NordVPN Introduces New Protocol to Bypass VPN Blocks

NordVPN has announced a new protocol, NordWhisper, which claims to enable the company to bypass VPN blocks in countries such as Russia and India. The new protocol is designed to mimic regular internet traffic, making it difficult for internet service providers and websites to detect that the traffic is coming from a masked service.

The Importance of VPNs

VPNs are a great way to protect internet activities for privacy reasons or access geo-restricted media. They are especially helpful in countries where authoritarian regimes tightly manage the flow of information available to citizens. However, it is possible to identify traffic coming from VPNs and cut it off. In the past, companies like Spotify have been blocked by internet service providers due to VPN usage.

How VPNs Work

VPNs work by routing internet requests to one of their own servers and then passing the request along to the destination. This allows internet users to hide their origin, such as accessing content on the U.S. version of YouTube from India. By sending the request first to a VPN server in the Americas, YouTube does not realize it is actually coming from another country entirely. Additionally, VPNs ensure all requests are encrypted, making it difficult for interceptors to access the data.

Limitations of VPNs

However, because VPNs will have many requests being sent from one server, website hosts can recognize when a VPN is being used. A constant stream of requests coming from one computer’s IP address is unusual behavior. NordVPN claims to have found a way to make traffic from its service look normal, although it admits that it may not always work perfectly. The NordWhisper protocol may also introduce more latency.

Rollout and Availability

The NordWhisper protocol is currently rolling out to users on Windows, Linux, and Android. Support for other platforms will be added in the future. China and Russia have cracked down on VPN use, forcing Apple to remove related apps from their respective app stores and using other means to block VPN traffic. Despite this, VPNs still appear to work in these countries.

Data Security Concerns

Some VPNs have been criticized for questionable data security practices, such as sharing all internet activity with a third-party company, which could be subject to government warrants or other intrusions. NordVPN’s new protocol aims to address these concerns by making traffic from its service look normal and reducing the risk of detection.