TunnelBear

TunnelBear is a public virtual private network (VPN) service based in Toronto, Canada. It was created by Daniel Kaldor and Ryan Dochuk in 2011. In March 2018, TunnelBear was acquired by McAfee.[1]

TunnelBear
TunnelBear connected to a server in Italy
Developer(s)TunnelBear Inc. (2011–2018)
McAfee (2018–present)
Operating systemAndroid, Windows, macOS, iOS, Linux
Available inEnglish
TypeVirtual Private Network
LicenseSubscription business model, with a freeware client app
Websitetunnelbear.com

History

TunnelBear was acquired by McAfee in March 2018.[1] TunnelBear continues to operate as an independent VPN service.[2]

Features

A freeware TunnelBear client is available on Android, Windows, macOS and iOS. It also has browser extensions for Google Chrome and Opera.[3] Alternatively, Linux distros can be configured to use TunnelBear.[4]

Like other public VPN services, TunnelBear has the ability to bypass content blocking in most countries.[5]

In response to government censorship, TunnelBear temporarily relaxed data limits for individuals living in countries such as Iran, Turkey, and Venezuela, where the government blocked access to certain websites.[6][7][8]

All TunnelBear clients use AES-256 encryption with the exception of the client for iOS 8 and earlier, which uses AES-128.[9] When connected, the user's actual IP address will not be visible to the websites visited.[10] Instead, the websites and/or computers would be able to see the spoofed IP address provided by the service.

TunnelBear was among the first consumer VPNs to conduct and publicly release the results of an independent security audit.[11] They record when their users connect to the service and publish annual reports on the number of times law enforcement has requested user information.[12]

Reception

Scott Gilbertson of Wired notes that TunnelBear uses “cute bear animations” to explain their process, and notes the provider has competitive security features and an easy-to-understand privacy policy.[13] The provider has faced criticism from WireCutter for comparatively slower speeds and dropped video calls in their tests of the service, but noted that TunnelBear excels in “usability, trust, and transparency”.[11] Rae Hodge at CNET criticised the service for the lack of server locations that users cannot select and concerns that their records could be subpoenaed because they are a Canadian business owned by an American company.[12]

See also

References
  1. Sawers, Paul (8 March 2018). "McAfee acquires VPN provider TunnelBear". VentureBeat. Retrieved 8 March 2018.
  2. Dillet, Romain (8 March 2018). "McAfee acquires VPN company TunnelBear". Tech Crunch. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
  3. Paul, Ian (19 May 2015). "How to easily secure your web browsing with TunnelBear's free Chrome extension". PC World. IDG. Retrieved 20 June 2015.
  4. Robinson, John (20 March 2014). "TunnelBear Befriends Penguins with Limited Linux Support". TunnelBear. Archived from the original on 1 February 2016. Retrieved 6 August 2016.
  5. Klosowski, Thorin (1 June 2015). "Streaming Content From Overseas: The Complete Lifehacker Guide". Lifehacker. Gizmodo. Retrieved 20 June 2015.
  6. Toneguzzi, Mario (14 January 2018). "Protests in Iran lead to a surge in downloads of Canadian VPN tools". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  7. Conger, Kate; Coldeway, Devin (15 July 2016). "How to circumvent Turkey's social media block". Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  8. Nieto, Katherine A. (26 August 2020). "Servicio privado de VPN Tunnelbear ofrece 10Gb gratis para que venezolanos accedan al bono Héroes de la Salud". El Impuso. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  9. "Rawwwr! Even Stronger Encryption". TunnelBear's Online Privacy Blog. 17 March 2015. Retrieved 25 June 2017.
  10. Boxall, Andy (13 May 2015). "Watch U.S. Netflix anywhere with TunnelBear, now available as a Chrome extension". Digital Trends. Designtechnica. Retrieved 20 June 2015.
  11. Grauer, Yael (22 October 2020). "The Best VPN Service". Wirecutter. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
  12. Hodge, Rae (8 October 2020). "TunnelBear VPN review: The overpriced ursine has trouble living up to the hype". CNET. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
  13. Gilbertson, Scott (4 March 2020). "The Best VPNs to Protect Yourself Online". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Retrieved 10 December 2020.


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