Is Opera VPN Safe?
Opera VPN is not a good or secure service. It misleadingly advertises itself as a VPN, has an invasive privacy policy, and lacks any form of tunneling protocol.
For the above reasons, We cannot recommend Opera VPN As a secure, secure or private VPN solution.
In 2016, the Opera sync service was hacked. more than 1.7 million users Sensitive information, such as passwords and login details, was exposed during the incident.
Recently, a number of users have complained about their real IP addresses being leaked while using Opera VPN.
The rest of this guide will take a more detailed look at the security of using Opera VPN.
Alternatively, if you want to use a free VPN that reliably hides your IP address and keeps you safe online, read our best free VPN recommendations.
Strong AES-256 encryption but no VPN protocol
Opera VPN uses superior security system AES-256 encryption To protect all data sent via the browser. This is the same encryption standard used by the US government, and is generally considered unbreakable.
Unfortunately, Opera VPN does not pair this with a VPN tunneling protocol, such as OpenVPN or WireGuard, which is what you would expect from a typical VPN service.
Instead, Opera only uses the standard TLS encryption protocol used on all HTTPS sites. This means that although it securely encrypts your data, Opera VPN does not provide additional security via a free plugin like HTTPS Everywhere.
Also, since it is a browser-based service, it does not encrypt any traffic from outside the Opera browser, like a separate email app.
Professional advice
For the above reasons, Opera VPN is not safe for torrenting or P2P activities. It is important to hide your IP address when torrenting, but Opera VPN only protects traffic from within the Opera browser.
Since downloading torrent files takes place in third-party applications, such as uTorrent or BitTorrent, Opera VPN will leave you exposed.
To learn more about VPN encryption, read our beginner’s guide on how a VPN works.
No data leaks but very few security features
There is very little information provided about Opera’s security features, perhaps because they are practically non-existent.
Not only does Opera VPN lack VPN protocols, but it also lacks important security features like Perfect Forward Secrecy and a VPN kill switch, which is designed to protect your privacy when the VPN connection drops. Opera VPN also appears to offer little or no protection against IP, DNS, and WebRTC leaks.
Despite this, our last test round showed No data ever leaks while using Opera VPN. This is a good start, but we’d love to see Opera introduce a bunch of additional security features to make sure it’s still leak-free.
Opera’s invasive login policy
One of the more troubling aspects of Opera VPN is the company’s intrusive privacy policy, which explains its reliance on third-party data processors.
Opera makes money by selling your data to third parties.
This is not unusual, because many free online services make money by selling user information to third-party advertisers. However, using a VPN service is all about protecting your privacy, so Opera’s logging policy goes against that entirely.
The privacy policy also greatly undermines any benefit you get from encrypting your browser traffic. The third parties with which the Opera browser shares your data include Google and Facebook, two of the most privacy-disrespectful companies in the world.
As for the VPN service itself, the highlight of Opera’s privacy policy is that it is rarely mentioned. The policy just states: “We do not log any information regarding your browsing activity or original network address” when using Opera VPN.
This would be encouraging if true, but we would like to see the service undergo independent scrutiny before we can trust such a claim. Other VPN services have been submitted to these third-party audits, which is an excellent way to build trust within the VPN community.
Based in the state of “Nine Eyes”
For maximum privacy and security, it is also worth considering the competence of the VPN. Depending on where the service provider is located, it may be subject to heavy surveillance or data retention laws.
Opera Software is headquartered in Norway, and is a member of Nine Eyes Intelligence Sharing Agreement. This means that its jurisdiction is less than ideal when it comes to maintaining internet privacy and anonymity.
However, due to Opera’s intrusive login policy and few security features, its jurisdiction is somewhat of a moot point anyway. There are plenty of safer alternatives to Opera VPN that still exist in non-privacy friendly jurisdictions.
note: As with all VPNs, it is perfectly legal to use Opera VPN in most countries around the world. However, illegal online activity is still illegal, even when using a VPN.
You can sign up for Opera VPN anonymously
One of the privacy features offered by Opera VPN is that you do not need to register to use the service. This means that there is no need to provide your email address, payment information, or any other personally identifiable information before you can start using it.
This is better than the vast majority of VPNs, where you need to create an account or register payment information in order to use the product.
However, Opera’s intrusive logging policy means that the browser collects information that can easily be used to track your activity back to you. In fact, the lack of a registration process is a convenience and a small increase in anonymity, but no more than that.
Opera VPN Pros and Cons
| PROS | Negatives |
|---|---|
|
|
Abstract
Use Opera VPN if:
- You simply want to spoof your location so you can watch US Netflix from abroad, and don’t bother with the Opera browser tracking your activity.
Do not use Opera VPN if:
- You are concerned about your privacy online. More secure and privacy-focused VPNs are available.
- You are trying to hide your IP address for activity that occurs outside the Opera browser. For example, P2P traffic from a separate torrent client or checking your email in a dedicated app.
For 30 days you can also use the best VPN ever, ExpressVPN, Without risk.
[ad_1]
Don’t forget to share this post with friends !
