Obscura VPN: The first VPN that can't log your activity
Obscura: The first VPN that can't log your activity
Obscura is a new VPN that claims it cannot log your activity by design. It uses a two-party protocol: Obscura's relay servers never see your traffic, and exit servers run by Mullvad never see your identity. You sign up with a random account number, pay with Bitcoin Lightning or Monero, and get strong censorship resistance. Available on macOS, iOS, Android, Windows, and Linux.
It’s simple: We can’t leak what we don’t have.
- barathr
As others have pointed out, this is like Apple iCloud Private Relay, and other multi-hop privacy systems that have been built on and off over the last several decades (Tor included).
We wrote a research paper on the general principle a few years ago: https://conferences.sigcomm.org/hotnets/2022/papers/hotnets2...
- maxloh
I don't understand the point of this.
Many (if not all) of the benefits on the landing page are available in Mullvad too, which is a more mature and reputable product, has all clients fully open-source, and powers the exit servers for Obscura.
Why should I choose this over Mullvad?
- RandomGerm4n
It would be cool if there were a way to use it the other way around. A Mullvad server as the entry point and an Obscura server as the exit point. My main problem with Mullvad right now is that its servers are blocked almost everywhere or generate an excessive number of Captchas. With other VPNs, that’s been much less of an issue so far. Alternatively, a residential proxy might be a good option as an optional exit point. One way to achieve this, for example, would be through a partnership with a regular ISP from which you could then borrow IP addresses.
- skaul
So two hops, basically. First hop sees your IP address but not the website you're going to, second hop sees website but not IP address. Similar to Private Relay: https://support.apple.com/en-us/102602.
- tbtech_vn
That's really cool, but perhaps a bit overkill for the typical no-log quick access variant, so shameless plug here even if it primarily is for autonomous agents.
- john_strinlai
i am very skeptical of most vpn companies, and while i haven't looked too hard at obscura, it is worth noting the official partnership with mullvad (https://mullvad.net/en/blog/mullvad-partnered-with-obscura-v...) which is certainly a positive signal
side note: i really wish more companies did the no email + randomized account number flow. there is a certain popular "pro-privacy" product beloved by many here that requires an email address and refuses to offer a similar account number method, which has turned me off the product.
- wahern
> the first VPN that can’t log your activity
and outsmarts internet censorship.
I guess they never heard of Zero Knowledge Systems: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zero_Knowledge_Systems
- osnxkwmxkwnd
This sounds pretty neat, and I do dig the website, though I can’t help but think it’s an odd combination to have bitmap/pixelated fonts and graphics inside perfect squircles.
Seems like you guys have two distinct ideas of a visual identity completely at odds there. Shape contrast is nice and can be rather fun to play with, but it has to be handled with care. Right now it feels like the designer had a bunch of ideas and didn’t know how to bring them together in a cohesive identity.
Bonus point for the TRON reference at the end! “I fight for the users!”