PureVPN is one company πάροχος εικονικών ιδιωτικών δικτύων που ισχυρίζεται ότι δεν κρατάει log files που εκθέτουν τους users her. So the company that protects its users helped arrest a man from Massachusetts on Friday.
The log files, which PureVPN claims do not exist, were used to locate 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:
Δεν παρακολουθούμε τη δραστηριότητα των χρηστών ούτε διατηρούμε κανένα αρχείο καταγραφής. Ως εκ τούτου, δεν έχουμε στοιχεία για τις δραστηριότητές σας, όπως το λογισμικό που χρησιμοποιήσατε, τους ιστότοπους που επισκεφθήκατε, το content που κατεβάσατε, τις εφαρμογές που χρησιμοποιήσατε κ.λπ. όταν συνδεθείτε με κάποιον από τους διακομιστές μας.
However, according to documents compiled by the Register, these files exist, and not only do they exist, but they also contributed to Ryan's arrest.
The indictment states:
“Furthermore, records from PureVPN show that they accounts ηλεκτρονικού ταχυδρομείου – ο accountς gmail του Lin και ο λογαριασμός gmail του teleportfx – έχουν προσεγγιστεί από την ίδια διεύθυνση IP WANSecurity. Η PureVPN κατάφερε να διαπιστώσει ότι η service they had been used by the same customer but from two original IP addresses: the IP address of Lin's home where he lived at the time and the software company where Lin was working at the time.”
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:
Για πρόσβαση σε περιεχόμενο ψυχαγωγίας από iTunes, Netflix, YouTube, etc.
To access existing networks and websites censorship from 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 its customers, promising not to disclose data that exposes them, when in fact it is secretly recording their actions…
