> It’s 2023 - if a VPN is how you’re doing your privacy you’re probably doing it wrong.

I'm honestly interested, how could one 'do privacy' the right way then?

I'm guessing they're thinking of VPN as OpenVPN, and are referring to WireGuard...? Mullvad also provides configurations for that.

Haha yeah.

Don't trust Andrew Lee aka rasengan, a cartel operator and a lying sack of shit.

Verify https://twitter.com/grvgr

[bull] https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/blog/dont-trust-verify...

Have further information on potential malice by Private Internet Access or employees?

There are some links on my profile if you're curious.

Bonus:

1. Mark Karpeles has nothing to do with PIA:

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21821832

2. Kape is a shit show:

https://old.reddit.com/r/PrivateInternetAccess/comments/11ej...

3. Jonathan Roudier has nothing to do with WeVPN:

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35561337

much more to come...

These are pretty serious allegations, and as the ex-CIO of PIA, you certainly have the credibility to make them. However, drip-feeding various circumstantial links do not really help your case, and HN comments is not the best medium to make them.

I'd suggest creating a website or page, and writing out your allegations in detail and instead linking that here.

I'm satisfied with the transparency Mullvad has shown by publishing its 9 audits[1] and with their efforts to ask for as little information from users as possible. I also appreciate how Mullvad releases up-to-date source code for all of its software clients, which I consider a bare minimum for any VPN to even be considered.[2]

Private Internet Access, on the other hand, does not release up-to-date source code for its software clients:

- PIA Android client: latest source release v3.14.0 (Mar 18, 2022) vs. latest Google Play release v3.18.0 (Feb 22, 2023)[3]

- PIA iOS client: latest source release v3.14.0 (Mar 18, 2022) vs. latest App Store release v3.20.0 (Mar 1, 2023)[4]

- PIA desktop client: latest source release v3.3.0 (Feb 23, 2022) / v3.4.1-beta1 (Aug 18, 2022) vs. latest downloadable release v3.3.1 (unknown)[5]

- PIA browser extension: latest source release v3.1.0 (May 31, 2021) vs. latest Chrome Web Store release v3.2.0 (March 8, 2022)[6]

It's not clear to me how much of a say you still have in PIA's operations, but if you have any influence, I kindly ask you to direct them to release the source code of PIA's clients on time, every time a new client version is released. Open sourcing PIA's clients was something you promised PIA would do to reassure customers after PIA was acquired by the former adware/malware distributor Kape Technologies.[7]

---

[1] Mullvad's audits: https://mullvad.net/en/blog/tag/audits/

[2] Mullvad's GitHub repos: https://github.com/mullvad

[3] PIA Android client - GitHub: https://github.com/pia-foss/android/tags / Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.privateint...

[4] PIA iOS client - GitHub: https://github.com/pia-foss/vpn-ios/tags / App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/vpn-by-private-internet-access...

[5] PIA desktop client - GitHub: https://github.com/pia-foss/desktop/releases / PIA website: https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/download/linux-vpn

[6] PIA Chrome extension - GitHub: https://github.com/pia-foss/extension-chrome/releases / Chrome Web Store: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/private-internet-a...

[7] Our conversation in 2019: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21613267 (I appreciated your response at the time)

commoner - Thank you for this comment, and I think it's definitely fair to trust in Mullvad given these transparencies. The sequence of events are simply peculiar to me, and doesn't seem like a professional police operation. That said, I've been keenly watching Mullvad and agree with you that it's rock-solid in transparency which is the number one reason to use/not use a VPN service, if for privacy.

I salute Mullvad and consider it to be the top VPN in the world today, and specifically, the only one I would recommend to anyone looking for a VPN.

In terms of PIA, I am no longer affiliated with the company, but I agree that getting the source out for the clients out on time is something they should try to address quickly.

gerbilly (another poster in parallel) - In 2023, I don't think a VPN is not private, but, for sure this cannot be the only tool in one's arsenal to secure their privacy. Depending on your threat-levels, there are different things you may want to do. To be clear, if you're being targeted, you cannot maintain privacy.

For the absolutist:

1. Get cash but not from an ATM (traceable)

2. Go buy a computer (must be Purism or something with trustworthy hardware) with said cash but wear a disguise when buying it. Disable all the location/etc. stuff at store parking lot.

3. Purchase a T-Mobile Prepaid Hotspot with cash.

4. Purchase mullvad, but wear gloves, mask and a hairnet when working with the envelope to send cash.

5. Never login to any service of any kind that would leak your identity.

For everyone else:

1. Assume you're not private.

Or, you could just buy Monero with a giftcard.