes Alliance enforce strict data retention laws and regularly force companies to hand over records of their users' online activities. Your safest option is to use a VPN based in a privacy-friendly jurisdiction.

Virtual server location: The location of the VPN server you connect to is important for privacy and security. Many VPN services use a virtual server location where the published IP address does not match the physical location of the server. This method is often used to assign VPN IP addresses to countries where there is a problem placing a physical VPN server.