Background Hidemyass Mailbox

Hide My Ass! (HMA!) Is a company, with Its claim to fame being its number of subscribers — it has over 400 million, now. This provider has seen its share of controversy with respect to consumer privacy. It recently made upgrades support in the hopes of winning back the loyalty of its readers and redeeming itself. Hidemyass Mailbox

We took it To get a test run to find out how much it’s improved and whether it is worth the cost.

Click here to sign up for Hide My Ass! Today!

What Is a VPN?

It generates an encrypted tunnel to, when you trigger a VPN Guard your information as it moves from your computer to a server controlled by the VPN. From there, your data releases onto the internet that is open. It’s a simple concept, but one with enormous consequences for your privacy and security.

It prevents anybody in your neighborhood Community from observation or intercepting your activity. Though the airport or coffee shop Wi-Fi system appears safe (it may even be password-protected) it’s not actually secure unless you’re using a VPN. For another thing, a VPN can stop your Internet Service Provider (ISP) from collecting information about your online activities so it can sell anonymized user information to the maximum bidder.

A VPN also makes it Challenging to correlate your Online activities together with your identity. Since your visitors is exiting from the VPN company’s server, you appear to have its IP address, effectively hiding your true site. Additionally, it compels even the most determined attacker to try and sort through all the visitors from other users on the exact same VPN server to obtain what they’re after. For all these reasons, and much more, you need a VPN in your life.

Note that a VPN encrypts your visitors until it exits via the VPN server. Provided that the site you’re accessing uses HTTPS, your information must be secure all the way along its travel. Additionally, while VPNs can offer a modicum of anonymity, a tool such as the Tor network is far better at hiding your identity.

VPNs have long been used by journalists and political activists To bypass censorship in countries with repressive internet policies. They’re also useful if you are searching to circumvent geographic restrictions on streaming content. A VPN can spoof your current location, giving you access to restricted content like BBC streaming or MLB TV. Many VPNs do not appreciate these activities (which might be in breach of terms of support or even local laws) and content providers such as Netflix are breaking down on users that spoof their place and the VPN services they utilize to do it.

There is a good chance That you may have never laid hands on a VPN before. Do not worry if that is true! We’ve got an entire feature about the best way best to prepare and use a VPN. Hidemyass Mailbox

VPN Protocols

There are many ways. My Preferred method employs the OpenVPN protocol, which is famous for its speed and reliability. Additionally, it is open minded, and consequently has been picked over for potential vulnerabilities by anyone with the interest to do so.

Hide My Ass uses OpenVPN on Windows, with an older variant Of the program that supports PPTP, and L2TP, also. Additionally, there are two distinct versions of this macOS app that, taken together, support IPSec (IKEv1 and v2), L2TP, and PPTP. Note that these old versions of this program are being phased out from the developer. The iOS variant uses just IPSec, along with the Android app uses only OpenVPN.

That is a bit of a hodgepodge, and I am frustrated that Hide My Ass does not offer OpenVPN on all platforms. Nevertheless, some of this issue is with the programs. Apple requires programmers to jump through extra hoops if they wish to include OpenVPN within an app, but a lot of them are beginning to move in that direction. I would like to view Hide My Ass do the same, across the board.

Your Privacy With Hide My Ass

With any safety item, you want to Be Certain that the Business behind it’s going to be working on your best interests. This is especially true for VPNs, which are supposed to increase privacy and safety. If a VPN company is simply as nosey as your ISP, there is not much point in using it.

While I examine VPNs, I browse the company’s privacy policy And talk with representatives in order to better understand how your data is stored and used. In the case of Hide My Ass, the corporation ought to be praised on its clear privacy policy. It says Hide My Ass logs your username, the timestamp of connection and disconnection, the amount of information transmitted, your real IP address, and the IP address of the host you linked to. This isn’t radically different from what is offered by other providers. In reality, it’s quite like Golden Frog VyprVPN’s policy.

What is noteworthy is that Hide My Ass Will store this information for two to three weeks, while VyprVPN shops it for only 30 days. Other services hold less information, or else they dispose of it immediately. Hide My Ass says that it retains this data for this period of time so as to enhance performance, prevent fraud, and prevent bad guys from using the VPN to send spam. The organization, especially, also lists file sharing as one of the illegal actions it takes this information to prevent, despite the firm being fine by means of BitTorrent on certain servers.

It May be possible that this advice could be used To correlate a user’s identity to specific activity online, but it would likely be very hard. In spite of this information, an audience would need to know which VPN host to watch and then compare that action from Hide My Ass’s logs, and also be able to parse out the target’s visitors from everyone else using the exact same server.

The Hide My Ass privacy policy also clearly states that it Doesn’t monitor or store the real content of your online activity. So, the support isn’t looking at your sites or the files that you are downloading. That is great, and just what you want to hear by a VPN company.

Before, some VPN companies monetized consumers by Injecting ads into their internet traffic. Hide My Ass says it doesn’t do that, and goes much farther. A company representative explained to me the firm does not profit from consumer data at all.

The actual place of a VPN company also matters, as it Can inform what protections are given to customers. Hide My Ass gets its company headquarters in London, also operates under the jurisdiction of England and Wales. Especially, the UK at does have compulsory data retention legislation. That is not ideal. Many other VPN providers operate in countries without mandatory data retention legislation, or in ones which have favorable privacy protections for consumers. Hidemyass Mailbox

I don’t believe it is likely to make a decision About a company’s benefits based on its place. But, it is very important to comprehend policies and that the laws on the job in a business with intimate access to your own information. I encourage visitors choose a VPN service, and to consider this information.

Programs and Server Places

A key differentiator between VPN services is the number of Servers that are Available and their geographical distribution. Lots of servers means you are more likely to find a server that is not bogged down with other users. For its part, Hide My Ass has an extremely respectable 876 servers at its disposal. That said, Personal Internet accessibility, NordVPN, and TorGuard VPN have well over 3,000 servers. These are my benchmarks for robustness from the VPN server class.

Geographic distribution of these servers is also very important. A great deal of locations means more to pick from for purposes, but also ensures that no matter where you travel there will always be a nearby server for the performance. Hide My Ass has an extremely impressive server places across some 220 countries. It’s easily the broadest list among the VPN providers I have reviewed.

The list of server locations that were available Provided by Hide My Ass is particularly noteworthy since regions ignored by VPN companies are covered by it. It’s, as an example, numerous server places across the continent of Africa–a rarity among VPN businesses. It maintains servers in China, Russia, and Turkey, which have net policies that are especially repressive.

Some consumers May Be concerned about a VPN company’s Use of servers. All these are software-defined servers which make several servers are efficiently operated as by a single server. Virtual servers may also be configured to act as if they are in one state when they are in another, which is an issue if you’re concerned about where your information is traveling.

I was told by A company representative this a 225 of the 286 server locations are all virtual servers. Only 61 of the server places are hardware, and 450 of Hide My Ass’s 876 servers are virtual. That is far beyond services. NordVPN TunnelBear, IPVanish, and TorGuard utilize infrastructure for their host places.

A company representative explained to me that majority of the Firm’s physical server infrastructure is located in Amsterdam, Frankfurt, London, Miami, New York, Prague, Seattle, and Singapore. This doesn’t quite jibe with what Hide My Ass lists on its website. I’d like to see future versions of Hide My Ass be clearer about when you are linked to a virtual host.

Installation and interface

Getting Started with Hide My Ass! Is super easy and the updated apps are very user-friendly. You’ll be given a license key once you register for your own account. You can use this or your credentials (password and username ) to log into almost any app. With the aim of this inspection, we have tested the Windows client as well as the iOS app. Hidemyass Mailbox

Desktop

Once you’ve Logged in and Established the desktop , you will be greeted with the Success! screen. Click Got It! To get the screen of the program. Here you have three choices for modes: Location Mode, Immediate Mode, and Freedom Mode.

In Immediate Mode, you can click the arrow And you’ll be connected to the fastest server for your current location.

In Location manner, you can choose which Server you connect to. Click Change Location to see your alternatives. There is a drop-down list which allows you to select servers based on various criteria. We all will show you an alphabetized country listing. Clicking the arrow to the left of every nation name will show you specific locations within this country.

Speedy Access shows you a list Recently linked to, in addition to some choices that were recommended. Streaming will provide you a selection of two servers suitable for unblocking popular streaming services such as Netflix, one in the united states and one in the UK.

Peer to Peer shows You all servers that permit P2P filesharing. Ultimately, there’s the Favorites choice; to mark a server as a popular, you can click on the center to the right of this server name.

Going back To the main screen, the one other option here’s Freedom Mode, which is targeted at users that want to bypass censorship. This mode will link you to a server in the nearest country that is regarded as free from censorship.

You can Get into the Settings by clicking the menu icon in the top left-hand corner of the main screen and choosing Preferences. Here, you’ll find three tabs: General, Network Security, and Kill Change. From the Generalscreen, you can change your startup options, like starting when you turn your pc on or when the app starts.

You also Possess a Personal Privacy section housing one option that relates to Quick Access in Location Mode. You can uncheck the box, if you would like to hide your history.

Next, We have the Network Security screen in which you can choose settings for automatic wifi protection. You can also turn on the IP shuffle feature which makes it harder for somebody to find where you are by periodically changing your IP address. An additional option in this screen allows you to use TCP with OpenVPN. This is only recommended if UDP is blocked or throttled. TCP is more secure, but UDP is generally faster.

The Final tab is the Kill Switch tab, so that it works for many programs where you can toggle on this feature. You can add applications and choose whether to use it.

This Is a fairly robust app and it both visually pleasing and easy-to-use.

Mobile

Many Providers will have a mobile program that is unrecognizable compared to the desktop version. But, HMA! Has streamlined its product, and the iOS app looks almost like the Windows version.

Once you’re Logged in, you’ll get to the display, which is exactly like the main screen in the background program. Here you can choose from Instant Mode, Location Mode, or Freedom Mode.

Click here to sign up for Hide My Ass! Today!

The Only real difference is that if you select Location Mode, your choices are presented in a different method. You have three tabs: Countries, Cities, and Favorites, but missing are the options found in the such as Streaming, Peer to Peer, and Quick Access.

To Access the streaming servers from the program, you’ll need to visit the Cities list and find the Liberty Island server beneath US, New York. Even the UK, Donkey Town server may also be found to UK Netflix and BBC iPlayer.

Moving on, The settings to the app can be retrieved by clicking the menu icon and selecting Settings. There you’ve got two choices: Link Rules and solitude.

In The Connection Rules section, it is possible to adjust wifi security preferences and choose whether to auto reconnect when wifi or mobile connections are disrupted.

The Personal solitude department has 1 alternative: Share usage data with third parties for analytics, which is your permission to”enable app and apparatus use data to be shared with third parties for analytics.” Keep in mind this is permitted by default so that it may be among the things that you wish to turn off.

In General, This is a slick and intuitive program, but some users may be missing extra features like a kill switch and the choice to change protocols.

Servers and performance

The Hide My Ass! Network includes more than 850 servers covering more than 190 countries. A number of them are virtual servers, but a consumer support representative was not able to tell us how many. Hidemyass Mailbox

As we Discussed previously, HMA offers many options for selecting the right server, including distinct styles and the ability to mark servers as favorites. Are marked using a symbol that was P2P.

We tested Servers in the UK and the usa for functionality in terms of surfing, surfing, and downloading. Aside from there being an obvious slowdown in page load times when attached with a UK server, when browsing, there were no issues. This is not unusual for distant remote servers (the tests were completed in Toronto, Canada), but could be bothersome, especially for users who have already slow internet speeds.

We did not See any lag or buffering whilst streaming 1080p with any of the test servers and could play online games with no difficulties.

HideMyAss! and Netflix

Hide My Ass! unblocks Netflix! But don’t expect to simply link to any Waiter and go. We had no chance whatsoever, when we analyzed servers using US Netflix with the desktop client. But if you select the Streaming choice from the dropdown within Location Mode, you’ll see two options: a US server (USA, New York, Liberty Island) and a UK server (UK, Donkey Town). Be aware that in the app that is mobile, you will have to obtain these.

Connecting To Netflix server gave us access to the US without difficulty. Linking to the UK one allowed access to BBC iPlayer in Addition to UK Netflix. Many suppliers only concentrate on providing US Netflix access, so it is refreshing to see one that strives to provide entry to the UK library too. What’s more, BBC iPlayer is seriously cracking down on VPN usage, so the ability to unblock this support is a nice perk.

If you are Looking for Amazon Prime Video, you may need to go everywhere. HMA! Is having trouble unblocking this support at this time and a customer support representative advised us that there is no estimated timeframe for when it might be working.

HideMyAss! in China?

Hide My Ass! Doesn’t work reliably in China. It used to, but recent HMA! Answers in service forums have indicated that the support will no longer function for a few users. You can try your fortune, but you’d best look elsewhere if you need a China VPN.

HideMyAss! Speed test performance

For any VPN That can be used with our test procedures, we conduct speed tests which have been designed to be as empirical as possible. We use a Canadian test server to connect to VPN servers in Germany, the United Kingdom, Australia, Hong Kong, and the Usa. For each and every location, we download an evaluation file (50MB in size) in the US server. This can be done four times every day. The typical rate for each test is listed and the information is displayed.

You can view From the easy chart below HMA! Compares to the other VPN services we have been testing. While it does not have the fastest speeds, it is near the front of the pack in regards to median speeds.

By clicking on the comprehensive tab, you can see that the spread in results is not as tight as a number of the other test VPNs. This means you may see some inconsistency in regards to speeds.

It’s Important to note that these tests are not definitive and may function as a general indication of the functionality you might see. The volatility of the web adds a variable of randomness. What is more, you see possibly smaller or bigger disagreements, and wait times using a slow link. Hidemyass Mailbox

Customer Services

For those who need Any aid while establishing or using the support, HMA! Includes a few options for you to choose from. Clicking the Help tab on the Site, you’ll find a Getting Started section along with also a Knowledge Base. These each house articles associated with setting up, troubleshooting, and general queries. There is some crossover so you may choose to explore both.

Additionally, You’ll find. This can be segregated into various subjects; while some are active, some seem to be out of date. There are a number of general FAQs.

If you do not Discover what you’re searching for, or you just want a quick response, you can click on the live chat button. The service is educated and prompt, and representatives were able to swiftly resolve problems we encountered. At one stage, a representative advised he’d escalate the problem and was not able to answer some safety questions. This has been responded to in under two hours which is very fast for an email reply.

Safety and privacy

Hide My Ass! Is based in the UK, so it is subject to data retention legislation. The UK is also a Five Eyes (and Fourteen Eyes) country, which means it’s part of an alliance which enables tracking by external authorities. Plus, it is home to the Snooper’s Charter which imposes regulations.

For many VPNs, data retention laws in their home country are not really a problem. This is because they operate with a real no-logs policy whereby they don’t keep any traffic or connection logs. Even if connection logs are kept by them, they can not be tied to an individual user.

Regrettably, HMA! Isn’t one of these VPNs and contains a privacy policy that users will find off-putting. For one, while you can anticipate your IP address will be logged, together with the number of information and timestamps used. This is a big no-no for VPNs in general. Though an IP address isn’t universally considered to be information that is personally identifiable, the fact is that information can and has been used to trace the action of people. IP addresses have been used to help find and convict offenders. While we certainly don’t condone actions that are criminal, we’re pro-privacy, also it doesn’t cut. Hidemyass Mailbox

Moreover, Hide My Ass! Telephones the VPN IP address Connected to a session. Here is the IP address that a website operator can see and record when you see it. Since both the actual and VPN IP addresses are logged, involving the VPN and finish website logs, it might technically be possible to piece together all of an individual’s online activity. You might have seen news of a 2011 FBI case involving HMA! Where it passed over logs that were utilized to track a LulzSec hacker down. This can be a marker for solitude.

One way to Make this less of a problem and to confuse things a little is to make the most of the IP address shuffle attribute. When enabled in the Network Security screen of the program, this occasionally switches your IP address out for another one. It wouldn’t cause you to squint but could add a layer of obfuscation.

Privacy Problems apart, on the security front, Hide My Ass! Fares fairly well. It uses 256-bit AES encryption, which is considered military-grade. This perfect forward secrecy and is in conjunction with 4096-bit RSA keys. It uses exactly the protocol over UDP by default, but you can switch to TCP inside the client. PPTP, L2TP, IPSec are available, depending on which app you are using.

The desktop versions boast To work for specific programs. A kill button will kill the connection if the VPN link drop for some reason. This feature isn’t available in the mobile programs

A live chat Customer service representative advised us that there is no DNS leak security. However, another firm representative assured us that there is actually DNS and IPv6 leak security, but no WebRTC escape security. Indeed, when we tested the support for leaks, we did not observe any DNS leak issues other than leaks that are WebRTC. HMA! Whereas ones would be preferable from a privacy perspective, does use DNS servers.

One handy Attribute that Hide My Ass! Offers is wifi security, which can be customized at the in the Network Security part of their desktop client or the Connection Rules tab of the app that is mobile configurations.

Features and pricing

Hide My Ass! Provides one product with prices varying depending on the amount of term you register for. It’s definitely not one of the providers available. A 12-month planwill set you back $6.99 a month, which is higher than the average cost for a similar duration. What is more, a great deal of VPN suppliers that are top will offer an plan; for example, a two- or three-year term with discounts. Hidemyass Mailbox

If You are not ready to sign up only yet, HMA! Does offer a six-month plan for $7.99 per month or you could pay on a monthly basis for $11.99 a month. These prices are a bit above average when you compare to competitors.

Payment Choices include credit cards, PayPal, and UnionPay. Unfortunately other and bitcoin cryptocurrencies are payment procedures. There’s a money-back guarantee, so you can have your payment refunded if you are not satisfied with the support.

So what do You get for your money? Hide My Ass! Has a network of over 850 servers in over 180 nations. Some are devoted to accessing streaming websites and certain servers permit P2P filesharing (read: torrenting). All plans have unlimited bandwidth and you may connect up to five devices. Apps are available for Windows, MacOS, iOS, and Android. The VPN may be configured with a few routers and Linux. Pre-configured routers are available as an alternative.

From a Security standpoint, HMA! Provides perfect forward secrecy encryption wifi protection, and the desktop apps come with a kill switch. However, the logging policy problems that plagued the service from the past remain, so privacy is an issue.

Wrap-up

For the most part, HMA! Provides a great service. It has infinite bandwidth, fast speeds, and a decent network of servers. It is in a position to unblock streaming services such as Netflix UK, Netflix US, and BBC iPlayer. Plus, it gives superb customer support , strong security, and intuitive programs.

On the Surface, it seems like HMA! Would be a good option for torrenters, without a information Caps and some servers suitable for P2P. However, the issues with the privacy Coverage are a concern for those looking to torrent, as well as any other privacy-conscious users. Indeed, this is the important turn-off for this Provider, but it’s a large one. Other concerns include the inability to operate Reliably in China along with the price tag. Hidemyass Mailbox

Click here to sign up for Hide My Ass! Today!