Norton

Speed Test

Speed is a pivotal attribute when evaluating VPN services, yet it’s vital to recognize its inherent subjectivity, largely influenced by factors such as user hardware, geographic location, local infrastructure, and the quality of the servers employed by the VPN provider. In our testing, when connected randomly to a server in Oregon via Amazon EC2, we achieved an impressive 420 Mbps download speed and a latency of 32ms. While this performance is commendable, Norton’s lack of allowing users to select server locations only at the country level, rather than more specific locales, might be limiting. Such a broad selection mechanism can inadvertently connect users to geographically distant servers, potentially compromising both speed and latency. Thus, while our experience was positive, it’s conceivable that other users might encounter varied and less optimal outcomes due to this lack of granularity in server selection.

Privacy Policy

In assessing the Privacy Statement of Gen Digital Inc., it becomes evident that there are intricate concerns related to the VPN service they offer. Traditionally, Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) are employed to bolster online privacy, acting as a protective shield for users against potential eavesdroppers and malicious entities. However, the privacy policy of Gen Digital Inc. elucidates extensive data collection procedures that might be incongruent with the foundational principles of VPNs. Specifically, the policy highlights the collection of “Device Data,” which encompasses critical identifiers such as MAC addresses, mobile device IDs, and even unique installation identifiers (Privacy Statement, 2. Categories of Personal Data We Collect). Furthermore, the “Geolocation Data” clause indicates the potential for capturing precise user location information (Privacy Statement, 2. Categories of Personal Data We Collect). This level of detailed tracking might be antithetical to the primary objective of VPN users: anonymity. Compounding this concern is the company’s disclosure mechanisms. The data sharing stipulations with “partners, distributors, resellers, and advertisers” (Privacy Statement, 4. When and Why We Disclose Your Personal Data) introduce multifaceted vulnerabilities. Each additional sharing point potentially escalates the risk of data breaches or misuse. In essence, the comprehensive data collection and sharing policies of Gen Digital Inc., as delineated in their Privacy Statement, could be viewed as counterintuitive to the fundamental ethos of VPN services.

Telemetry

Upon analyzing the telemetry of Norton VPN, there are concerns regarding the volume and nature of domains the service connects to. For a virtual private network, the primary objective is user privacy and data security. However, connections to domains such as app-measurement.com, typically associated with Google Analytics, indicate that Norton VPN might be engaging in extensive user interaction tracking. While it’s understandable that some domains, like stats.norton.com or mobilesecuritycore-detection.norton.com, are linked directly to Norton for service functionalities, the rationale behind connections to others is less clear.

Specifically, connections to domains like api2.appsflyer.com and attr.appsflyer.com suggest potential involvement in advertising or campaign tracking. Furthermore, interactions with firebaselogging-pa.googleapis.com and googleadservices.com imply a connection to Google’s data infrastructure. This raises questions about the type and extent of data Norton VPN shares or collects. The ideal VPN service would minimize its external connections to preserve user anonymity. However, the extensive list of domains associated with Norton VPN could challenge its reliability as a secure and private service.

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