PureVPN is a virtual private network provider that claims not to keep log files exposed by its users. The company, which protects its users, helped arrest a man from Massachusetts on Friday.
The archives log files, which PureVPN claims do not exist, were used to track down and arrest 24-year-old Ryan Lin.
Ryan is accused of stalking his ex-roommate, Jennifer Smith, also 24 years old.
According to Privacy Policy of PureVPN:
We do not monitor user activity or maintain any logs. Therefore, we do not have data about your activities, such as the software you used, the websites you visited, the content you downloaded, the applications you used, etc. when you connect to one of our servers.
However, according to documents gathered by the Sign up, those records exist, and not only do they exist, they contributed to Ryan's arrest.
The indictment states:
"In addition, PureVPN files show that the same email accounts - Lin's Gmail account and teleportfx's Gmail account - were accessed from the same IP address WANSecurity. "PureVPN was able to establish that their service was being used by the same customer but from two original IP addresses: the IP address of Lin's home at the time and the software company where Lin was then working."
The monitoring activity started in April of this year and the authorities required PureVPN to maintain log files, which it probably continues to maintain to this day - regardless of the terms of service it mentions.
Deception:
If PureVPN has issued and has Terms of Service that explicitly state that they do not collect and store the services of users of the service in log files, it has an obligation even if it collects to keep this information private.
Although Lin did something that was against the law, there are many who use the service to gain additional anonymity without malicious intent. These reasons can be:
For access to entertainment content from iTunes, Netflix, YouTube, etc.
For access to networks and websites that are censored by oppressive regimes.
For anonymity at tour
For communication with friends and family abroad
Today one in four internet users use a VPN and of course not everyone can use it for malicious purposes.
So PureVPN was caught cheating their customers by making promises they didn't keep data which exposes them, while in reality secretly recording their actions…
