Proton VPN is one of the best VPN options for people who prioritize their security and privacy online. Thanks to its accessible nature, it has seen a rapid rise in users ever since it first entered the market back in 2017.
The company behind it, Proton, has been on a roll lately, with its recent moves being to introduce an AI-powered writing assistant to its Mail service, and launching a new crypto wallet for Bitcoin.
But, they are not stopping there. Proton VPN has also received some love from the developers, which has resulted in some neat improvements to the service.
Let's check them out. 😃
Proton VPN Gets an Update: What to Expect?
We start with the introduction of the Stealth VPN protocol on Windows that allows users to make their VPN traffic look like regular internet traffic thanks to an obfuscation technique developed by Proton.
Governments and ISPs who like snooping on their citizens can be hoodwinked with this protocol, preventing them from trying to persecute/restrict a user.
This was already available on Android, iOS, and macOS, now Windows joins the club. Sadly, as usual, Linux users don't have such a luxury, and will have to wait longer for this feature to be made available on the platform.
For users of the mobile app, there is now the ability to change the app icon and name for ProtonVPN to prevent anybody who is physically examining the device from knowing that there's a VPN app installed on it.
There are a few generic options such as Weather, Notes, and Calculator. If I were to take the above screenshot as a reference, then there should be more options to choose from, as those three are the most obvious ones around.
A competent app checking individual (read wrongdoer backed by law) could easily crack it. There's however another important thing to note, Proton VPN will still show notifications in the usual name/icon, so be mindful of that.
And, finally, we have the new servers for 12 countries that rank poorly on the Freedom House Index and EIU's Democracy Index.
Those were made possible with Proton's Smart Routing tech, that allows them to offer VPN services in countries where they don't have a physical presence, while offering local IP addresses.
On the roll-out of these improvements, General Manager at Proton VPN, David Peterson stated that:
It has become increasingly common for authoritarian governments to go beyond purely online technical measures to discourage or block VPN use. Certain countries have even begun demanding citizens hand over their smartphones for physical inspection.
Protecting free speech and fighting censorship is a core part of our mission and we're committed to doing what we can to help users around the world.
I do agree with what he has said, many supposedly “democratic” governments around the world are increasingly working against their people, employing any way they can to suppress their voices, and infringe upon their rights.
📥 Get Proton VPN
If you are a new user, you can get Proton VPN from the official website (partner link), where you can either opt for the free plan, or go for one of the paid plans for getting more features.
If you are an existing user, just update it by using the package manager on your Linux installation. For users of Android, they can update it from the Play Store, and for users of iOS, they can do the same from the App Store.
Other desktop users, such as on Windows/macOS, can use the in-built updater to upgrade to get these features.
💬 It seems Proton have taken 2024 as a year to step up their game even further. Do you like the direction they are headed?
Suggested Read 📖
Ankush Das
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