Our automated tests run every six hours, and we report the results as we find them, eliminating the possibility of any bias. To ensure our speed test findings are as accurate as possible, we also tested HideMyAss and other popular VPNs using our bespoke VPN speed testing tool. How Fast is HideMyAss Compared to Other VPNs? ItвЂ™s one of the fastest VPNs weвЂ™ve tested, and challenges very quick VPNs like ExpressVPN and NordVPN. Speed is clearly one of HMAвЂ™s strongest attributes. This is due to the longer journey a VPN connection has to make. Naturally, HideMyAssвЂ™ VPN speeds begin to fall when connecting to distant locations. International speeds were some of the best weвЂ™ve seen and connection times were great, at around 70Mbps seconds for most locations. The table below compares the privacy features of HMA and four other VPN services.Д«elow are the average speeds we saw when connecting to these locations from London, UK with a 100Mbps internet connection: How private is HideMyAss compared to other VPNs?ДЄs weвЂ™ve discussed above, HMA compares fairly poorly to other VPNs in terms of privacy. However, real-world tests and third-party audits are necessary to restore our confidence in HMA. The companyвЂ™s much improved no-logs policy somewhat offsets its privacy-unfriendly jurisdiction.

As long as the VPN doesnвЂ™t keep user web logs, it doesnвЂ™t have sensitive information to pass on. Such an intrusive policy made it easy for law enforcement to request personally-identifiable information from HMA to identify a specific user.ДЄs we mentioned above, HMAвЂ™s new privacy policy prevents any repeat of user identities being compromised. The VPN service previously logged sensitive data like user IP addresses and precise connection timestamps. It must be said that all instances of information sharing with law enforcement happened under the VPNвЂ™s old privacy policy. HideMyAss went to some length to justify its behavior, but it was largely seen as a breach of trust for most VPN users. He was a HideMyAss user whose identity was uncovered using connection timestamps. On another occasion, a Texas judge was arrested for stalking and harassment.

In one instance, a member of the hacktivist group Anonymous was arrested after HMA provided the FBI access to connection logs, following a UK court order. Sadly, HideMyAss has an extremely poor track record for logging. HideMyAss shared user logs with law enforcement The UK is also a member of the Five Eyes Alliance (FVEY), an international intelligence-sharing agreement designed to collect and share surveillance data among the worldвЂ™s most powerful nations. The company admits it will supply information to law enforcement if necessary. HideMyAss is subject to all intelligence-sharing agreements contained within the Snoopers Charter. The UK is a terrible base for a VPN provider, due to its intrusive data retention laws now codified through the UK Investigatory Powers Act, or the вЂSnooperвЂ™s CharterвЂ™ as it is popularly known. AVG was in turn bought by Avast, another Czech antivirus firm, in 2016.Дespite the parent company, Avast, being based in the Czech Republic, Privax Ltd is still located in the UK. The VPNвЂ™s popularity led AVG, a Czech antivirus company, to acquire it for up to $60 million in 2015. HideMyAss launched its first subscription-based VPN service in 2009 under the ownership of parent company Privax Ltd.

The important thing is that HMAвЂ™s no-logs policy clearly states your internet activity will not be tracked or logged.Дespite the logging policy improvement, HMA is a VPN service with an extremely poor track record when it comes to safeguarding its customersвЂ™ anonymity. The only personal information HideMyAss retains is your email address and username, which is standard practice among VPNs. Third-party security audits provide real evidence of a VPNвЂ™s activities, so youвЂ™re not forced to rely on what a VPN service claims. VerSprite awarded HideMyAss a вЂњlow-risk user privacy impact ratingвЂќ - the best possible classification. HMAвЂ™s updated logging policy has been verified by reputable cybersecurity consulting firm VerSprite, following an audit of HMAвЂ™s systems. The limited amount of data that HMA does log is aggregated and not tied to any specific user. Excerpt from HMAвЂ™s updated no-logs privacy policy.

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