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NordVPN

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NordVPN
Developer(s)Tefincom & Co., S.A.[1][2]
Initial release2012; 12 years ago (2012)[3]
Stable releaseAndroid 7.1 (June 18, 2024; 20 days ago (2024-06-18)[4]) [±]

iOS 8.30 (June 12, 2024; 26 days ago (2024-06-12)[5]) [±]
macOS 8.22 (June 19, 2024; 19 days ago (2024-06-19)[6]) [±]
Windows 7.25.5 (June 25, 2024; 13 days ago (2024-06-25)) [±]
Linux 3.18.1 (May 13, 2024; 56 days ago (2024-05-13)) [±]

tvOS 1.5 (June 13, 2024; 25 days ago (2024-06-13)[7]) [±]
Operating system
Platform
TypeVirtual private network service
Websitenordvpn.com

NordVPN is a personal virtual private network (VPN) service provider. It has desktop applications for Windows, macOS, and Linux, mobile apps for Android and iOS, as well as an application for Android TV.[8][9] Manual setup is available for wireless routers, NAS devices and other platforms.[10]

NordVPN is based in Panama, as the country has no mandatory data retention laws and does not participate in the Five Eyes or Fourteen Eyes alliances.[11] An independent audit by PricewaterhouseCoopers has described the company's claims of not logging users' data as accurate. The audit refers to their service and server configurations as of November 1, 2018. [citation needed]

History

NordVPN was established in 2012 by "four childhood friends", as stated by its website.[3] Late in May 2016, it presented an Android app, followed by an iOS app in June the same year.[12][13] In October 2017, it launched Google Chrome browser extension.[14] In June 2018, the service launched an application for Android TV.[15] As of June 2018, NordVPN was operating more than 4,000 servers in 62 countries.[11] In November 2018, it became the first official cybersecurity partner of Liverpool F.C.[16]

Features

NordVPN routes all user's internet traffic through a remote server run by the service, this way hiding their IP address and encrypting all incoming and outgoing data.[17] For encryption, NordVPN uses the OpenVPN and IKEv2/IPsec technologies in its applications.[18]

NordVPN used to use L2TP/IPSec and PPTP connections for routers, but this later got removed due to them being obsolete, barely used and insecure (dangerous). [19] NordVPN stopped using those as it wanted to be known as a secure VPN service.

NordVPN uses NGE (Next Generation Encryption) in IKEv2/IPsec, which is the default protocol in the apps for macOS and iOS. The ciphers used to generate Phase 1 keys are AES-256-GCM for encryption, coupled with SHA2-384 to ensure integrity, combined with PFS (Perfect Forward Secrecy) using 3072-bit Diffie Hellmann keys.[20] NordVPN apps for Windows and Android use AES-256-CBC encryption with a 2048-bit key.[21]

As of 2019, NordVPN had desktop applications for Windows, macOS, and Linux as well as mobile apps for Android and iOS and Android TV app. Subscribers also get access to encrypted proxy extensions for Chrome and Firefox browsers.[22]

Each subscriber is allowed to use the service on up to 6 devices at the same time.[23]

Apart from the primary VPN functionalities, NordVPN also provides an optional feature called "CyberSec", which checks websites' DNS records in malware databases before allowing users to access them.[24] The feature also serves as an ad blocker. However, the ad-blocking functionality is not available on the NordVPN app downloaded from the Google Play Store.[25]

Servers

As of September 2019, NordVPN ran 5,569 remote servers in 60 countries, with the largest numbers of servers located in United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Netherlands, Germany, Australia, France and Sweden.[26] Besides general-use VPN servers, the provider offers servers for specific purposes, including P2P sharing, double encryption[27], and connection to the Tor anonymity network.[2]

In 2017, NordVPN launched obfuscated servers for VPN access under heavy Internet restrictions.[28] These servers allow accessing the service in countries such as Iran, Saudi Arabia, and China.[29] Although the Chinese government has been attempting to restrict encrypted communications for years, millions of people still rely on various VPN services to bypass China’s censorship system, known as the Great Firewall.[30][31][32]

In March 2019, it was reported that NordVPN received a directive from Russian authorities to join a state sponsored registry of banned websites, which would prevent Russian NordVPN users from circumventing Russian state censorship. NordVPN was reportedly given one month to comply, or face blocking by Russian authorities.[33] The provider declined to comply with the request and shut down its Russian servers on April 1. As a result, NordVPN still operates in Russia but its Russian users have no access to local servers.[34]

In October 2019, NordVPN admitted that one of its external servers at a Finland data center had been accessed without authorization in March 2018, which led to a MITM vulnerability for the customers connecting to that server.[35][36]

No-log policy

In November 2018, NordVPN announced that one of the Big Four accounting firms had performed an independent audit of its no-log policy.[37] As part of an agreement with the auditing firm, its name was kept confidential and the full audit report made available only to existing NordVPN users and pre-selected journalists. According to the publicly shared information, the audit report confirmed that the company did not store personal IP addresses nor keep a log of internet activities of its subscribers as of November 1st, 2018. In February 2019, NordVPN revealed in its blog that the audit had been performed by the Swiss branch of PricewaterhouseCoopers.[38]

Distribution

The NordVPN applications are distributed through its official website, Google Play store, Apple's App Store, and Amazon Appstore. As of February 2019, NordVPN provides a way to download the app for Android as a separate APK package binary from its website.[39] Besides traditional payment methods, the provider accepts Bitcoin on its website.[40]

Reception

In a February 2019 review done by PC Magazine, NordVPN was praised for its strong security features and an "enormous network of servers," although its price tag was noted as expensive.[2] CNET's March 2019 review favorably noted NordVPN's six simultaneous connections and dedicated IP option.[41] In a mixed review published by Tom's Guide in June 2017, the reviewer criticized the service for being slower and more expensive than the competition, concluding that "NordVPN is neither good or bad".[42] The reviewer also noted that its terms of service mention no country of jurisdiction, writing that the company could be more transparent about its ownership.[42] The company has since updated the Terms, explicitly mentioning Panama as its country of jurisdiction.[43]

Tesonet court case

In 2018 a complaint for patent infringement was filed in an US court by Luminati (owner of Hola) against Tesonet. Luminati accused Tesonet of infringing its patents where participating nodes (users of the free VPN service) allow usage of their bandwidth for business customers of the operator. Tesonet also runs "web data extraction products and services under the OxyLabs brand" which owns "a residential proxy network with ten million residential IP addresses from more than 180 countries".[44] Close business ties between NordVPN and Tesonet were also confirmed by a number of independent users of the service who pointed out at TLS certificates at NordVPN website declaring Tesonet as its owner as well as NordVPN APK files signed by Tesonet.[45][46][47] NordVPN published a statement in response in which denied that its VPN is giving access to its users IP address to third parties the way HolaVPN did it.[48] After investigation into the allegations a journalist Sven Taylor concluded there's a "connection between NordVPN and Tesonet" but there's "no proof or allegation that NordVPN is a botnet reselling user bandwidth".[47] In 2018, NordVPN commissioned an third-party audit by PricewaterhouseCoopers, which confirmed that the company's no-logging claims were true.[49] The audit only applies to their service and server configurations as of November 1, 2018, so the conclusions of the review can't be extended to the remainder of the time frame.[50]

See also

References

  1. ^ "TEFINCOM S.A." OpenCorporates. 2019. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
  2. ^ a b c Eddy, Max (February 28, 2019). "NordVPN". PC Magazine (British magazine). Retrieved May 4, 2019.
  3. ^ a b Nadel, Brian (April 10, 2018). "NordVPN Review: Easy But Slow". Tom’s Guide. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
  4. ^ NordVPN (June 18, 2024). "NordVPN - Fast & Secure VPN". Google Play. Google. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
  5. ^ NordVPN (June 12, 2024). "VPN: Fast & Unlimited NordVPN". App Store. Apple. Retrieved June 12, 2024.
  6. ^ NordVPN (June 19, 2024). "NordVPN: VPN Fast & Secure". Mac App Store. Apple. Retrieved June 19, 2024.
  7. ^ NordVPN (June 13, 2024). "NordVPN: VPN Fast & Secure". Mac App Store. Apple. Retrieved June 13, 2024.
  8. ^ Schofield, Jack (November 24, 2016). "How can I protect myself from government snoopers?". The Guardian. Retrieved February 22, 2018.
  9. ^ Caruana, Anthony (June 19, 2018). "NordVPN Launches Android TV App". Lifehacker Australia. Retrieved June 19, 2018.
  10. ^ Tiwari, Aditya (October 29, 2017). "NordVPN In-Depth Review: A Reliable VPN For Security And Performance". fossbytes.com. Retrieved February 19, 2018.
  11. ^ a b Gewirtz, David (June 29, 2018). "Inside a VPN service: How NordVPN conducts the business of Internet privacy". ZDNet. Retrieved July 26, 2018.
  12. ^ Craig, Christina (May 31, 2016). "NordVPN Android App – Now on Google Play Store". NordVPN. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
  13. ^ Vigliarolo, Brandon (July 1, 2016). "NordVPN offers powerful mobile VPN service and app, but there's Wi-Fi gotcha". techrepublic.com. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
  14. ^ Real, Mark (October 3, 2017). "NordVPN Launches Extension For Google Chrome Browser". androidheadlines.com. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
  15. ^ Maxham, Alexander (June 19, 2018). "NordVPN Is Now Available On Android TV". androidheadlines.com. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
  16. ^ "LFC secures new partnership with NordVPN". Liverpool F.C. November 20, 2018. Retrieved November 21, 2018.
  17. ^ Soper, Mark Edward (2018). CompTIA IT Fundamentals+ FC0-U61 Cert Guide. Pearson IT Certification. p. 955. ISBN 978-0-7897-6041-8 – via Google Books.
  18. ^ Athow, Desire (July 26, 2018). "How to choose a security protocol in the NordVPN Windows and Android apps". TechRadar. Retrieved July 15, 2019.
  19. ^ "NordVPN will discontinue two VPN protocols on Dec. 1st". NordVPN. 2018-10-24. Retrieved 2019-10-05.
  20. ^ Ellis, Will (April 22, 2019). "Nord VPN Review 2019". privacyaustralia.net. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
  21. ^ Ernesto (March 4, 2018). "Which VPN Services Keep You Anonymous in 2018?". TorrentFreak. Retrieved March 14, 2018.
  22. ^ Paul, Ian (July 6, 2017). "NordVPN review: A great choice for Netflix fans, but who's running the show?". PC World. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
  23. ^ Walters, Geoffrey (January 2, 2018). "Best VPNs for Simultaneous Connections and Multiple Devices in 2018". addictivetips.com. Retrieved February 26, 2018.
  24. ^ Taylor, Sven (May 22, 2018). "NordVPN Review". restoreprivacy.com. Retrieved May 29, 2018.
  25. ^ "NordVPN CyberSec feature description". NordVPN. Retrieved 2019-05-12.
  26. ^ NordVPN. "NordVPN servers". Retrieved September 11, 2019.
  27. ^ Tremblay, Tim. "What Is a Double VPN". Fastest VPN Guid. Retrieved July 15, 2019.
  28. ^ Claudio R. (July 17, 2017). "NordVPN New Solution For China – NordVPN Now Bypass China Censorship". anonymster.com. Retrieved February 27, 2018.
  29. ^ Marshall, Adam. "The best VPN for China 2019". TechRadar. Retrieved July 15, 2019.
  30. ^ Arthur, Charles (December 14, 2012). "China tightens 'Great Firewall' internet control with new technology". The Guardian. Retrieved February 27, 2018.
  31. ^ Bloomberg News (July 10, 2017). "China Tells Carriers to Block Access to Personal VPNs by February". Bloomberg. Retrieved February 27, 2018.
  32. ^ Haas, Benjamin (July 11, 2017). "China moves to block internet VPNs from 2018". The Guardian. Retrieved February 27, 2018.
  33. ^ "Russia Threatens to Block Popular VPN Services to Prevent Website Access". Reuters. March 29, 2019. Retrieved May 4, 2019 – via The Moscow Times.
  34. ^ Bozovic, Novak (March 30, 2019). "Russian VPN Ban – What Happens Next? Can VPNs Be Fully & Completely Blocked in Russia?". technadu.com. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
  35. ^ "NordVPN confirms it was hacked". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2019-10-21.
  36. ^ "NordVPN admits to 'isolated' server breach in Finland". news.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2019-10-21.
  37. ^ Ernesto (November 23, 2018). "NordVPN Shares Results of 'No-Log' Audit". TorrentFreak. Retrieved February 21, 2019.
  38. ^ Markuson, Daniel (November 22, 2018). "NordVPN has completed an industry-first audit of its no-logs policy". NordVPN. Retrieved February 21, 2018.
  39. ^ "Manual app". NordVPN. Retrieved February 21, 2019.
  40. ^ Nwazor, Toby (September 13, 2016). "Improving Your Online Privacy: The 5 Best VPN Services Compared". HuffPost. Retrieved February 26, 2018.
  41. ^ Gewirtz, David (March 22, 2019). "The Best VPN services for 2019". CNET. Retrieved April 29, 2019.
  42. ^ a b Nadel, Brian (2018-04-10). "NordVPN Review: Easy But Slow". Tom's Guide. Archived from the original on 2018-04-14.
  43. ^ NordVPN (May 31, 2018). "Terms of Service". Retrieved June 4, 2018.
  44. ^ "Complaint for patent infringement – Luminati Networks vs Tesonet UAB" (PDF).
  45. ^ "Tesonet Data Mining Company Linked to NordVPN, Protonmail, ProtonVPN – VPNscam.com". Retrieved 2019-07-12.
  46. ^ "Is NordVPN Operated by Tesonet? And Is That a Problem?". vpnMentor. Retrieved 2019-07-31.
  47. ^ a b "Lawsuit Names NordVPN, Tesonet in Proxy Data Extraction Scheme". Restore Privacy. 2018-08-28. Retrieved 2019-07-31.
  48. ^ "NordVPN: Why the false allegations are wrong". NordVPN. 2018-08-28. Retrieved 2019-07-12.
  49. ^ Marlowe, Kevin (November 27, 2018). "Why PwC audit of NordVPN no-log policy is a big deal". VPN Pro. Retrieved August 27, 2019.
  50. ^ "Independent auditors check NordVPN no-logs policy". NordVPN (in German). 2018-11-22. Retrieved 2019-09-29.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=NordVPN&oldid=922479665"