IPVanish is one of the most experienced VPN providers. It has a respectable number of clients around the world but do they all get what they came for? The service pledges an outstanding security and privacy but can it really fulfill this promise? I conducted an in-depth research to learn if IPVanish keeps logs and how it protects its users. This is what I found.
Where is IPVanish Registered?
IPVanish is an America-based company launched in 1999. While the USA is a great place to conduct business, it may be hazardous from the standpoint of people’s security. The Big Brother monitors what people do and what they say online. Moreover, the USA is a founder and the most prominent member of the 5 Eyes, an intelligence alliance including itself, the UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Therefore, if the government and its agencies are keen on getting some information, it will receive it no matter what.
Since VPNs are potentially able to learn a lot about their clients they may become easy targets for authorities. The only thing such services can do to prevent disclosure of sensitive information is to refuse from logging it in any form. Therefore, it is critical to know if IPVanish keeps any logs or not.
IPVanish Logging Policy
At the first glance, IPVanish doesn’t log any user data. At least, this is what their privacy policy says. They claim to “not collect, monitor, or log any traffic or use of its service”. Sounds good, right? I’m sure that many users have bought into these promises of zero-logging. However, the recent scandal involving the company has made me question the honesty of their intentions.
In 2016, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) investigated one of the service’s user. The IPVanish’s then-parent company Highwinds Network Group was summoned to provide information about the connection to one of their servers. Instead of saying that they have no records regarding the use of any particular server, IPVanish actually handed over a ton of useful information, including the time of connection and disconnection to this unit, a user name, his original IP address, and email address. Needless to say, with such information on its hands DHS could effortlessly found the culprit.
It is interesting that at that time the company had absolutely the same ‘zero-logging’ privacy policy as it has now. Therefore, if IPVanish wasn’t truthful with their users in 2016, why would it be now? Since then the company changed the owner (now it is Stackpath) but it refuses to take responsibility for the actions of its predecessor. It makes me believe that IPVanish continues carrying out its shady privacy policy.
If you still want to give IPVanish a try, here is a full overview of its features.
Security-Focused Alternative to IPVanish
I don’t think that a service lying to the face of its subscribers is worth your attention. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t promote illegal activity, but isn’t clients’ privacy and anonymity what it’s all about? IPVanish let its user down and therefore, it cannot be trusted.
There are many trustworthy VPN services you can choose from but NordVPN stands out the most thanks to its airtight zero-logging policy. It really keeps no data about its users whatsoever. Plus, it is registered in a privacy-favorable location.
Conclusion
IPVanish swears it collects no data about its clients but it’s lying. It is known for sure that the service monitors users’ IP addresses, servers they hooked up to, and the time of connection. It is enough to lead law enforcement services to your door if you do something wrong. Even if your conscience is clean, would you let your provider secretly monitor your activity?