PureVPN: Difference between revisions
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| author = GZ Systems<ref>{{cite web|title=GZ Systems|url=http://www.hongkongcompanylist.com/gz-systems-limited-bfoocpc/#.WJslim997IU|website=hongkongcompanylist.com}}</ref> |
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'''PureVPN''' is a commercial [[virtual private network|virtual private network]] service owned by GZ Systems Ltd. Founded in 2007, the company is based in Hong Kong. The service has been criticized for having inconsistent speeds, being unable to access [[Netflix]] videos, and having usability problems. |
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'''PureVPN''' is a commercial [[Virtual private network|virtual private network (VPN)]] service offered by a Hong Kong-based company, GZ Systems Ltd.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://mashable.com/review/pure-review-vpn/|title=PureVPN review: Even limited Netflix access can't save this buggy VPN|last=Poladian|first=Charles|website=Mashable|language=en|access-date=2019-04-05}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=PureVPN (for Android)|url=https://www.pcmag.com/review/350623/purevpn-for-android|website=PCMAG|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/52417/purevpn|title=PureVPN for Mac {{!}} MacUpdate|website=MacUpdate.com|language=en|access-date=2019-04-06}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tomsguide.com/us/purevpn,review-4497.html|title=PureVPN Review: Looks Good, Acts Bad|date=2017-10-10|website=Tom's Guide|language=en|access-date=2019-04-06}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/3219730/purevpn-vpn-review.html|title=PureVPN review: It works well if you don't mind virtual server locations|date=2017-08-25|website=PCWorld|language=en|access-date=2019-04-06}}</ref> |
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==History== |
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The tool provides users [[end-to-end encryption]] using multiple [[Tunneling protocol|tunneling protocols]], while also allowing them to mask their real [[IP address|IP]] with an anonymous IP. The VPN service offers 300,000+ IP addresses from 140 countries, across the six continents. A single credential can be used on up to 5 devices simultaneously<ref>{{cite news|title=The tool provides users end-to-end encryption using multiple tunneling protocols, while also allowing them to mask their real IP with an anonymous IP. The VPN service offers 300,000+ IP addresses from 140 countries, across the six continents. A single credential can be used on up to 5 devices simultaneously|url=https://billionaire365.com/2019/01/28/purevpn-2018-road-map-was-driven-by-users-feedback/|work=Billionaire365.com }}</ref> |
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PureVPN is owned by GZ Systems Limited, a software company that creates Android sports [[mobile app|apps]].<ref name="Nadel2017-10-11"/> Its mailing address is in [[Causeway Bay]], [[Hong Kong]]. PureVPN was co-founded by Uzair Gadit who is based in Pakistan. Founded in 2007,<ref name="Williams2018-12-04">{{cite news |last=Williams |first=Mike |date=2018-12-04 |title=PureVPN review |url=https://www.techradar.com/reviews/pc-mac/software/utilities/purevpn-1325640/review |newspaper=[[TechRadar]] |accessdate=2019-04-29 |archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/77z2eh2dG?url=https://www.techradar.com/reviews/pc-mac/software/utilities/purevpn-1325640/review |archivedate=2019-04-29 }}</ref> it employs contractors in the United States, United Kingdom, Ukraine, Pakistan, and Hong Kong.<ref name="Paul2017-08-25">{{cite news |last=Paul |first=Ian |date=2017-08-25 |title=PureVPN review: It works well if you don't mind virtual server locations. PureVPN is a Hong Kong-based VPN that's recently been criticized for using virtual server locations. |url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/3219730/purevpn-vpn-review.html |newspaper=[[PC World]] |accessdate=2019-04-22 |archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/77oqTMejX?url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/3219730/purevpn-vpn-review.html |archivedate=2019-04-22 }}</ref> |
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==Service== |
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PureVPN has a desktop client for [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]], [[MacOS|Mac OS]] and [[Linux]]. Manual setup installation guides are available on its official Support platform. The platform contains over 500 articles on VPN troubleshooting, manual setup tutorials, app setup guides and knowledge base.<ref>https://support.purevpn.com/</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=This VPN is listening to its users|url=https://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/sponsored/3069443/this-vpn-is-listening-to-its-users|author=PureVPN|work=TheInquirer.net }}</ref>{{failed verification|date=April 2019}} |
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PureVPN's homepage allows users to select from four categories: Stream, Internet Freedom, Security/Privacy, and File Sharing.<ref name="Poladian2018-09-06">{{cite news |last=Poladian |first=Charles |date=2018-09-06 |title=PureVPN review: Even limited Netflix access can't save this buggy VPN |url=https://mashable.com/review/pure-review-vpn/ |publisher=[[Mashable]] |accessdate=2019-04-22 |archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/77oomXboo?url=https://mashable.com/review/pure-review-vpn/ |archivedate=2019-04-22 }}</ref> Each category has a different configuration. Internet Freedom, for example, lets customers select which countries their Internet traffic is going through when trying to bypass the [[Great Firewall of China]].<ref name="Poladian2018-09-06"/> According to [[Mashable]]'s Charles Poladian, "many credible reports" indicated that PureVPN was unsuccessful in overcoming China's Great Firewall.<ref name="Poladian2018-09-06"/> PureVPN allows customers to select what they plan to do such as browsing [[social media]], conducting [[Voice over IP]] calls, and [[streaming media|streaming videos]]. It then uses this selection to choose specific servers for customers to send their Internet traffic through.<ref name="Poladian2018-09-06"/> Other configuration options include the [[transport protocol]] (the less safe [[User Datagram Protocol|UDP]] or the more safe but less speedy [[Transmission Control Protocol|TCP]]) and [[split tunneling]] (choosing the apps that will direct traffic through the VPN).<ref name="Poladian2018-09-06"/> PureVPN offers users the option to turn on the "VPN Hotspot", allowing other devices to use the PureVPN hotspot connection.<ref name="Williams2018-12-04"/> |
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PureVPN provides desktop [[client (computing)|clients]] for [[Linux]], [[macOS]], and [[Microsoft Windows]] and mobile clients for [[Android]] and [[iOS]].<ref name="Eddy2018-06-19">{{cite news |last=Eddy |first=Max |date=2018-06-19 |title=PureVPN |url=https://www.pcmag.com/review/317852/purevpn |newspaper=[[PC Magazine]] |accessdate=2019-04-29 |archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/77yzCRP4s?url=https://www.pcmag.com/review/317852/purevpn |archivedate=2019-04-29 }}</ref> PureVPN can be run at the same time on five sessions.<ref name="Nadel2017-10-11">{{cite news |last=Nadel |first=Brian |date=2017-10-10 |title=PureVPN Review: Looks Good, Acts Bad |url=https://www.tomsguide.com/us/purevpn,review-4497.html |newspaper=Tom's Guide |publisher=[[Purch Group]] |accessdate=2019-04-22 }}</ref> It allocated 200 servers for [[peer-to-peer file sharing]] and [[BitTorrent]] usage but does not provide any servers for accessing the [[Tor (anonymity network)|Tor]] network.<ref name="Eddy2018-06-19"/> |
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PureVPN has 750 servers in 140 countries. Their servers are in 180 separate locations and in Africa, Asia, Australia, Central America, Europe, North America, and South America. Max Eddy of ''[[PC Magazine]]'' said PureVPN "offers some of the best geographic diversity I have yet seen among VPN companies" though "not everything is necessarily as it seems".<ref name="Eddy2018-06-19"/> Eddy found that in 87 of those countries, PureVPN's servers are [[virtual hosting|virtual servers]] that merely make the servers seem to be in a different country than where it really is at. PureVPN places virtual servers close to the country they say it is at, which Eddy found problematic for users who want to avoid their data passing through certain countries.<ref name="Eddy2018-06-19"/> |
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In a list of top VPN services, maintained by CNET, PureVPN has been given a score of 4.5 out of 5 for its “Blazing fast performance” and “Bitcoin Payment” support<ref>{{cite news|title=In a list of top VPN services, maintained by CNET, PureVPN has been given a score of 4.5 out of 5 for its “Blazing fast performance” and “Bitcoin Payment” support|url=https://www.cnet.com/best-vpn-services-directory/|work=Bugcrowd}}</ref> |
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==Privacy== |
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In 2018, PureVPN partnered with Bugcrowd for a “bug bounty” program where 200+ ethical hackers participated in identifying vulnerabilities<ref>{{cite news|title=In 2018, PureVPN partnered with Bugcrowd for a “bug bounty” program where 200+ ethical hackers participated in identifying vulnerabilities|url=https://bugcrowd.com/purevpn|work=cnet}}</ref> |
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PureVPN stores logs containing information about what [[Internet service provider]] a customer used to access it service and which day the service was used. PureVPN does not store the exact time a customer accessed VPN. To prevent misuse and monitor quality, it records how much [[bandwidth (computing)|bandwidth]] customers are using. PureVPN also stores [[HTTP cookie]]s for [[online advertising]] purposes as well as user account information like [[email address]] and [[credit card]] data.<ref name="Poladian2018-09-06"/> It does not store what websites a customer is accessing.<ref name="Eddy2017-10-11">{{cite news |last=Eddy |first=Max |date=2017-10-11 |title=Did PureVPN Cross a Line When It Disclosed User Information? When a VPN hands over user data on a creep, there's a freak out. |url=https://www.pcmag.com/commentary/356727/did-purevpn-cross-the-line |newspaper=[[PC Magazine]] |accessdate=2019-04-22 |archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/77opOenFo?url=https://www.pcmag.com/commentary/356727/did-purevpn-cross-the-line |archivedate=2019-04-22 }}</ref> Brian Nadel of ''[[Tom's Guide]]'' criticized PureVPN for requiring real names for user signups, even when users employ [[Bitcoin]] or [[gift card]]s for payment.<ref name="Nadel2017-10-11"/> VPNs largely do not require real names.<ref name="Nadel2017-10-11"/> |
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[[Mashable]]'s Charles Poladian praised PureVPN for being based in [[Hong Kong]], which he says has "favorable data laws" and "isn't part of the intelligence-gathering alliance".<ref name="Poladian2018-09-06"/> [[PC Magazine]]'s Max Eddy said that Hong Kong, as a [[special administrative regions of China]], does not need to follow China's laws but that with China attempting to block VPNs that do not follow its rules, "PureVPN's legal situation is more complicated than that of the average VPN service".<ref name="Eddy2018-06-19"/> |
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{{Reflist}} |
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In 2017, PureVPN provided information to [[Federal Bureau of Investigation]] agents that helped result in the arrest of a [[Massachusetts]] man for [[cyberstalking]].<ref name="Eddy2017-10-11"/> The company concluded that the man had accessed PureVPN through two IP addresses: one from home and one from work.<ref name="Eddy2017-10-11"/> Max Eddy of ''[[PC Magazine]]'' noted that the company's [[privacy policy]] says it will cooperate with investigators who give them a proper [[warrant (law)|warrant]] and concluded, "In the case of PureVPN, it doesn't appear that the company breached the trust of its users".<ref name="Eddy2017-10-11"/> ''[[TechRadar]]''{{'}}s Mike Williams disagreed, writing that PureVPN "made a big deal of its 'zero log' policy" on its website but did keep logs that enabled investigators to link the man to what he did on the service.<ref name="Williams2018-12-04"/> |
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[[Mashable]]'s Charles Poladian wrote, "PureVPN works, sometimes even with Netflix, but it has enough issues to keep the VPN from being your go-to choice for private internet access." He criticized PureVPN's erratic speeds, [[Internet access]] problems, and inability to overcome [[Netflix]]'s block of VPNs so that he could watch videos available only in another country.<ref name="Poladian2018-09-06"/> Brian Nadel of [[Tom's Guide]] gave VPN a negative review, writing, "its performance was pretty bad in our testing, and we have concerns about the customer service, the real-name policy and the fact that it's essentially based in China".<ref name="Nadel2017-10-11"/> [[TechRadar]]'s Mike Williams wrote, "PureVPN is loaded with nifty features and we saw decent results on the performance front. It's good value as well, but usability issues with the apps might put you off."<ref name="Williams2018-12-04"/> |
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[[PC Magazine]]'s Max Eddy wrote, "PureVPN is not a bad service by any measure, but it's not the best."<ref name="Eddy2017-10-11"/> He preferred competitor VPNs [[Private Internet Access]], which "offers a spartan experience at an unbeatable price", and [[NordVPN]], which "costs slightly more than average but packs excellent features into an excellent interface".<ref name="Eddy2017-10-11"/> ''[[PC World]]''{{'}}s Ian Paul gave PureVPN a mixed rating, criticizing it for using virtual servers and praising it for having "fine" speeds and having "most of the features you need in a VPN".<ref name="Paul2017-08-25"/> |
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{{reflist|colwidth=30em}} |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
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*{{Official |
* {{Official|https://www.purevpn.com/}} |
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*{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/joeescobedo/2017/09/18/how-purevpn-boosted-its-yoy-traffic-by-289-via-user-generated-content/|title=How PureVPN Boosted Its YoY Traffic By 289% Via User-Generated Content|last=Escobedo|first=Joe|website=Forbes|language=en|access-date=2019-04-06}} |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:Companies established in 2007]] |
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[[Category:Companies of Hong Kong]] |
[[Category:Companies of Hong Kong]] |
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[[Category:Virtual private network services]] |
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Revision as of 01:29, 29 April 2019
 | |
| Original author(s) | GZ Systems |
|---|---|
| Initial release | 2007 |
| Website | www |
PureVPN is a commercial virtual private network service owned by GZ Systems Ltd. Founded in 2007, the company is based in Hong Kong. The service has been criticized for having inconsistent speeds, being unable to access Netflix videos, and having usability problems.
History
PureVPN is owned by GZ Systems Limited, a software company that creates Android sports apps.[1] Its mailing address is in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong. PureVPN was co-founded by Uzair Gadit who is based in Pakistan. Founded in 2007,[2] it employs contractors in the United States, United Kingdom, Ukraine, Pakistan, and Hong Kong.[3]
Service
PureVPN's homepage allows users to select from four categories: Stream, Internet Freedom, Security/Privacy, and File Sharing.[4] Each category has a different configuration. Internet Freedom, for example, lets customers select which countries their Internet traffic is going through when trying to bypass the Great Firewall of China.[4] According to Mashable's Charles Poladian, "many credible reports" indicated that PureVPN was unsuccessful in overcoming China's Great Firewall.[4] PureVPN allows customers to select what they plan to do such as browsing social media, conducting Voice over IP calls, and streaming videos. It then uses this selection to choose specific servers for customers to send their Internet traffic through.[4] Other configuration options include the transport protocol (the less safe UDP or the more safe but less speedy TCP) and split tunneling (choosing the apps that will direct traffic through the VPN).[4] PureVPN offers users the option to turn on the "VPN Hotspot", allowing other devices to use the PureVPN hotspot connection.[2]
PureVPN provides desktop clients for Linux, macOS, and Microsoft Windows and mobile clients for Android and iOS.[5] PureVPN can be run at the same time on five sessions.[1] It allocated 200 servers for peer-to-peer file sharing and BitTorrent usage but does not provide any servers for accessing the Tor network.[5]
PureVPN has 750 servers in 140 countries. Their servers are in 180 separate locations and in Africa, Asia, Australia, Central America, Europe, North America, and South America. Max Eddy of PC Magazine said PureVPN "offers some of the best geographic diversity I have yet seen among VPN companies" though "not everything is necessarily as it seems".[5] Eddy found that in 87 of those countries, PureVPN's servers are virtual servers that merely make the servers seem to be in a different country than where it really is at. PureVPN places virtual servers close to the country they say it is at, which Eddy found problematic for users who want to avoid their data passing through certain countries.[5]
Privacy
PureVPN stores logs containing information about what Internet service provider a customer used to access it service and which day the service was used. PureVPN does not store the exact time a customer accessed VPN. To prevent misuse and monitor quality, it records how much bandwidth customers are using. PureVPN also stores HTTP cookies for online advertising purposes as well as user account information like email address and credit card data.[4] It does not store what websites a customer is accessing.[6] Brian Nadel of Tom's Guide criticized PureVPN for requiring real names for user signups, even when users employ Bitcoin or gift cards for payment.[1] VPNs largely do not require real names.[1]
Mashable's Charles Poladian praised PureVPN for being based in Hong Kong, which he says has "favorable data laws" and "isn't part of the intelligence-gathering alliance".[4] PC Magazine's Max Eddy said that Hong Kong, as a special administrative regions of China, does not need to follow China's laws but that with China attempting to block VPNs that do not follow its rules, "PureVPN's legal situation is more complicated than that of the average VPN service".[5]
In 2017, PureVPN provided information to Federal Bureau of Investigation agents that helped result in the arrest of a Massachusetts man for cyberstalking.[6] The company concluded that the man had accessed PureVPN through two IP addresses: one from home and one from work.[6] Max Eddy of PC Magazine noted that the company's privacy policy says it will cooperate with investigators who give them a proper warrant and concluded, "In the case of PureVPN, it doesn't appear that the company breached the trust of its users".[6] TechRadar's Mike Williams disagreed, writing that PureVPN "made a big deal of its 'zero log' policy" on its website but did keep logs that enabled investigators to link the man to what he did on the service.[2]
Reception
Mashable's Charles Poladian wrote, "PureVPN works, sometimes even with Netflix, but it has enough issues to keep the VPN from being your go-to choice for private internet access." He criticized PureVPN's erratic speeds, Internet access problems, and inability to overcome Netflix's block of VPNs so that he could watch videos available only in another country.[4] Brian Nadel of Tom's Guide gave VPN a negative review, writing, "its performance was pretty bad in our testing, and we have concerns about the customer service, the real-name policy and the fact that it's essentially based in China".[1] TechRadar's Mike Williams wrote, "PureVPN is loaded with nifty features and we saw decent results on the performance front. It's good value as well, but usability issues with the apps might put you off."[2]
PC Magazine's Max Eddy wrote, "PureVPN is not a bad service by any measure, but it's not the best."[6] He preferred competitor VPNs Private Internet Access, which "offers a spartan experience at an unbeatable price", and NordVPN, which "costs slightly more than average but packs excellent features into an excellent interface".[6] PC World's Ian Paul gave PureVPN a mixed rating, criticizing it for using virtual servers and praising it for having "fine" speeds and having "most of the features you need in a VPN".[3]
References
- ^ a b c d e Nadel, Brian (2017-10-10). "PureVPN Review: Looks Good, Acts Bad". Tom's Guide. Purch Group. Retrieved 2019-04-22.
- ^ a b c d Williams, Mike (2018-12-04). "PureVPN review". TechRadar. Archived from the original on 2019-04-29. Retrieved 2019-04-29.
- ^ a b Paul, Ian (2017-08-25). "PureVPN review: It works well if you don't mind virtual server locations. PureVPN is a Hong Kong-based VPN that's recently been criticized for using virtual server locations". PC World. Archived from the original on 2019-04-22. Retrieved 2019-04-22.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Poladian, Charles (2018-09-06). "PureVPN review: Even limited Netflix access can't save this buggy VPN". Mashable. Archived from the original on 2019-04-22. Retrieved 2019-04-22.
- ^ a b c d e Eddy, Max (2018-06-19). "PureVPN". PC Magazine. Archived from the original on 2019-04-29. Retrieved 2019-04-29.
- ^ a b c d e f Eddy, Max (2017-10-11). "Did PureVPN Cross a Line When It Disclosed User Information? When a VPN hands over user data on a creep, there's a freak out". PC Magazine. Archived from the original on 2019-04-22. Retrieved 2019-04-22.