Mozilla VPN

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Mozilla VPN
Developer(s)Mozilla
Initial release15 July 2020; 3 years ago (15 July 2020)
Stable release(s) [±]
Windows / macOS / Linux2.0.3[1] Edit this on Wikidata / 29 January 2021; 3 years ago (29 January 2021)
Android2.21 Edit this on Wikidata /  ()
iOS2.0.4[2] Edit this on Wikidata / 9 February 2021; 3 years ago (9 February 2021)
Repository
Written inC++ (for client), Swift (for iOS), Kotlin (for Android)
Operating systemWindows 10, Android 8, iOS 14, macOS 10.15, Ubuntu 20.04
PlatformMobile app, Desktop application
Available in39 languages
TypeVirtual private network
LicenseMozilla Public License 2.0
Websitewww.mozilla.org/products/vpn/

Mozilla VPN is an open-source virtual private network developed by Mozilla.[3] It launched in beta as Firefox Private Network on September 10, 2019,[4] and officially launched on July 15, 2020, as Mozilla VPN.[5]

History[edit]

The Firefox Private Network web browser extension beta version was released on September 10, 2019, as part of the relaunch of Mozilla's Test Pilot Program,[4][6] a program that allowed Firefox users to test experimental new features which had been shuttered in January 2019.[7] The beta of the subscription-based standalone virtual private network for Android, Microsoft Windows, and Chromebook launched on February 19, 2020, with the iOS version following soon after.[3]

Firefox Private Network was rebranded as "Mozilla VPN" on June 18, 2020, and officially launched as Mozilla VPN on July 15, 2020.[5][8] At launch, Mozilla VPN was available in six countries (the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Malaysia, and New Zealand) for Windows 10, Android, and iOS (beta).[5] Over time, the service also launched in Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, Netherlands, Ireland, Finland, Sweden, Poland, Czechia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Portugal, Denmark, Croatia, Lithuania, Slovenia, Latvia, Luxembourg, Estonia, Cyprus, and Malta.[9]

Audits history[edit]

Cybersecurity firm Cure53 conducted a security audit for Mozilla VPN in August 2020 and identified multiple vulnerabilities, including one critical-severity vulnerability.[10]: 2  In March 2021, Cure53 conducted a second security audit, which noted significant improvements since the 2020 audit.

The second audit identified multiple issues, including two medium-severity and one high-severity vulnerability, but concluded that by the time of publication, only one vulnerability remained unresolved, and that it would require "a strong state-funded attacker-model"[10]: 21  to be exploitable. Mozilla disclosed most of the vulnerabilities in July 2021[11] and released the full report by Cure53 in August 2021.[12]

In April 2023, Cure53 conducted a third security audit, the results of which Mozilla disclosed in December that year[13], along with the full report by Cure53[14].

Features[edit]

Mozilla VPN masks the user's IP address, hiding the user's location data from the websites accessed by the user, and encrypts all network activity.[15][16][17] The service allows for up to 5 simultaneous connections, to any of more than 500 servers in 30+ countries, and is available on the mobile operating systems iOS and Android and the desktop operating systems Microsoft Windows, macOS and Ubuntu.[3][18]

Mozilla VPN’s infrastructure is provided by the Swedish Mullvad VPN service, which uses the WireGuard VPN protocol[16]. The VPN software comes with additional features, like recommended server locations, the ability to block ads, block ad trackers and malware, the ability to exclude certain applications from protection[19], the ability to set multi-hop connections, and to set custom DNS servers[20].

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Release v2.0.3 · mozilla-mobile/mozilla-vpn-client". Mozilla. 29 January 2021. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  2. ^ "Release v2.0.4 · mozilla-mobile/guardian-vpn-ios". Mozilla. 9 February 2021. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  3. ^ a b c Blumenthal, Eli (19 February 2020). "Mozilla's standalone Firefox VPN is now available in beta". CNET. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
  4. ^ a b Sawers, Paul (10 September 2019). "Mozilla launches VPN as part of resurrected Firefox Test Pilot program". Venture Beat. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
  5. ^ a b c Porter, Jon (15 July 2020). "Mozilla's VPN launches out of beta on Windows and Android". The Verge. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  6. ^ Wood, Marissa (10 September 2019). "Firefox's Test Pilot Program Returns with Firefox Private Network Beta". Mozilla Blog. Archived from the original on 22 June 2020. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
  7. ^ Wood, Marissa (15 January 2019). "Evolving Firefox's Culture of Experimentation: A Thank You from the Test Pilot Program". Mozilla Blog. Archived from the original on 20 February 2020. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
  8. ^ "Introducing Mozilla VPN". Mozilla Blog. 18 June 2020. Archived from the original on 13 July 2020. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  9. ^ "In which countries is Mozilla VPN available to subscribe?".
  10. ^ a b https://blog.mozilla.org/security/files/2021/08/FVP-02-report.final_.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  11. ^ "Mozilla Foundation Security Advisory 2021-31". Mozilla. 2021-07-14.
  12. ^ Claudius, Jonathan (2021-08-31). "Mozilla VPN Security Audit". Mozilla Security Blog.
  13. ^ "Mozilla VPN Security Audit 2023". December 6, 2023.
  14. ^ "Pentest-Report Mozilla VPN Client Apps 05.-06.2023" (PDF).
  15. ^ Fisher, Dennis (20 September 2019). "Mozilla Testing Firefox Private Network". Decipher. Duo Security. Archived from the original on 5 December 2019. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
  16. ^ a b Hesse, Brendan (19 February 2020). "Everything You Need to Know About the New Firefox VPN". Life Hacker. Archived from the original on 24 April 2020. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
  17. ^ Lardinois, Frederic (3 December 2019). "Mozilla launched the next phase of its Firefox Private Network VPN beta". Tech Crunch.
  18. ^ Sneddon, Joey (13 January 2021). "Mozilla VPN is Now Available to Mac & Linux Users". omgubuntu. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  19. ^ "Exclude applications from Mozilla VPN protection | Mozilla VPN Help". support.mozilla.org. Retrieved 2024-04-26.
  20. ^ "Mozilla VPN adds advanced privacy features: Custom DNS servers and Multi-hop | The Mozilla Blog". blog.mozilla.org. Retrieved 2024-04-26.
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