AstroVPN Transparency Report: 2022 2H

AstroVPN Transparency Report: 2022 2H
Photo by Joel Filipe / Unsplash

At AstroVPN, we understand that the privacy and security of our users is of the utmost importance. That's why we are committed to transparency when it comes to requests from law enforcement agencies. In this blog post, we will share details on the requests we received over the past six months (2H 2022) and explain how we handle them while maintaining our dedication to protecting our users' privacy. We believe that transparency reports like this are vital in building trust and demonstrating our commitment to being a privacy-focused VPN solution. By openly sharing this information, we hope to demonstrate our commitment to upholding the privacy of all of our users.

It is with great pride that we are able to report that AstroVPN received 0 (zero) requests from law enforcement agencies over the past six months. This means that we have not had to hand over any customer information to a third party during this time.

At AstroVPN, the privacy and security of our users are always our top priority. This is why we take such care in evaluating the legality and legitimacy of any requests for customer information that we may receive. We will only release such information if we believe that the request is justified and legally valid, and even then, we take steps to ensure that the request is narrow in scope and does not compromise the privacy of any other AstroVPN users.

We also ensure that any requests we receive are accompanied by a court order or other legally binding document, and we are not afraid to challenge requests that we believe are overly broad or lack proper legal authority.

We believe that transparency is an essential part of building trust with our users, and we are committed to protecting the privacy of all of our users to the best of our ability. We are proud to have received 0 requests over the past six months, and we will continue to stand by our commitment to our users' privacy.

Received Request Breakdown

Over the past six months, AstroVPN received a number of requests from law enforcement agencies around the world. We took great care in reviewing and evaluating each request to ensure that it was legally valid and justified before taking any action. In instances where we determined that the request was appropriate, we provided the requested information while taking steps to protect the privacy of our other users. We also made sure that all requests were accompanied by a court order or other legally binding document, and we were not afraid to challenge requests that we believed were overly broad or lacked proper legal authority. It is important to note that the number of requests we received represents a very small fraction of our overall user base, and we remain committed to protecting the privacy of all of our users while also cooperating with legitimate law enforcement investigations.

Search Warrant (1/1)

During the second half of 2022, AstroVPN was made aware of a Search Warrant issued to an upstream provider that we were using for server infrastructure in Switzerland. Upon being made aware of this incident, we immediately took corrective action to ensure that our customers were not at risk.

Table showing the number of Search Warrant requests received by AstroVPN. The 2H 2022 search warrant is marked with "*", noting the significant fact the search warrant was not directed to AstroVPN directly.

It was clear that AstroVPN was not the intended target of the search, and all actions taken were preventative measures to ensure the safety of our client base. We understand the importance of protecting the privacy and security of our users and will always do everything in our power to safeguard their information.

DMCA Takedown (1/1)

In the past six months, AstroVPN received a total of 1 (one) DMCA takedown request. We are happy to report that our efforts to prevent torrent detection are working, as this represents a significant decrease in the number of DMCA notices we have received.

Table showing the number of DMCA takedown requests AstroVPN has received (on a 6-month basis) going back to 2019. This half (2H 2022) AstroVPN received one request.

At AstroVPN, it is our policy to never hand over customer information as a result of a DMCA notice. Instead, we handle these requests internally and take the corrective action needed to prevent future abuse. We believe that this approach is important in protecting the privacy of our users and maintaining their trust in our service.

We understand that piracy is a serious issue and we are committed to taking steps to prevent it on our platform. However, we also believe that it is important to do so in a way that respects the privacy of our users and does not compromise their personal information.

We are proud of our record in handling DMCA notices and will continue to work hard to maintain the trust of our valued customers.

2023 and Forward

In conclusion, we hope that this transparency report has provided a helpful overview of the requests we received from law enforcement agencies over the past six months. At AstroVPN, we take the privacy and security of our users extremely seriously and are committed to protecting their personal information to the best of our ability. We believe that transparency is an essential part of building trust with our users and are proud to be open and transparent about the requests we receive.

We understand that privacy is a major concern for many of our users, and we will continue to do everything in our power to protect their personal information while also cooperating with legitimate law enforcement investigations. We appreciate the trust that our users place in us and will continue to work hard to earn and maintain their confidence in our service.