Christina Chapman, a 50-year-old Arizona woman, has just been sentenced to 102 months in prison for helping North Korean hackers steal US identities in order to get "remote" IT jobs with more than 300 American companies, including Nike. The scheme funneled millions of dollars to the North Korean state.
Why did Chapman do it? In a letter sent this week to the judge, Chapman said that she was "looking for a job that was Monday through Friday that would allow me to be present for my mom" who was battling cancer. (Her mother died in 2023.) But "the area where we lived didn't provide for a lot of job opportunities that fit what I needed. I also thought that the job was allowing me to help others."
She offered her "deepest and sincerest apologies to any person who was harmed by my actions," thanked the FBI for busting her, and said that when she gets out of prison, she hopes to "pursue the books that I have been working on writing and starting my own underwear company."
ExpressVPN has released a new patch for its Windows app to close a vulnerability that can leave remote desktop traffic unprotected. If you use ExpressVPN on Windows, download version 12.101.0.45 as soon as possible, especially if you use Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) or any other traffic through TCP port 3389.
ExpressVPN announced both the vulnerability and the fix in a blog post earlier this week. According to that post, an independent researcher going by Adam-X sent in a tip on April 25 to claim a reward from ExpressVPN's bug bounty program. Adam-X noticed that some internal debug code which left traffic on TCP port 3389 unprotected had mistakenly shipped to customers. ExpressVPN released the patch about five days later in version 12.101.0.45 for Windows.
As ExpressVPN points out in its announcement of the patch, it's unlikely that the vulnerability was actually exploited. Any hypothetical hacker would not only have to be aware of the flaw, but would then have to trick their target into sending a web request over RDP or other traffic that uses port 3389. Even if all the dominos fell, the hacker could only see their target's real IP address, not any of the actual data they transmitted.
Even if the danger was small, it's nice to see ExpressVPN responding proactively to flaws in its product β bug bounties are great, but a security product should protect its users with as many safeguards as possible. In addition to closing this vulnerability, they're also adding automated tests that check for debug code accidentally left in production builds. This, plus a successful independent privacy audit earlier in 2025, gives the strong impression of a provider that's on top of things.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/vpn/expressvpn-patches-windows-bug-that-exposed-remote-desktop-traffic-171507501.html?src=rss
The British government has announced plans to move forward with a law that would bar public organizations from paying off ransomware attackers. The proposed legislation would add schools, town councils, National Health Service (NHS) hospitals and critical infrastructure managers to a ban which already applies to the national government.
The logic behind banning payments is simple. If cybercriminals know a ransomware attack against a UK school or hospital won't get them paid, they'll look somewhere else for a more lucrative target. Security Minister Dan Jarvis said that the government is "determined to smash the cyber criminal business model," and added that laws in the proposed package will require even private businesses to seek guidance from the government before paying a ransom.
Since the WannaCry attack on the NHS in 2017 launched the modern era of ransomware attacks, the UK has suffered a number of serious incidents. In the last two years alone, attacks have hit the British Library, the BBC and the Ministry of Defence. This may explain why, according to the government's announcement, "nearly three quarters" of public comments on the ban legislation were supportive.
Although bans on ransom payments are a popular solution to the ever-increasing scourge of ransomware, there's currently not much data on whether they work. Two US states, North Carolina and Florida, have enacted similar bans, but it's hard to say what impact they've had. Critics argue that some organizations, especially hospitals, can't afford the long-term disruption of leaving the ransom unpaid, and may choose to pay in unaccountable ways. Furthermore, some hacking groups have aims other than money, and may continue ransomware attacks to sow political chaos.
The UK is moving into uncharted territory as the first nation to pass a ransomware payment ban. We'll be interested to see whether it helps get attacks under control. Either way, the outcome is likely to inform how other countries respond to the continuing threat of cybercrime.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/new-uk-law-would-ban-ransomware-payments-by-publicly-funded-orgs-210851334.html?src=rss
Solid-state drives (SSDs) come in many shapes, from thumbnail-sized microSD cards to larger external SSDs. But all classes of SSDs have one thing in common: at least one of the best brands is on sale right now for Amazon's Prime Day. If you've been thinking about picking up some extra storage or trying to get the load times down on your Xbox or gaming PC, now's the time to get it done for cheap. Take a look at our curated list of the best SSD deals on Amazon this Prime Day.
Best Prime Day SSD deals
Crucial BX500 for $57 (40 percent off): The Crucial BX500 SSD is compatible with any computer that uses a 2.5-inch SATA drive β which is still plenty of them. For very cheap, you can get ahold of 1TB storage space and read speeds up to 540 MB/s, close to the very best possible for a SATA SSD.
WD_BLACK SN850X for $150 (25 percent off): Our current favorite Gen4 NVMe drive is on sale for Prime Day, making a read speed of over 7,000 MB/s more accessible than ever. In our tests, we found the 1TB SN850X significantly boosted our Windows operating speeds without adding much heat.
WD_BLACK 2TB SN8100 for $180 (44 percent off): If you frequently need read and write speeds measured in kilobytes instead of megabytes, the WD_BLACK SN8100 is for you. This internal SSD easily breaches 1400 KB/s, and is especially suited for gaming or AI work.
WD Blue SN5000 for $200 (33 percent off): Here's a great deal on an internal SSD with 4TB capacity and compatibility with the fast-performing NVMe protocol. Western Digital, the same brand behind the WD_BLACK (see above) claims the Blue model can hit read speeds of 5,500 MB/s.
Lexar 1TB NM790 for $67 (29 percent off): The NM790 is a single-sided SSD that can post sequential read speeds of 7400 MB/s. The one-sided design means it stays cooler for longer, and this 1TB deal includes a heatsink. It's a great budget alternative to the also single-sided Samsung 990 Pro (see below).
Sabrent Rocket 2230 for $150 (15 percent off): The Sabrent Rocket 2230 is a thumbnail-sized NVMe card that we found to be perfect for the M.2 slot on a Steam Deck. Thanks to this deal, you can save a lot by buying a lower-end Steam Deck and upgrading it with one of these.
Samsung Fit Plus for $23 (34 percent off): The Fit Plus is our favorite thumb drive, and it's not close. Running on USB 3.1 with transfer speeds between 300 and 400 MB/s, it even comes with a keychain hook. The current deal takes 34 percent off an already cheap product.
Samsung 870 EVO for $76 (24 percent off): The 870 EVO is a great budget choice for general users, who are likely to get a speed boost on any PC activity once it's installed. At 560 MB/s of maximum reading speed, it's not for hardcore gamers, but everyday users should see real benefits.
Samsung 990 EVO Plus 1TB for $66 (37 percent off): Samsung's EVO line never rests on its laurels. The 990 EVO was already fast, but the 990 EVO Plus doubled its speeds less than a year later. Currently, all three sizes are on sale for lowest-ever prices.
Samsung 990 Pro for $150 (29 percent off): The whole Samsung Pro line of SSDs is excellent for gamers, with PS5s in particular seeming to run much faster with one installed. The 990 Pro can reach read speeds of up to 1,400 KB/s β and yes, that's kilobytes, not megabytes.
Samsung 9100 Pro for $220 (31 percent off): Samsung's first NVMe SSD dropped earlier this year, and currently, they're still a bit faster than most people can use. However, if you want to get a jump on the next console generation with 14,800 MB/s sequential reading speed, this deal is your opportunity.
Kingston Fury Renegade for $420 (33 percent off): Although it sounds like a Jamaican kung fu movie we'd watch the hell out of, the Kingston Fury Renegade is actually a 5th-gen NVMe SSD that can reach hardcore read speeds of up to 14,800 MB/s. It's expensive, but Prime Day discounts knock off 33 percent.
Corsair MP600 Pro LPX 2 TB for $160 (20 percent off): Earlier this year, we named the Corsair MP600 Pro LPX as the top SSD for PS5, partly due to its affordability. It's even more affordable now, and the low price even includes a heatsink.
Acer FA100 1TB for $51 (15 percent off): The Acer FA100 isn't the fastest SSD, but it is at least competitive, and may be one of the cheapest ways to harness the considerable power of NVMe 3.0. Only the 1TB version is marked down for Prime Day.
KingSpec 512GB for $25 (15 percent off): KingSpec is a Chinese manufacturer that's been quietly making some of the best cheap SSDs for years now. Their 512GB internal SSD runs SATA III and can reach 550 MB/s read speeds β not the most impressive, but amazing for the price.
Best Prime Day portable SSD deals
Samsung T7 for $114 (39 percent off): The T7 spent a long time as our reigning champion portable SSD, and it's still an amazing deal β being technically outdated means record-low prices on hardware that's more than fast enough for a Steam Deck or Switch.
Samsung T9 for $170 (43 percent off): We once named the Samsung T7 as our favorite portable SSD, but the T9 handily outdoes it, nearly doubling data transfer speeds. It's marked down 43 percent from now until the end of Prime Day on the 11th.
SanDisk 1TB Extreme for $78 (40 percent off): SanDisk designed the Extreme for portability, and it shows β this is an almost indestructible SSD you can keep in just about any bag or pocket. It's also reasonably fast, though it only works with USB-C. This 1TB deal knocks off 40 percent of the price.
SanDisk 4TB Extreme PRO for $270 (32 percent off): This deal doubles not only the storage space of the 2TB Extreme above, but also its read and write speeds, with each hovering around 2000 MB/s. It's a very cheap way to get your hands on a USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 drive.
Crucial X9 Pro 1TB for $75 (17 percent off): As a Gen 2 USB drive, the Crucial X9 Pro loses out to some newer competitors on speed β but it's much cheaper, and far more compatible with everyday personal computers. The 1TB model is on sale at 17 percent off its normal price.
Crucial X10 1TB for $82 (24 percent off): The Crucial X10 is a portable SSD for power users, only working at full strength on devices that support the latest version of USB 3.2. If that's what your build needs, you're not likely to see it much cheaper than this.
Crucial X10 Pro 2TB for $150 (28 percent off): The Crucial X10 Pro is perfect for a fairly small range of users. If your PC build currently works with USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 but isn't yet handling USB4 or Thunderbolt, you won't find a faster portable SSD for your needs.
Kingston XS1000 for $80 (15 percent off): We named the Kingston XS1000 the second-best portable SSD in our current roundup, so it's great to see it going for 15 percent off today. It's almost as fast as the Crucial X9 Pro, just not quite as tough.
ADATA SE920 for $142 (5 percent off): The piddly 5 percent off is disappointing, but there's nothing disappointing about the ADATA SE920 itself. This is the ideal model for anyone regularly making huge downloads. The SE920's maximum read speed of 3,800 MB/s would be impressive for a full-size SSD, but it's fully portable, weighing less than half a pound.
Garmese 1TB Portable SSD for $64 (20 percent off): This portable SSD uses USB3.2 to achieve read speeds of around 1000 MB/s, which is very impressive for a device not much larger than a flash drive. While it downloads fast, it's not fantastic for transferring multiple files at a time.
Best Prime Day microSD card deals
Lexar Professional Silver Plus for $38 (48 percent off): Our tests showed this to be the fastest microSD card on the market, beating out the whole Samsung line. Not only is it fast enough to download and upload 4K files without trying your patience, it's also waterproof, cheap and squeezes in both USB-A and USB-C ports.
Lexar E-Series for $31 (15 percent off): While the Silver Plus beats it out, the Lexar E-Series remains more than fast enough for 4K video, and is sufficiently rugged to fit in your adventure camera. This deal includes a five-pack of microSD cards, working out to about six dollars per 64GB of storage.
Samsung Pro Plus for $17 (35 percent off): The Samsung Pro Plus is a great microSD card for most needs, so if it's cheaper than the Lexar option, go for it. We've found that it's particularly good in handheld game systems. Just make sure to get the version rated for 180 MB/s, nothing less (it should say on the package).
SanDisk Ultra 256GB microSDXC for $17 (35 percent off): If you're still rocking the Switch 1 (thanks, Target) and want a cheap storage expander, this deal on a SanDisk 256GB microSD card is for you. It's going for $17 right now, far less than most of the games you're likely to store on it.
Samsung Evo Select for $22 (27 percent off): This one's by far the best option if you're after a cheap microSD card β we've seen it on sale for less than $25 more than once. It's a bit too slow for cameras, but fine for any kind of undemanding passive storage.
Best Prime Day external hard drive deals
Seagate Portable for $65 (19 percent off): All the Seagate hard drives we've used are refreshingly good at combining thin, light hardware with consistent speeds, and the Portable is no exception. At 4TB, this is a great deal on an external HDD with no tradeoffs.
Seagate Game Drive for $76 (16 percent off): Seagate's Game Drive is a prime choice for adding extra space to a PS5 or Xbox Series X. Formerly overpriced, it's now dropped down to $90 for 2 TB, and that's before Prime Day makes it even cheaper.
WD My Passport for $140 (24 percent off): The Western Digital My Passport line is ancient by computer hardware standards, but it's been updated as far as USB 3.0 and 3.1, and remains one of the cheaper options for a 6 TB hard drive. This version includes automatic backup software.
WD Elements 6TB for $130 (26 percent off): The Elements HDD from Western Digital has gotten consistently positive feedback from our staff over the years, and as an older model, it's now wildly cheap for 6 TB of storage. It's compatible with both PC and Mac out of the box.
WD Elements 18TB for $308 (42 percent off): If you need a lot more storage, WD has also heavily discounted the 18TB version of the elements, slicing well over $200 off the price.
WD_BLACK P10 Game Drive for $155 (18 percent off): We're big fans of the WD_BLACK SSD, and the gaming-focused external P10 is a worthy companion. It comes with 6 TB of storage for your PC, PS5, or Xbox gaming library.
UnionSine 500GB External Hard Drive for $27 (19 percent off): UnionSine's HDD is fast and USB3 compatible. Despite how thin and light it is, we've found it remarkably hard to damage. 500GB may be a bit tight with the size of files these days, but at this price, you could just buy two of them.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/amazon-prime-day-deals-on-ssds-and-external-hard-drives-for-the-last-day-save-on-samsung-crucial-sandisk-and-more-090355730.html?src=rss
July's Prime Day sale is here, which means Amazon is offering sharp discounts on some of the best speakers money can buy. Whether you're after a portable bluetooth speaker, a compact yet powerful soundbar or a smart speaker to help around the house, something probably just dropped into your price range. Our audiophiles have combed through the sales and put together a list of discounted speakers that stand out from the herd, including top brands like Beats, Marshall, Bose and Sonos. So if you're sick of missing important dialogue in your shows, or you want to listen to music like it's live, check out the list below.
Best Prime Day Bluetooth speaker deals
Our portable bluetooth speaker picks are some of the best all-around mobile music devices to ever hit the shelves: smaller and lighter than a boombox, better audio than an iPod, and way easier in the long run than learning to play guitar. We've sifted through Prime Day offerings to find the best portable speakers in all shapes and sizes.
Beats Pill for $98 (35 percent off): The Beats Pill is one of the few portable bluetooth speakers we liked enough to give it a full review. Those of you who love the classic Beats bluetooth speakers will be happy to know they're back in fine form. Nobody can beat the Pill for bass, and its sound is crisp and lossless at almost any frequency and volume. For some reason, only the Kim Kardashian branded version is on sale, but it's the exact same speaker.
Soundcore Boom 2 for $90 (36 percent off): This lightweight but powerful indoor/outdoor speaker is highly customizable, with simple controls to balance for pounding bass or clear high-frequency audio. It's great at filling an area with an even proportion of sound. $90 is close to a record-low price.
Soundcore Motion 300 for $53 (34 percent off): The Motion 300 is that rare portable speaker that outperforms at both high and low frequencies. Its upper range goes into 40 kHz, while its bass can deliver bone-shaking thumps even outdoors. All that in 1.7 pounds with 13 hours of battery life β and it's even partially waterproof.
Anker Soundcore Motion+ for $75 (24 percent off): Tough, sturdy construction makes this speaker an excellent choice for home bluetooth. Its battery lasts for 12 hours in the wild, and it always sounds great, but it's a bit heavy for pedaling through the park. There's also an option for wired connections, and it even works as a backup soundbar.
Anker Soundcore 2 for $28 (38 percent off): The Soundcore 2 is an older bluetooth speaker, but it holds up β fully waterproof, with 24 hours of battery life and bass you can hear on the other side of a pool. It's on sale for less than $30.
Soundcore Select 4 for $19 (46 percent off): This 9.3-ounce speaker is a massive improvement over built-in smartphone audio. It can fill a room at a decent range of frequencies, and works well in room-sized outdoor spaces β plus, with IP67 waterproofing, it can survive a dip in the pool. It's currently almost half off.
UE Everboom for $190 (30 percent off): If you want something stronger than the Wonderboom but the Hyperboom isn't portable enough, the Everboom is a great middle ground. Its ideal range is a little narrow, but it makes up for that with 360-degree sound and extreme durability (i.e. so waterproof it literally floats).
JBL Xtreme 2 for $150 (17 percent off): The Xtreme 2 is an older model, dating back to 2018 β but as they say on the internet, it checks out. With a maximum output of 40 watts, it's actually more powerful than the Xtreme 4. Even better, this deal includes a pair of speakers that can work together through JBL connect+.
JBL Boombox 3 for $400 (20 percent off): The JBL Boombox 3 is a great choice for getting a bit louder. It's tough, portable and ready to go right out of the box, although it would be a little overpriced without this Prime Day deal.
JBL Pulse 5 for $197 (21 percent off): The Pulse 5 is JBL's latest and greatest party speaker, throwing out 360-degree light bursts that sync up to the music. There's substance behind the flash, too, with speakers designed around the bass frequencies and 12 hours of battery life.
JBL Clip 5 for $60 (25 percent off): The JBL Clip 5 is a traveling speaker, coming with a carabiner-friendly design, 15 hours of battery life, and IP67-rated waterproofing and dustproofing. It's not exactly powerful, but it's way better than a phone speaker for driving, trekking or camping.
Bose SoundLink Flex 2nd Gen for $99 (34 percent off): This mini speaker from Bose is one of our favorites on the list for hands-free phone calls. It supports both Google Assistant and Siri and runs up to 12 hours on one charge, all while being smaller than a clutch purse. It also kills as a portable music player, though the sound doesn't stretch far enough to fill a room.
Bose Soundlink Revolve+ Series II for $179 (40 percent off): The Revolve series was Bose's first line of 360-degree outdoor speakers, and they're still a strong choice today. The Revolve+ weighs about two pounds and can run for 17 hours without recharging.
Bose Soundlink Max for $299 (25 percent off): Bose's Soundlink Max marries a classic carrying-case design with audio that sounds like it's coming from a much bigger unit. It comes with a 20-hour battery and IP67-rated protection against the elements.
Marshall Emberton II for $95 (47 percent off): Marshall has been making audio equipment for more than 60 years, and still has a thing or two to teach the young'ns. The Emberton II looks like a classic amp, but weighs a quarter of a pound and provides balanced sound for more than 30 hours per charge.
Marshall Acton III for $200 (33 percent off): All right, so a six-pound speaker isn't exactly portable β but if you can stand lugging it around, the Acton III can be a highly versatile device. From music to outdoor parties to pulling double duty as a soundbar, this is a low-setup, low-overhead option for nearly all audio tasks.
Sony Ult Field 1 for $88 (32 percent off): The Ult Field line is Sony's most bass-heavy sound tech yet, but it's also designed to move β waterproofing, a detachable strap and 12-hour battery life make it a good fit for any situation. It works just as well standing up or lying on its side.
Ortizan X10 for $30 (41 percent off): Ortizan is a newer brand from China, but we like what we've seen from them so far. The X10 is the size of the Beats Pill but comes at the price of a belt-clip speaker like the JBL Go 3. If you do have a problem, Ortizan's customer service is highly responsive.
Best Prime Day smart speaker deals
Smart speakers aren't just about getting a disembodied voice to do your bidding (or at least as much of your bidding as Alexa can do without hands). On top of assistant support, the picks below serve up legitimately great audio quality alongside useful extra features. The only downside is that they're often overpriced, but that's what Prime Day is for.
Amazon Echo Dot for $32 (36 percent off): Amazon may not have updated the Echo Dot since 2022, but that just goes to show how well this spherical smart speaker serves as the perfect host for Alexa. Both music and speech sound clear, and it's easy to integrate with other smart home devices. Right now, it's marked down more than a third.
Amazon Echo Pop for $22 (45 percent off): The latest Echo Pop release continues the trend of making Alexa's best features available on a mini-sized, reasonably priced device. Its half-spherical design fits on any desk or shelf, and its sound output is consistently clear β and gets louder than you might believe.
Sonos Era 100 for $179 (10 percent off): Smart speakers from the Amazon Echo line play perfectly good music, but true audiophiles in need of assistant support should look to Sonos. The Era 100 has tweeters and woofers precisely arranged for clear, full-room sound, and it's easy to hook up to your other audio gear. Just be warned it only supports Alexa, not Google Assistant.
JBL Authentics 200 for $200 (47 percent off): JBL's Authentics line is modeled after a product it sold in the 70s. Its old-school bookshelf-friendly design belies its advanced feat of running Google Assistant and Alexa simultaneously (as opposed to other smart speakers where you have to pick just one).
JBL Authentics 300 for $285 (37 percent off): The JBL Authentics 300 can host both Alexa and Google Assistant at the same time, which impressed us enough that we gave it a full review. While we had some issues β namely its tendency to over-emphasize vocals β we can't quibble with its high-range performance or retro design.
Best Prime Day soundbar deals
Flatter, lighter and larger TV screens are nice for visuals, but often sacrifice sound quality to lose weight. If you've found yourself turning on the subtitles for your shows more often lately, you might need a soundbar to augment your TV's built-in speakers. We found a few of the best on sale for Prime Day β Sonos leads this space, but it's not without competitors.
Bose Smart for $400 (20 percent off): In our full review of the Bose Smart, we noted that two drivers in the center make its sound feel directional without any other speakers needed β simply cranking up those makes any audio more immersive. You can also link it to a pair of Ultra Open Earbuds (not included) for a private surround sound experience.
Bose Smart Ultra for $700 (22 percent off): The Smart Ultra upgrades the Bose Smart with a more sophisticated calibration system which adjusts sound settings to fill whatever room it's in. If you want the Smart's personal surround experience for more than one person, the Smart Ultra is for you.
Sonos Beam for $369 (26 percent off): The Sonos Beam is a fantastic choice for a mid-budget soundbar. It's one of the most accessible Dolby Atmos systems, and uses careful audio alterations to achieve a much more immersive sound than other bars of its size.
Sonos Ray for $169 (15 percent off): If you're looking to pay a bit less, go with the Sonos Ray to maximize sound quality on a budget. The audio won't wrap around your room like it might from a more premium model, but it's still a vast improvement on nearly all built-in TV speakers.
Amazon Fire TV Plus for $150 (40 percent off): Amazon's latest Fire TV soundbar is built for streaming TV and emphasizing dialogue. If you have any other Amazon TVs or streaming devices, you'll find it easy to integrate with your existing hardware β you can even use the same remote to control them all.
Sony HT-S400 for $178 (41 percent off): Sony built the HT-S400 for everyone who wants a soundbar but not an entire home theater. It's a 2.1-channel system that still manages immersive surround sound and is easy to integrate with Sony TVs. Right now, it's 40 percent off, one of the best prices we've seen on any soundbar.
Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6 for $448 (31 percent off): One of Sony's newest audio products, the Bravia Theater Bar 6 is a 3.1.2 soundbar that can bend audio in more directions to fill your theater space. It can handle Dolby Atmos, and has an integrated AI feature that recognizes and clarifies human voices.
VIZIO 2.0 for $78 (22 percent off): Vizio's budget soundbar makes a worthy alternative to the Sonos Ray. It punches above its weight and gets as close as possible to Dolby Atmos surround sound as a single unit can manage. For less than $100, you'll never mishear a line of dialogue again.
JBL Bar 9.1 for $760 (37 percent off): The 9.1 is JBL's first sound bar to be compatible with Dolby Atmos, and it doesn't disappoint. Each unit comes with two wireless speakers you can move around your viewing room, and there's even a 4K passthrough input to ensure your sound system doesn't mess with image quality.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-best-prime-day-speaker-deals-last-chance-to-get-up-to-47-percent-off-on-jbl-bose-sonos-and-others-085948445.html?src=rss
When we say that NordVPN is a good VPN that's not quite great, it's important to put that in perspective. Building a good VPN is hard, as evidenced by all the shovelware VPNs flooding the market. NordVPN may not be perfect, but it's easily top-five caliber and excels in certain use cases.
First, the bad: NordVPN's apps could all stand to undergo a little more quality control, with elements distracting from other elements and inconsistent designs from platform to platform. At least one of its FAQ pages directly contradicts itself. And while all the server locations could unblock Netflix, the one in Nigeria still showed U.S. content, indicating that our real location might have leaked.
However, there's a lot of good to balance that out. Speeds are fantastic and we saw no other hint of any kind of leak. Its server network is expansive and not overly reliant on virtual locations. The vast majority of servers are ideal for unblocking foreign websites. The real draw, though, is the extra features, including the innovative and flexible Meshnet, plus a malware blocker that acts more like a full antivirus and forward-looking quantum resistant encryption.
Findings at a glance
Check out a summary of our NordVPN review in the table below.
Category
Notes
Installation and UI
Connections happen quickly and features are easy to use on all platforms
UI sometimes gets in the way; map screens can be clunky and apps come with unnecessary notifications
Surprisingly, the best UI may be in the browser extension
Speed
Extremely fast download speeds with only a 6.4-percent average drop
Good latencies on nearby servers, but farther ones have some lag
Fast upload speeds, but losses spiked in a few locations
Security
Uses acceptable protocols with uncracked encryption
NordWhisper obfuscated protocol recently implemented on Windows, Android and Linux
No DNS, WebRTC or IPv6 leaks on five test servers
Pricing
Best plan is the 2-year Basic for $81.36, or $3.39 per month
Basic gives you the complete VPN
If you get a multi-year plan, be sure to manually renew in order to keep the promotional rates
Bundles
Plus tier adds advanced malware protection and NordPass password manager
Complete plan adds NordLocker cloud storage
Prime tier adds ID theft protection and insurance features
Privacy policy
NordVPN does not log user activity on the VPN, a policy backed up by several third-party audits
However, it does log potentially identifiable device information unless you opt out in settings
Some concerning liberties taken in the overall Nord policy, but no documented malfeasance
Virtual location change
Four out of five test servers unblocked Netflix three times running, including virtual India location
Location in Nigeria got into Netflix, but didn't change available titles
Server network
153 server locations in 117 countries and territories
Server network is about 40 percent virtual, including all locations in Africa
Features
Extra servers grant additional privacy (double VPN, Onion over VPN, obfuscation) or specific optimizations (P2P, dedicated IP)
Meshnet directly connects two devices without a NordVPN server mediating
Threat Protection blocks dangerous domains and the Pro upgrade has some antivirus capability
Dark Web Monitor reports to you when any sensitive information has appeared on clandestine leak sites
Presets let you activate several settings with one clickPost-quantum encryption is nice, but not necessary yet
Kill switch is a useful safety feature on all appsSplit tunneling by app on Windows and Android, and by URL on browser extensions
Customer support
Written FAQs, live chat and email support
Live chat connected to an expert human within a minute
FAQs are poorly organized and contain some conflicts, but well-written on average
Background check
NordVPN is headquartered in Panama, while its parent company Nord Security is based in the Netherlands
2018 theft of public keys was a mistake, but NordVPN did almost everything right in response
Claims of law enforcement collaboration are overblown β NordVPN will comply with requests, but that doesn't mean they'll have information to provide
Installing, configuring and using NordVPN
NordVPN's biggest strengths are its speeds and the range of options it puts at your fingertips. User experience is important, but it's not quite as front-and-center as it is with ExpressVPN and Proton VPN. Here's how the apps run on all the major platforms.
Windows
The Windows app is the first instance of NordVPN's UI being not bad enough to complain about, but not good enough to be considered excellent. The initial connection process is a little slow, and it's far easier to connect than it is to disconnect (click the power button while connected to shut the VPN off). The map takes up space that would have been better allocated to the server list.
Sam Chapman for Engadget
The minor problems continue in the settings list, which makes the mistake of not keeping all its tabs visible in the window β if you open one, you have to click back to the main menu to reach another page. The pages themselves are easy to use; it's just a bit clunkier than it could have been.
Mac
Setup is swift and easy on Mac, but the full NordVPN interface is a little awkward. The vast majority of the main window is taken up by a large map, which is mostly useless. There's no way to zoom out to see the whole world, and you can't choose between servers in each country unless you zoom way in. The server list on the left-hand side is almost always more useful.
Sam Chapman for Engadget
The preferences panel is better. All the tabs come with clear explanations of their function, and are laid out so the menu is always visible, unlike the Windows app. The gear icon at the bottom includes its own set of tabs that encompass most of the common functions, including changing your VPN protocol, activating the kill switch and setting the VPN to automatically connect on untrusted networks.
Android
NordVPN on mobile can be described in much the same way as its desktop apps: generally great, occasionally getting in its own way. On Android, the map screen is much more helpful. It's expandable to the entire world and allows you to choose between servers within a country. On the other hand, the important settings are buried in the Profile tab, and the app notifies you about your "security score" to pressure you into activating certain settings.
Sam Chapman for Engadget
To find the general settings page on Android, tap the bottom-right Profile tab and scroll down. Except for Threat Protection, which has its own tab on the main window, every feature is located here. It's probably necessary to keep the main app from getting cluttered, but still mildly frustrating.
iOS
The NordVPN iOS app resembles a compressed version of the macOS client, for better or worse. As with Android, most of its features are in the bottom-right Profile tab. It works well most of the time, but often feels slightly cumbersome. There's a bit too much on the screen, and a bit too much of the stuff has nothing to do with the VPN's core function.
Sam Chapman for Engadget
As an example, you can't log into your account within the app β you have to load your Nord account page in a web browser. Forced app switching is a design choice that truly needs to die. That said, VPN connections happen quickly. If you tend to simply leave your VPN active, you probably won't notice any of this stuff.
Browser extensions
Most VPN browser extensions consist of the same features on a smaller scale, and NordVPN's β on Chrome, Firefox and Edge β are no exception. They are important for one reason, though: they're the only way to split tunnels by URL and the only split tunneling at all on macOS and iOS. Despite being more compact, they're also easy to use, making for an excellent quick-start VPN solution.
Sam Chapman for Engadget
NordVPN speed test
All VPNs slow down your average browsing speeds by adding extra steps into the connection process. When we test speed, we're looking for the VPN to drag as little as possible on your unprotected speeds. Download speed will be the most important stat for most users, since that determines how fast web pages load and how quickly videos can buffer.
Latency is important for live connections like video chats, games and live streaming. Latency increases with distance β in the test below, data packets were sent to the remote server, then back to our home network. Upload speeds likewise influence your live two-way communications and are also vital for torrenting. Let's see how NordVPN performs on all three metrics.
Server location
Latency (ms)
Increase factor
Download speed (Mbps)
Percentage drop
Upload speed (Mbps)
Percentage drop
Unprotected (Portland, OR, USA)
22
--
59.20
--
5.86
--
Seattle, WA, USA (Fastest)
44
2x
57.21
3.4
5.62
4.1
New York, NY, USA
177
8x
56.90
3.9
5.60
4.4
Stockholm, Sweden
371
16.9x
55.94
5.5
5.63
3.9
Istanbul, Turkey
411
18.7x
53.02
10.4
5.78
5.9
Hong Kong
350
15.9x
56.18
5.1
5.72
2.4
Johannesburg, South Africa
602
27.4x
53.26
10.0
5.67
3.3
Average
326
14.8x
55.42
6.4
5.54
4.0
To summarize: NordVPN's download speeds are the fastest we've seen and its upload speeds and latency tie with the best. Downloads only dropped by an average of 6.4 percent across the globe and readings were mostly consistent β the servers in question performed much the same in each test. We even threw in Turkey and South Africa, two locations that commonly cause problems, but NordVPN still kept the drop to 10 percent.
Sam Chapman for Engadget
Latency is more a product of physical distance than VPN infrastructure, but you can still see differences between services. When tested on a similar range of locations, ExpressVPN and Proton VPN both kept average latencies under 300 ms. NordVPN's average came out to 326 milliseconds, though we should note that its latency increased less than Proton's on the closest server.
Upload speeds declined an average of four percent, but there were a few anomalously high readings in Istanbul that skewed those numbers up. Without that location, NordVPN's upload rates would also have been the industry's current best.
NordVPN security test
No matter how well-built a VPN looks from the outside, there are several ways its security can fail. The most common problems are outdated protocols with weak encryption, failing to block IPv6 traffic or inadvertent leaks from sending DNS requests outside the encrypted tunnel. We'll start by looking for those common leak sources, then check whether NordVPN's encryption might be failing in less traceable ways.
VPN protocols
A VPN protocol is a set of rules used to get data quickly and safely from your device to a VPN server and back, even while that data is encrypted. Different protocols are connected with different encryption algorithms and can impact the speed, security and stability of your connection.
When testing VPN security, the first step is to see if it's using any protocols like PPTP that are outdated and crackable, or homebrewed protocols with unclear security. NordVPN users have four options for protocols: OpenVPN, IKEv2 (not available on Mac or iOS), NordLynx and NordWhisper (available on Windows, Android and Linux only).Β
Sam Chapman for Engadget
OpenVPN and IKEv2 are both standard protocols you'll find on most VPN providers. Both use various strengths of the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), with OpenVPN defaulting to AES-256 and IKEv2 to AES-128. OpenVPN can be set to UDP (faster but less stable) or TCP (more reliable but slower). So far, so secure.
NordLynx is unique to NordVPN, but it's not that far off the beaten track β it's just WireGuard with extra security. WireGuard normally works by saving a stable IP address for each connection, which raises the very slight risk of exposing a user. NordLynx adds a second layer of abstraction that means those stable addresses are never revealed. Since NordVPN strongly recommends it for most situations, we used it for all our tests in this review.
Finally, there's NordWhisper, a new protocol introduced in early 2025 that disguises your VPN traffic as normal web traffic to evade blanket web blocks. It's likely to be slower than the other protocols, so don't use it unless everything else has been blocked. We also don't recommend counting on it too much in general β large-scale censorship technology, like the Great Firewall of China, tends to rely on blocklists of known VPN servers, whose identity NordWhisper can't disguise.
Leak test
Our first order of business was to check five test servers to see if they leaked our real IP address β staying away from the ones in the speed test in order to get as comprehensive a picture of NordVPN's security as possible. With help from ipleak.net, we found all five to be free of the three major types of leaks.
DNS leaks occur when a VPN sends DNS requests (in short, how your browser knows which websites to show you) outside its encrypted tunnel. By default, NordVPN uses its own private DNS servers, which our tests showed to effectively prevent leaks.
WebRTC leaks are caused by real-time communication protocols sending information outside the VPN, which may reveal your real IP address. NordVPN is consistently successful at keeping WebRTC inside the tunnel, but you can have your browser block it if you're still worried.
IPv6 leaks happen when a VPN only blocks IPv4 traffic and lets v6 through. NordVPN automatically blocks IPv6 traffic while it's active, so an IPv6 leak is all but impossible.
Sam Chapman for Engadget
Although that's all great news, it is still possible for leaks to occur without a clear explanation, so we ran one final test on NordVPN.
Encryption test
Wireshark is a program that captures detailed images of information sent over a device's internet connection. Even though our tests showed NordVPN to be free of leaks, we wanted to inspect it at the most granular level. Using WireShark, we recorded the traffic sent to an unencrypted HTTP site, before and after connecting to each NordVPN test server.
Every server showed the same pattern: readable plaintext before, encrypted ciphertext after. If there is a security flaw remaining in NordVPN, it's unlikely to be relevant to the overwhelming majority of users.
How much does NordVPN cost?
NordVPN's pricing structure looks convoluted at first, but it's much simpler than it appears. A Basic subscription gets you full VPN functionality, and all the other tiers just add more features. If all you need is a VPN, you only need to concern yourself with the left side of the table below.
The best deal for a Basic NordVPN subscription, which lets you connect to NordVPN with up to 10 devices at once, costs $81.36 for two years when you pay upfront ($3.39 per month). One year of the same plan costs $59.88 in advance ($4.99 per month) or $12.99 for one month at a time. The table below shows the complete cost; for more information on plans above Basic, see "side apps and bundles" in the next section.
Plan
1-month cost
1-year cost
2-year cost
Basic
$12.99
$59.88 ($4.99/month)
$81.36 ($3.39/month)
Plus
$13.99
$71.88 ($5.99/month)
$105.36 ($4.39/month)
Complete
$14.99
$83.88 ($6.99/month)
$129.36 ($5.39/month)
Prime
$17.99
$107.88 ($8.99/month)
$177.36 ($7.39/month)
The longer plans save money, but be careful: if you let them expire, you'll automatically renew at the more expensive one-year plan. Enough customers claim to have been auto-renewed at the higher rate that they've launched a class-action lawsuit against NordVPN, accusing the company of deceptive pricing practices and making renewals too difficult to cancel. A NordVPN PR rep said they could not comment on ongoing legal action, "other than to state that we are and always have been very clear about the recurring nature of our services." No court date has been set so far.
That said, there's a fairly straightforward workaround in the meantime: To prevent the auto renewal, log out of your NordVPN account, then sign up for a discounted plan again using the same email. As long as you do this before your subscription expires, your new account should link to your old one, keeping you subscribed at the introductory rate.
Free trials and refunds
Every NordVPN plan comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. If you cancel and request a refund before 30 days are up, you'll get the full cost back. The only way to try it for free without paying is to get the app on Android, where there's a seven-day trial through the Google Play Store.
NordVPN side apps and bundles
NordVPN is part of a larger family of Nord Security products, which you can save money on if you need more than one. We won't review all of them here, but for reference, here's everything you'll get from the higher subscription tiers.Β
Basic: VPN on 10 devices, specialty servers, DNS ad-blocking, Meshnet
Plus: All Basic features, plus malware scanning, extra scam blocking, tracker blocking, NordPass password manager, data breach scanner
Complete: All Plus features, along with 1TB of NordLocker encrypted cloud storage
Prime: All Complete features, plus NordProtect features like dark web monitoring, credit monitoring, ID theft insurance and extortion insurance
Another tier called Ultra includes a subscription to Incogni, a data removal service run by Nord's partner Surfshark. The Ultra bundle is only available in certain countries, since NordVPN is still testing it; users outside the test countries can still add Incogni service at checkout. There also used to be a NordVPN family plan, but it seems to have been eliminated after Nord expanded the devices per subscription to 10.
You can get a dedicated IP address on NordVPN to ensure you have the same IP every time you connect. This lets you configure remote firewalls to let you through while you're connected to the VPN. A dedicated IP costs $8.99 per month, $70.68 for a year ($5.89 per month) or $100.56 for two years ($4.19 per month).
The NordVPN pricing page lists access to a Saily eSIM plan as a perk, though mysteriously, none of the existing plans seem to include it yet. A lot of VPNs are expanding into the eSIM space, so this may change soon.
Close-reading NordVPN's privacy policy
A VPN privacy policy isn't just empty words β it's a contract between the provider and its users. If a service openly defied its own policy, it could be sued for false advertising. VPNs tend to sneak loopholes into their privacy policies instead of flouting them outright; these loopholes can shed light on how the provider actually views your privacy.
This policy applies to all Nord Security apps. It's impossible to create an account without a valid email address, but you can use a separate email masking service to make that anonymous. The policy also explicitly says that your email address will be added to a marketing mailing list, though you can opt out. Irritating, but not a privacy risk in itself.
We're more concerned about the later statement that it may process data without the user's consent "under the legal basis of our or third parties' legitimate interest." This clause covers some cases we'd agree are legitimate, such as identifying people who launch cyberattacks from NordVPN servers. But Nord also considers it "legitimate interest" to process your personal data "to improve or maintain our services and provide new products and features."
Reached for comment, a NordVPN representative said that using personal data in this way "generally involves aggregated, depersonalized or technical information." That's somewhat reassuring, but the "generally" leaves a bit too much wiggle room. Ideally, we'd prefer that personal data exist wholly in the "consent only" section.
The section on sharing your data with third parties only lists "some of" the service providers who may receive your information. Among these are Google Analytics, which is known to store personal data on U.S. servers β all of which are potential security risks in the age of DOGE. Other unnamed "third parties" are involved in targeting ads at users of Nord websites.
The NordVPN representative said that "since some partners, such as payment processors, can vary by region or specific service and may change over time depending on our operational needs, we do not publish a fixed list." They added that all third parties are "contractually required to handle personal data in accordance with applicable laws and industry standards."
We aren't using this to condemn Nord; many of these practices are fairly standard in the VPN industry. But it's important to know about all the potential leakage points before trusting your deepest secrets to any company.
NordVPN specific policies
The NordVPN privacy policy doesn't add much atop the general Nord notice. It does track session activity connected to your username to make sure you're staying within the 10-device limit, but it automatically deletes these logs 15 minutes after you disconnect. The logs also don't include your IP address or the addresses of VPN servers you used.
Sam Chapman for Engadget
The only real problem we found is that NordVPN apps collect information about your activity on the app by default. This doesn't include information about your browsing habits, but it does include unique traits that could conceivably be used for "device fingerprinting" β in which a third party can deduce a user's identity through clues about their device. You can turn this off in the General settings.
A NordVPN spokesperson told us that the data collected is "not personally identifiable," and that the company takes "deliberate steps to strip out anything that could be linked back to a specific person." This presumably means the data is aggregated so it only shows general trends, not any one device's activity. That's a lot less risky, but we still recommend switching the setting off.
Third-party privacy audits
NordVPN has passed five independent audits of its privacy policy so far, most recently from Deloitte in late 2024. Annoyingly, you can only read the entire report by logging into a Nord account, but it at least doesn't have to be a paid account.
The audit found that NordVPN was following its own no-logs policy. Specifically, the Deloitte Lithuania investigators concluded that "the configuration of IT systems and management of the supporting IT operations is properly prepared, in all material respects in accordance with the NordVPN's description set out in the Appendix I." (Appendix I of the report is identical to NordVPN's privacy policy.)
Can NordVPN change your virtual location?
You'll be most interested in this section if you mainly use a VPN to change their location for streaming. To see if NordVPN could unlock new streaming libraries, we picked a new batch of five test servers, then logged onto Netflix. Since Netflix tries to block all VPN servers to prevent copyright issues, our first question was whether we'd get through at all.
Our second question: would connecting to a NordVPN server actually change what Netflix library we saw? It should, given that NordVPN seems leak-proof, but thoroughness demands we check anyway. Here's what we found.
Server location
Netflix unblocked?
Content changed?
Canada
Yes
Yes
Argentina
Yes
Yes
Germany
Yes
Yes
India
Yes
Yes
Nigeria
Yes
No
Four out of five locations worked perfectly. On a Canadian server, we were able to stream Star Trek: The Next Generation, which left American Netflix years ago. The Argentine server gave us access to something called Pasion de Gavilanes, which we'd never heard of but sounds great.
Sam Chapman for Engadget
The only problem was Nigeria. We tested it several times, connected to multiple different Nigerian locations, but saw our American Netflix library every time. We then ran a leak test on Nigeria, which wasn't one of our security test locations, and found it to be working normally. It's hard to say what happened, especially since the Nigeria server doesn't appear to be virtual, but we can confirm that it wasn't working.
Investigating NordVPN's server network
NordVPN has servers in 153 cities in 117 countries. Out of all total options, 62 are virtual locations (about 40 percent), where the server is really located somewhere else. This makes it possible to get servers into more places, but depending on your actual location relative to the server, it may perform differently than you expect.
Sam Chapman for Engadget
Virtual locations have allowed NordVPN's server network to grow quite extensive, with lots more locations in South America, Africa and Asia than the industry standard. Check out the distribution in the table.
Region
Countries and territories with servers
Total server locations
Total virtual server locations
North America
15
36
12
South America
10
10
6
Europe
48
57
11
Africa
10
10
10
Middle East
7
7
4
Asia
24
26
18
Oceania
3
7
1
Total
117
153
62 (40.5 percent)
The relatively low proportion of virtual locations (nearly identical to that of ExpressVPN) is a good sign, as it means NordVPN has been growing its server network thoughtfully. Some VPNs β looking at you, HMA β inflate their server lists as a marketing point without seriously considering what it takes to maintain such a large network. That thankfully doesn't seem to be the case here.
Extra features of NordVPN
Here's everything you get with a NordVPN app other than the VPN itself. There's a lot going on here, so we'll limit ourselves to a sketch of each feature.
Specialty servers
As soon as you load NordVPN, you'll see a list of special servers near the top of the right-hand column. We'll go over each of them in order.
Dedicated IP: As discussed in the bundles section, a dedicated IP address costs extra. With this, you'll always connect with the same IP, which is private to you alone. It may be worth the price if you find yourself getting asked for CAPTCHAs a lot more while connected to NordVPN β though for what it's worth, that didn't happen to us.
Double VPN: This sends your connection through a second VPN server before it reaches your ISP. The second server is your apparent location. There are 10 endpoints to choose from. As you might imagine, your internet will run slower with two VPN servers in the mix, so only use this if you seriously need security.
Obfuscated servers: These are only available on OpenVPN. Obfuscation can help you get around firewalls that seek out and block VPN traffic. If you can't get online with NordVPN when you're on a certain network, obfuscated servers might work.
Onion Over VPN: After encrypting your data as normal, these servers send it through several nodes of the Tor network, granting you the total anonymity of onion routing while keeping you safe from malicious relays. It's available in two locations, Netherlands and Switzerland, and β like double VPN β is best used only when you need the utmost privacy.
P2P: NordVPN only allows torrenting on its peer-to-peer servers, but fortunately, it's got P2P servers in 114 countries β only three fewer than it has in total. NordVPN keeps your download and upload speeds very fast on average, so you shouldn't have trouble torrenting from any location.
Meshnet
Meshnet is NordVPN's most unique and exciting feature by a long shot. By logging into the same NordVPN account on multiple devices, you can connect those devices directly through a NordLynx tunnel without needing a NordVPN server in between.
Sam Chapman for Engadget
Essentially, you're using your own devices as VPN servers β obviously not great for privacy, but amazing for accessing web services in other countries. While two devices are connected, you can transfer files between them through the NordLynx tunnel. You can even invite friends and use their devices.
Threat Protection
NordVPN has two levels of antivirus: Threat Protection and Threat Protection Pro. The former is a simple DNS filter that stops your browsing from loading unsafe web pages while NordVPN is active. It's the highest level available on Android, iOS and Linux, or on any Basic subscription.
Sam Chapman for Engadget
Threat Protection Pro, which Plus subscribers or higher can set up on Windows and Mac, can work even when you aren't connected to a NordVPN server. It acts more like a standalone antivirus by scanning downloaded files for malware, and can even block trackers. Basic Threat Protection (without Pro) can block some trackers by filtering out domains known to use them, but doesn't block the trackers directly.
Dark Web Monitor
While active, Dark Web Monitor continually searches known data breach dump sites on the dark web and notifies you if it ever finds your account email address. If you get that notification, change any passwords associated with the address. With a Prime subscription, you can also have it search for your phone number, social security number or other financial information.
Presets
Presets let you set up one-click VPN connections with a desired group of settings, a lot like Proton VPN's Profiles. NordVPN comes pre-loaded with presets that optimize for "Downloads," "Speed" and "Browsing," which sounds to us like the same thing three times.
More usefully, you can create presets for particular countries, then add website shortcuts that will appear once you've connected. You could, for example, set one that connects to a specific location, then add a shortcut to a streaming site available in that location.
Post-Quantum encryption
Experts widely believe that quantum computers will eventually make our current encryption algorithms obsolete, but there's almost no consensus on when that will actually happen β except that it hasn't happened yet. Knowing that, NordVPN's "post-quantum encryption" feature comes across as a bit premature, but it's reassuring that someone is thinking about it.
Having said that, we don't recommend using post-quantum encryption yet. It works by layering one of the known quantum-proof encryption standards on top of a standard NordLynx session, which makes your VPN connection slower and more erratic. Until we can verify a real quantum cyberattack, post-quantum encryption is a needless precaution.
Kill switch
A kill switch cuts off your internet the instant you lose your connection to a NordVPN server. This protects you in case a server unexpectedly fails, and as a side benefit, prevents you from connecting to any fake VPN servers. You should keep the kill switch on at all times.
Split tunneling
Split tunneling is available on NordVPN's Windows and Android apps (and Android TV by extension), along with its browser extensions. On Windows and Android, it splits by app: you can determine which apps get online through the VPN and which go unprotected. The browser extensions let you split by URL, so the VPN only protects certain sites.
NordVPN customer support options
NordVPN's apps link directly to its online help center. As always, we went in with a specific question in mind: whether the basic level of Threat Protection could block trackers, and if so, what kind. We found the categories on the written support page difficult to parse, especially the troubleshooting section β would the average user appreciate the difference between "app issues," "connection issues" and "errors"?
We correctly guessed that our question would be under "Using NordVPN -> Features," but the introductory article on Threat Protection and Threat Protection Pro was buried at the bottom of the list. Unfortunately, that made things more confusing, as this article says that Threat Protection (not Pro) both does and doesn't block trackers. In NordVPN's favor, however, using the search bar brought us instantly back to that article without any confusion.
The live support experience
Using NordVPN's live chat was a smooth and reassuring experience. From the time we decided to ask directly, it took us less than a minute to connect with a real person, who quickly cleared up the confusion and promised to update the confusing support page (we'll check back to see if they actually do).
Sam Chapman for Engadget
One other option is an email support form, which can be found both on the website and in the help sections of NordVPN apps. This is best for complex problems that require screenshots to explain, and promises a response within 24 hours.
NordVPN background check
NordVPN was founded in 2012. Launching with its desktop apps, it moved to iOS and Android in 2016, then added apps for browser extensions and smart TVs. Its developer, Nord Security, has no parent company, and its history is relatively uncontroversial. We've documented two notable incidents below, plus more about Nord Security's operations.
Headquarters and ownership
Nord Security was founded in Lithuania, and maintains offices there. Although Nord Security is registered in Amsterdam, NordVPN operates under a separate license in Panama, which makes any data requests subject to Panama's courts.
Finland server breach
The first serious incident in NordVPN's history began in March 2018, when unidentified hackers managed to steal three private keys from one of Nord's data centers in Finland. Researchers didn't notice the leak until October 2019, well after the stolen keys had expired, but NordVPN's encryption was still technically vulnerable for several months.
We say "technically," because it was really only the outer layer of encryption β and even if they'd broken through it all, the hackers would only have seen browsing activity, not usernames, passwords or anything else sensitive. If anything, NordVPN's response actually makes us trust it more. It ended its relationship with the contractor who ran the Finnish data center and revamped its policies to eliminate the kind of negligence that led to the breach.
Arguably, its only real error was not immediately disclosing the breach. NordVPN learned about the leak and started addressing it in May 2018, but the news didn't break until more than a year later. That timing probably made it look more suspicious than any actual mishandling did.
Law enforcement compliance
Another minor controversy erupted in 2022, when PCMag and other outlets reported that NordVPN had edited its website to say that it would comply with data requests from law enforcement. NordVPN responded with a new post that said nothing had changed: their policy was always to comply with lawful requests, which β provided the requests were lawfully submitted through a Panamanian court β is literally their only option.
We're inclined to agree. VPNs are legal companies. They wouldn't last long if they openly declared their intent to break the law. The key is that when law enforcement comes calling, there shouldn't be anything to show them, as with the Turkish seizure of ExpressVPN. That's why verifiable no-logging policies are so important.
Final verdict
NordVPN is a great service on its own merits. It only suffers from having to be compared with the likes of ExpressVPN and Proton VPN. For example, its P2P servers are good for torrenting, but not as useful without Proton's port forwarding. It's fast, but speed tests fluctuated just a little more than Express.
NordVPN's extra features are the best reason to pick it over its rivals. With Meshnet, you can theoretically set up a VPN connection anywhere in the world, and no other VPN has anything close to Meshnet's file transfer powers. Threat Protection Pro is also great if you can get it, adding file scanning to bolster the typical approach of just blocking suspicious DNS addresses. Specialty servers round out the offering, with double VPN maintaining good speeds with extra safety and Onion over VPN being among the safest ways to use Tor.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/vpn/nordvpn-review-2025-innovative-features-a-few-missteps-163000578.html?src=rss