TunnelBear

TunnelBear, a well-known VPN service, is under the ownership of the McAfee security company and operates from Toronto, Canada. With a distinctive and playful bear-themed interface, it has been a part of the VPN scene for quite some time. To stay competitive in the growing VPN market, TunnelBear has made efforts in recent years to enhance its features, including the introduction of unlimited device connections, catering to the evolving needs of users.

Privacy and encryption

TunnelBear, a reliable VPN service, employs standard encryption methods to ensure the security of your connection. The primary concern lies in its business location, which is not in the most privacy-friendly country.

In terms of encryption, TunnelBear adopts the widely accepted AES-256 encryption with an SHA-256 hash for authentication. This encryption method, even approved by the US government for classified information, guarantees the safety of your connection, preventing easy scrutiny of your online activities.

The VPN offers various tunneling protocols, although their availability depends on your device's operating system. TunnelBear's kill switch feature, known as VigilantBear, steps in to safeguard your privacy during brief connection disruptions. VigilantBear pauses your internet connection while awaiting a response from the VPN server. If the server responds, data transmission resumes, preventing exposure of your IP address or location. Presently, this feature is available on Windows, macOS, and Android apps, with no confirmation regarding its availability on iOS devices.

It's important to note that disconnection and disruption notification alerts are deactivated by default. Therefore, if VigilantBear is triggered, you may not receive notifications, potentially leading to unnecessary troubleshooting of other network components.