A VPN’s bottom line is that it safeguards your data and anonymizes you online, and so a service that only pays lip service to privacy and doesn't actually live up to its claims is simply not worth using.
Unfortunately, there are a lot of VPNs out there that are complete shams, which is why is why VPN audits are so important – they prove that the VPN provider's claims are all legit. All the best VPNs undergo regular audits to maintain transparency and, most importantly, customer trust.
In this article, I'll discuss what a VPN audit is, its types, scope, and spirit, and why it's so important.
What is a VPN audit?
A VPN audit is when an independent third party (meaning a firm not affiliated with the VPN in question) evaluates a VPN’s infrastructure, system, and/or its privacy policy to verify its claims about data security and compliance adherence.
Depending on their scope, VPN audits can be of two types:
- Privacy audits: this involves the third party digging into the VPN’s no-logs and privacy policies, as well as its terms of service, to ensure they're being adhered to. This type of audit checks how a VPN handles user data, including the types of data collected, the collection mechanism itself, and the VPN’s data storage principles. Additionally, the auditor also ensures the VPN doesn't share any data as per its promises.
- Security audits: these audits dive deep into a specific part of the VPN service, which could be any of its apps or the overall software and infrastructure. Checks are done on the integrity of these systems to find out if there are any vulnerabilities that could put user privacy at risk.
It's also worth noting that once an audit is completed, the unbiased third party publishes a full audit report, where it discloses all its findings and conclusions.
Although the VPN company isn't legally required to publish these audit reports, it's always a good sign if they do (and all the most secure VPNs do), as it reflects not only their confidence in their service but also their belief in transparency.
Why are VPN audits important?
Considering the sheer volume of sensitive customer data VPN services tackle, it's crucial they're subjected to regular VPN audits, as these prove that the VPN is keeping user data safe and away from the hands of cybercriminals and other bad actors.
Furthermore, VPN audits are undertaken by independent parties and not the VPN company, meaning customers don't just have to take the service for its word that it's the most private VPN. Thanks to VPN audits, you don't have to blindly trust a VPN’s claims, and you can make a fully informed decision before signing up for a VPN.
VPN audits don't just check the VPN’s privacy and security credentials but can also help the VPN company identify potential lapses/vulnerabilities in its infrastructure, which the service can then repair. Simply put, VPN audits also help a VPN company keep its security intact.
Moreover, VPN audits also ensure that no-logs VPNs actually do just that – not log any of their users' data. They also make sure that the VPN is abiding by the law of the land and following all relevant regulations surrounding privacy and security in its jurisdiction.
