NordVPN-linked company fined $7.5 million for residential proxy scandal

Summarizing this very important but underreported news about one of the largest VPN providers in the world (and I know it’s used by many for torrenting):

  • NordVPN-connected company Oxylabs is asked to pay $7.5m for employing residential proxy code that is patented by Luminati/Bright Data.
  • Oxylabs describes themselves as a solution for “large-scale public data gathering” and brags that they have “100M+ residential proxy”
  • Competing residential proxy seller Luminati/Bright Data ​​also owns Hola VPN. Hola utilizes its users’ IP addresses as ‘exit nodes’ for other people’s traffic.
  • In layman’s terms that means the residential proxy company steals internet users’ bandwidth without their consent, including via a VPN service.

“While the lawsuit names Lithuania-based Teso LT, UAB as a defendant rather than “Tesonet”, this is as a result of a corporate restructuring several years ago. Aside from its link to Oxylabs, Tesonet also advertises itself as a creator and investor of a number of online services, including NordVPN, Hostinger and others.

In an interview with TechRadar Pro, Tom Okman, the co-founder of both Tesonet and Nord Security, answered some questions regarding the relationship between Tesonet, NordVPN, and the plethora of associated online services the companies offer.”

Sources: https://www.techradar.com/news/judge-orders-mediation-after-jury-orders-oxylabs-to-pay-dollar75m-in-latest-episode-of-proxy-wars

https://www.techradar.com/news/networking/-hola-if-your-vpn-was-busted-selling-your-bandwidth-for-botnets-1295421

https://oxylabs.io/

The perks of using so called “top 5 vpns” :person_facepalming:

NordVPN has a separate AS for their VPN. I think these residential proxies are only used for block circumvention like Netflix.

How do the proxies operate? Probably hundreds thousands of people who installed that bejeweled game clone on Android that requested all the permissions and your kidney.

And ExpressVPN is basically owned via shelf companies by the Chinese Communist Party, so that leaves what other VPNs that can be trusted? Um - maybe none?

do you have any other good recommendation at a very reasonable price?

Ok just because you say so doesn’t mean its true. I need documentaion on expressvpn

I’ve been using surfshark, haven’t heard of any sketchyness

These are 2 of the most understated and under read articles regarding VPNs

https://strikesource.com/2021/03/09/chinese-vpns-are-recording-world-data-on-a-massive-scale/

https://vpnpro.com/blog/hidden-vpn-owners-unveiled-97-vpns-23-companies/

It’s around here that I read it - will try hunt it down. Was legit source and very accurate research

Here’s some interesting reading - in my opinion 2 of the most understated and under read articles regarding VPNs

https://strikesource.com/2021/03/09/chinese-vpns-are-recording-world-data-on-a-massive-scale/

https://vpnpro.com/blog/hidden-vpn-owners-unveiled-97-vpns-23-companies/