Software:Mozilla VPN

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Short description: Virtual private network service
Mozilla VPN
Logo of the Mozilla VPN service
Developer(s)Mozilla
Initial release15 July 2020; 3 years ago (15 July 2020)
Stable release(s) [±]
Repository
Written inC++ (for client), Swift (for iOS), Kotlin (for Android)
Operating systemWindows 10, Android, iOS, macOS, Linux
PlatformMobile app, Desktop application
TypeVirtual private network
LicenseMozilla Public License 2.0
Websitewww.mozilla.org/en-US/products/vpn/

Mozilla VPN is an open-source virtual private network web browser extension, desktop application, and mobile application developed by Mozilla.[1] It launched in beta as Firefox Private Network on September 10, 2019,[2] and officially launched on July 15, 2020, as Mozilla VPN.[3]

History

The free, limited-use 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,[2][4] a program that allowed Firefox users to test experimental new features which had been shuttered in January 2019.[5] 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.[1]

Firefox Private Network was rebranded as "Mozilla VPN" on June 18, 2020, and officially launched as Mozilla VPN on July 15, 2020.[3][6] 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).[3] As planned,[7] the service also launched in Germany and France in April 2021.[8]

Cybersecurity firm Cure53 conducted a security audit for Mozilla VPN in August 2020 and identified multiple vulnerabilities, including one critical-severity vulnerability.[9]: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"[9]:21 to be exploitable. Mozilla disclosed most of the vulnerabilities in July 2021[10] and released the full report by Cure53 in August 2021.[11]

Features

Mozilla VPN masks the user's IP address, hides location data from the websites accessed by the user, and encrypts all network activity.[12][13][14] A limited-monthly-use free version is available as a web browser extension for the Firefox browser[citation needed], and a paid version for all device activity is available on the mobile operating systems iOS and Android and the desktop operating systems Microsoft Windows, macOS and Linux.[1][15] The paid version of Private Network uses the Swedish Mullvad VPN service, which uses the WireGuard VPN standard,[13] while the free version uses the American Cloudflare service.[16][17] It also comes with Custom DNS servers and Multi-hop.[18]

Availability

Mozilla VPN is marketed as "With servers in 33+ countries, you can connect to anywhere, from anywhere." However, the service is in fact only available in a limited number of countries.

Availability of Mozilla VPN in the world

See also


References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Blumenthal, Eli (19 February 2020). "Mozilla's standalone Firefox VPN is now available in beta". CNET. https://www.cnet.com/news/mozillas-standalone-firefox-vpn-is-now-available-in-beta/. 
  2. 2.0 2.1 Sawers, Paul (10 September 2019). "Mozilla launches VPN as part of resurrected Firefox Test Pilot program". Venture Beat. https://venturebeat.com/2019/09/10/mozilla-launches-vpn-as-part-of-resurrected-firefox-test-pilot-program/. 
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Porter, Jon (15 July 2020). "Mozilla's VPN launches out of beta on Windows and Android". The Verge. https://www.theverge.com/2020/7/15/21325316/mozilla-vpn-android-windows-launch-firefox-private-network-price. 
  4. Wood, Marissa (10 September 2019). "Firefox's Test Pilot Program Returns with Firefox Private Network Beta". https://blog.mozilla.org/blog/2019/09/10/firefoxs-test-pilot-program-returns-with-firefox-private-network-beta/. 
  5. Wood, Marissa (15 January 2019). "Evolving Firefox's Culture of Experimentation: A Thank You from the Test Pilot Program". https://blog.mozilla.org/blog/2019/01/15/evolving-firefoxs-culture-of-experimentation-a-thank-you-from-the-test-pilot-program/. 
  6. "Introducing Mozilla VPN". 18 June 2020. https://blog.mozilla.org/futurereleases/2020/06/18/introducing-firefox-private-network-vpns-official-product-the-mozilla-vpn/. 
  7. Cimpanu, Catalin (February 3, 2021). "Mozilla expected to launch its VPN service in Germany and France in Q1 2021". https://www.zdnet.com/article/mozilla-expected-to-launch-its-vpn-service-in-germany-and-france-in-q1-2021/. 
  8. Sutton, Willard (April 29, 2021). "Mozilla launches its own VPN service in germany and france". https://www.zdnet.com/article/mozilla-expected-to-launch-its-vpn-service-in-germany-and-france-in-q1-2021/. 
  9. 9.0 9.1 https://blog.mozilla.org/security/files/2021/08/FVP-02-report.final_.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  10. "Mozilla Foundation Security Advisory 2021-31" (in en). 2021-07-14. https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/security/advisories/mfsa2021-31/. 
  11. Claudius, Jonathan (2021-08-31). "Mozilla VPN Security Audit" (in en-US). https://blog.mozilla.org/security/2021/08/31/mozilla-vpn-security-audit. 
  12. Fisher, Dennis (20 September 2019). "Mozilla Testing Firefox Private Network". Duo Security. https://duo.com/decipher/mozilla-testing-firefox-private-network. 
  13. 13.0 13.1 Hesse, Brendan (19 February 2020). "Everything You Need to Know About the New Firefox VPN". https://lifehacker.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-new-firefox-vpn-1841795750. 
  14. Lardinois, Frederic (3 December 2019). "Mozilla launched the next phase of its Firefox Private Network VPN beta". Tech Crunch. https://techcrunch.com/2019/12/03/mozilla-launches-the-next-beta-phase-of-its-firefox-private-network-vpn/. 
  15. Sneddon, Joey (13 January 2021). "Mozilla VPN is Now Available to Mac & Linux Users". https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2021/01/mozilla-vpn-is-finally-available-on-mac-linux. 
  16. Spadafora, Anthony (11 September 2019). "Mozilla is launching a VPN". Tech Radar. https://www.techradar.com/news/mozilla-relaunches-firefox-test-pilot-program-with-new-vpn. 
  17. "Secure your connection to the Firefox browser". https://fpn.firefox.com/. 
  18. "Mozilla VPN adds advanced privacy features: Custom DNS servers and Multi-hop | the Mozilla Blog". https://blog.mozilla.org/en/mozilla/mozilla-vpn-adds-advanced-privacy-features-custom-dns-servers-and-multi-hop/.