VPNpro
vpnpro.com · Company blog · on HN since 2018
VPNpro is a VPN review site that also researches VPN ownership, data leaks, and app security.
What HN saysHN cites its report tracing 97 VPNs to 23 companies for details on VPN ownership, and one commenter links its NordVPN piece on smear claims.
17HN people shared it
9linked it in comments
12stories submitted
554story points
2 years agolast shared
2018people per year2026
Most-shared posts
- 1VPN owners: 97 VPN products run by 23 companies7 people · 382 points · first shared 2019 · 227 comments on HN
- 2Top VPNs recording users, potentially leaking data when visiting their websites2 people · 119 points · first shared 2020 · 53 comments on HN
- 3Confusion in the vpn industry is nordvpn being defamed2 people · first shared 2019
- 4Major vulnerabilities found in top free VPN apps on Google Play store1 people · 13 points · first shared 2020 · discussion on HN
- 5Chinese company is behind 24 popular apps seeking dangerous permissions1 people · 11 points · first shared 2020 · 1 comments on HN
- 6How to unblock social media in Turkey with a VPN1 people · 11 points · first shared 2020 · discussion on HN
- 7Hola VPN Hack Compromises MyEtherWallet Users1 people · 6 points · first shared 2018 · 2 comments on HN
- 8Top VPNs sharing data on users with Facebook – Again1 people · 4 points · first shared 2018 · discussion on HN
- 9WARNING These VPNs might be leaking your email messages1 people · 3 points · first shared 2018 · 1 comments on HN
- 10ProtonVPN Goes Open-Source1 people · 2 points · first shared 2020 · discussion on HN
- 11Report reveals Gmail privacy issues1 people · 2 points · first shared 2018 · 2 comments on HN
- 12Private Internet Access Announces Merger with Kape Technologies – In Latin1 people · 1 points · first shared 2019 · discussion on HN
- 13Infographic VPNpro 97 VPN products run by just 23 companies.pdf1 people · first shared 2019
What HN people wrote when they linked it
cookiengineer · 2023-06-18
Honestly it's hard to tell, but Mullvard seems to be one of the last options.
The problem I have with all the "checks" that press foundations do is that none of them seem to know what they're talking about in regards to what tech is trustworthy and audited, and what is not.
I found a nice article about it, skimmed through it and seems to be true and reflect my own research that I did for my cyber defense network [1]
[1] https://vpnpro.com/blog/hidden-vpn-owners-unveiled-97-vpns-23-companie…
bluehatbrit · 2025-01-02
I think GP was probably exaggerating but there are far fewer owning companies than actual vpns. This article does a decent job of showing it https://vpnpro.com/blog/hidden-vpn-owners-unveiled-97-vpns-23-companie… but may be a bit out of date now (Oct 24). I believe it, or a similar one, made the rounds on HN a year or so ago.
mackrevinack · 2019-11-23
they looked bad long before this. I don't know why this story didn't get me attention:
https://vpnpro.com/blog/confusion-in-the-vpn-industry-is-nordvpn-being…
someone from PIA's patent company was caught trying to smear other VPN's but forgot to hide his profile image.
C4K3 · 2019-07-07
The original article has a lot more details including lists of companies and how they figured this out.
https://vpnpro.com/blog/hidden-vpn-owners-unveiled-97-vpns-23-companie…
arkadiyt · 2019-07-06
Here's the research they're summarizing (never linked directly in the computerweekly article): https://vpnpro.com/blog/hidden-vpn-owners-unveiled-97-vpns-23-companie…
mkasu · 2019-07-06
NordVPN is not in the list[1]
1: https://vpnpro.com/blog/hidden-vpn-owners-unveiled-97-vpns-23-companie…
traspler · 2019-07-04
It's not linked in the article but this is VPNpros post about it which lists the products and firms: https://vpnpro.com/blog/hidden-vpn-owners-unveiled-97-vpns-23-companie…
shirajg · 2019-07-04
Infographic here: https://vpnpro.com/wp-content/uploads/Infographic-VPNpro-97-VPN-produc…
randomframe · 2019-11-20
Sources:
1. https://blog.malwarebytes.com/detections/pup-optional-crossrider/
2. https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-sagis-criminal-past-may-have-sunk-p…
4. https://cointelegraph.com/news/former-mt-gox-ceo-mark-karpeles-to-serv…
5. https://www.reddit.com/r/sevengali/comments/9dgexs/why_to_avoid_pia/
6. https://vpnpro.com/blog/confusion-in-the-vpn-industry-is-nordvpn-being…
7, 8. https://linustechtips.com/main/topic/1088904-private-internet-access-i… https://snew.notabug.io/r/PrivateInternetAccess/comments/ckbuei/reveal…
9. https://www.techradar.com/news/cyberghost-owner-buys-pia-for-dollar955…