Mullvad, recognized as one of the premier VPN services available, has unveiled a significant enhancement to its Android application: the introduction of a multihop feature that allows users to route their internet traffic through two distinct servers.
Enhanced Security and Privacy
This multihop functionality is a pivotal advancement in the realm of online security and privacy, providing users with a layer of protection that surpasses traditional single-server connections. According to the company’s blog, the feature creates a “tunnel within a tunnel,” whereby data is transmitted through both an entry server and an exit server before reaching its final destination.
Our multihop feature allows you to route traffic through multiple servers, creating a tunnel within a tunnel. This means that your traffic passes through two servers—an entry server and an exit server—before reaching its final destination.
By strategically selecting servers located in different jurisdictions or operated by various hosting providers, users can significantly complicate the tracing of their data. However, it is important to note that the geographical distance between the two servers may impact network performance.
Robust Defense Against Compromise
Mullvad emphasizes the enhanced effectiveness of its multihop service. By routing traffic through multiple servers situated in separate jurisdictions, users gain an elevated level of privacy and security. In the event that one server is compromised, adversaries would face the daunting challenge of executing timing attacks across multiple locations to decipher online activities.
Routing your traffic through multiple servers in separate jurisdictions gives you a higher level of privacy and security, even if one server were to be compromised. Adversaries would need to launch timing attacks against the traffic in multiple locations in order to analyze your online usage.
Based in Sweden, Mullvad benefits from robust legal protections for VPN providers and adheres to a strict no-logs policy, ensuring that user activity is neither recorded nor retained. This commitment to privacy was notably validated when authorities attempted to access one of Mullvad’s servers, only to discover there was no data available.
The introduction of multihop capabilities enhances an already exceptional service, solidifying Mullvad’s position as a leading recommendation in the VPN landscape.