ExpressVPN blows away the competition on security audits - but what do they mean?

ExpressVPN / Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET

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ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• ExpressVPN says it has passed 27 autarkic information audits.
• Cure53 audited ExpressMailGuard and Identity Defender.
• Here's however ExpressVPN's audit grounds compares with rivals.

ExpressVPN has announced the completion of 27 autarkic information audits, with 2 caller products, ExpressMailGuard and Identity Defender, passing inspection.

Also: NordVPN isn't conscionable a VPN anymore, but a afloat information suite - here's what you get now

The virtual backstage network work said Thursday that the latest audit, conducted by penetration investigating steadfast Cure53, examined the root codification of each merchandise for information flaws, vulnerabilities, oregon hidden surprises that could formed uncertainty connected ExpressVPN's information posture and no-logs policy.

Cure53 assessed ExpressMailGuard, an email masking work that allows users to make unlimited anonymous email aliases, unneurotic with Identity Defender, a monitoring work for US users that scans nationalist records, leaked online information dumps, and the acheronian web for indicators of individuality theft.

This brings ExpressVPN's wide audit number to 27. A afloat database tin beryllium recovered connected ExpressVPN's website, with audits performed by Cure53 and KPMG.

Also: Best VPN services 2026: Expert tested and recommended

"This milestone reflects ExpressVPN's long-standing content that privateness cannot simply beryllium promised-it indispensable beryllium enforced by architecture and verified by autarkic experts," the institution says.

What is simply a VPN information audit?

Security audits tin instrumentality galore forms. In the VPN industry, the pursuing areas whitethorn beryllium assessed:

• Infrastructure: A VPN provider's infrastructure is often 1 of the archetypal things examined successful a information audit, provided it is successful scope. Security experts whitethorn look astatine a wide scope of factors, including server security, information retention and management, encryption, authentication controls, and web configuration.
• Source code: Sometimes, VPN providers volition let auditors to measure the root codification of their bundle for inherent oregon hard-coded vulnerabilities, weaknesses, the usage of default credentials, oregon programming errors.
• VPN apps: An appraisal whitethorn besides research desktop, mobile, and browser extensions for coding issues, vulnerabilities, mediocre encryption, exposed credentials oregon idiosyncratic data, and whether their features execute safely and arsenic advertised.
• No-logs policies: Audits indispensable see VPN providers' no-logs policies and idiosyncratic information handling practices. They should see what -- if immoderate -- idiosyncratic information is logged oregon stored, however agelong the VPN supplier retains records, whether idiosyncratic enactment is monitored, and whether immoderate idiosyncratic information is shared oregon sold.
• Encryption protocols: A information audit whitethorn analyse which encryption standards are upheld and however encryption protocols are implemented, arsenic errors could impact their effectiveness.
• DNS: DNS leaks whitethorn exposure your accusation oregon browser enactment to an ISP. If this happens, your VPN isn't decently masking your online activities, truthful immoderate DNS leaks indispensable beryllium flagged.
• New merchandise lines and changes: The supra areas whitethorn beryllium assessed erstwhile a VPN supplier launches a caller merchandise oregon makes a important update to its VPN software. As bundle changes, caller information issues oregon weaknesses whitethorn inadvertently hazard idiosyncratic privacy.

Whu bash audits substance to ExpressVPN?

Speaking to ZDNET, Shay Peretz, COO of ExpressVPN, commented:

"Independent audits substance to consumers due to the fact that they are 1 of the strongest ways to physique existent trust. A VPN tin accidental thing publicly, but an audit opens up its systems, processes, and assumptions to outer scrutiny and proves those claims clasp up nether real-world testing.

It's not conscionable the VPN protocol that needs to beryllium looked at, either. The apps users download, the infrastructure the work runs on, and each the supporting systems a modern VPN relies connected should each beryllium taxable to autarkic review."

VPN audit records, compared

So, you've seen immoderate VPN providers accidental they person completed 27 autarkic audits, and others person published lone 2 oregon three.

What's the difference?

Also: The champion escaped VPNs of 2026: Expert tested and reviewed

VPN-related audits don't conscionable measure VPN software. Instead, investigating tin beryllium performed crossed the full information stack, truthful audits whitethorn absorption connected circumstantial areas oregon services. For example, ExpressVPN's latest audit relates to ExpressMailGuard and Identity Defender, alternatively than the firm's VPN service.

Keep this successful caput erstwhile comparing VPNs and their audit trails. It's besides important to enactment that immoderate audits absorption connected no-logs policies but besides widen to servers, configuration, and access, arsenic these are each connected to harmless idiosyncratic information management. Some audits absorption connected circumstantial products, which, portion valuable, tin bring up wide counts.

Due to this, the wide fig of audits mightiness not beryllium the astir important factor; rather, frequency, transparent reporting, and items successful scope are key. Here is however the apical VPN providers of 2026 compare.

Do VPN information audits matter?

VPN providers, similar immoderate different bundle company, tin committedness you the entity -- but without autarkic audits and assessments, there's nary mode to backmost up oregon verify their claims. Without a published audit, you person nary mode of knowing whether privateness and information claims are conscionable selling ploys.

A information audit is not a warrant of safety, but it is simply a beardown indicator of however a VPN enactment approaches idiosyncratic information and information management.

It's besides important for published audits to beryllium thorough. They should intelligibly specify the scope of the audit; what was tested, when, and how; immoderate results -- either affirmative oregon negative; and however the lawsuit responded to feedback.

Also: We tested the astir fashionable VPNs successful New York, London, and Tokyo - this 1 is the champion for traveling

No information solution is perfect, and determination volition ever beryllium ways to improve. So, if you're exploring a VPN work audit, you should instrumentality enactment of however the institution responded, however quickly, and however transparent it is, arsenic this often tells you much than thing other successful an audit.

When choosing a caller VPN provider, spell beyond information audits; look for vulnerability disclosure reports, a no-logs policy, and whether it has achieved information certifications, specified arsenic ISO 27001.

You should ever steer wide of VPNs without immoderate transparent information reports, policies, oregon published audits. There are countless 'free' VPN services online, galore of which committedness the world but bash not backmost up their claims with autarkic probe oregon information assessments, meaning they could beryllium progressive successful shady practices oregon storing and sharing your data.

The cardinal is independency

VPN audits indispensable beryllium independent; otherwise, they are worthless.

Also: ExpressVPN review: One of the fastest VPNs we've tested

When idiosyncratic privateness and information are astatine stake, it's not capable for a information solutions supplier to accidental that interior assessments are capable grounds of the close attack to modern threats. With truthful galore snake lipid 'VPN' providers around, frequent, autarkic audits are 1 of the champion ways for reputable companies to basal retired from the crowd.