Background

Mysterium VPN

Free to download, decentralized VPN!

Browse the internet freely, unblock content around the world and help power the Web3. 

Available for Android, Windows, Mac, and Linux. 

  • Pay-as-you-go - Switch on and off whenever you need, and only pay for what you use (by the megabyte or minute).
  • No sign-up - There are no contracts, no subscriptions, no locked-in costs. You don’t even need an email to sign up!
  • Pay with cryptocurrency - Don’t want to involve credit cards, banks or cash? Use crypto like Bitcoin, Ether, and Litecoin to be truly untraceable and censorship-resistant.
  • No logging - Our decentralised infrastructure means no central servers run by businesses. It’s technologically impossible to store logs of users’ traffic or browsing.
  • Open source - our code has been open-source since day one, so you can verify our level of encryption (and no logs claim).
  • Uncrackable security - Mysterium uses the OpenVPN and WireGuard®️ protocols, matched with the highest-grade ChaCha20 and Poly1305 encryption with BLAKE2 cryptographic hashing.

 

About Mysterium Network  

Mysterium is a Swiss-based, open-source project founded in 2017. Mysterium is building an ecosystem of censorship-resistant tools and web infrastructure to make the internet borderless and accessible for all. Mysterium held a token sale through which it raised $14 million CHF.

Integrationstwitter

🚨 European Commission Staff Data Exposed in Hours

Mon 9th Feb 2026
**European Commission security breach exposes staff information in under 9 hours** A data leak has compromised the names and phone numbers of European Commission staff members in less than 9 hours. The incident highlights ongoing vulnerabilities in government digital systems. **Key concerns:** - Personal information of government employees exposed - Rapid breach timeline suggests systemic security weaknesses - Follows similar incident in Bangladesh where journalist data was leaked through simple URL manipulation **Pattern of government data failures:** This breach mirrors a recent Bangladesh Election Commission incident where 14,000 journalists' personal data—including photos, signatures, IDs, and phone numbers—was exposed for 2 hours through basic URL tampering. **Protection measures:** - Use VPNs for secure browsing - Implement strong passwords - Question mandatory digital data collection - Consider decentralized privacy tools The incident underscores the risks of rushed digital infrastructure deployment without adequate security protocols.
Community article

Harvard and UPenn Donor Data Leaked After Refusing Ransom

Fri 30th Jan 2026
Hackers published over 2 million records from Harvard and UPenn after both universities declined to pay a ransom. The breach exposed: - Email addresses and phone numbers - Home and business addresses - Donation details and biographical information - Internal donor database documents **The attack method**: Social engineering tactics like fake phone calls and credential manipulation - no sophisticated malware required. This breach follows recent incidents including 29.8 million SoundCloud accounts exposed in December 2025 and 150 million logins leaked across Gmail, Facebook, Instagram, and Netflix. The Harvard-UPenn case demonstrates that even institutions with robust security teams remain vulnerable to basic social engineering attacks. [Read the full breakdown](http://mysteriumvpn.com/blog/news/harvard-upenn-data-leak)

🚨 The Gated Internet Arrives

Thu 15th Jan 2026
**2026 marks enforcement year for age verification laws** that swept the U.S. and UK in 2025. The open internet is rapidly transforming into a surveilled space requiring: - Mandatory ID checks - Facial scans - Location tracking - Continuous monitoring What was borderless is now walled and watched. **Privacy tools like VPNs, proxies, and encryption** aren't workarounds—they're essential shields for maintaining digital freedom. This shift follows a pattern: Spain banning social media for under-16s, France targeting VPNs after blocking platforms for under-15s, and Austria implementing ID verification. The UK plans VPN restrictions for under-18s, while platforms like Minecraft, Roblox, and TikTok now demand ID scans just to access basic features. **The concern**: Age verification systems require everyone to prove identity, creating massive databases of personal data vulnerable to breaches. Kids bypass these systems easily, while adults lose anonymity. Stay informed and protect your access to an open internet.

EU Court Adviser Rules VPNs Are Neutral Tools, Not Copyright Violators

Fri 6th Feb 2026
An EU court adviser has ruled that geo-blocking doesn't need to be unbreakable and that neutral tools like VPNs shouldn't be held liable by default. The case emerged when a Dutch foundation published Anne Frank manuscripts online with geographic restrictions, and rights holders argued VPNs made this illegal. **Key implications:** - Could slow the push for mandatory ID checks and surveillance - May prevent overly strict digital borders - Protects internet freedom for streaming, students abroad, and privacy advocates The ruling establishes that technology providers aren't automatically responsible for how users employ their tools, setting an important precedent for digital rights in the EU. [Read the full analysis](https://www.mysteriumvpn.com/blog/news/eu-court-backs-vpn-neutrality)

🎮 Turkey's Gaming Crackdown Could Erase 60% of Steam Library

Fri 6th Feb 2026
Turkey's proposed gaming regulation threatens to upend digital access for 47 million gamers. **What's happening:** - Draft law would require Steam, Epic, PlayStation, and Xbox to establish local offices - Platforms must comply with age ratings and ambiguous cultural guidelines - Non-compliance could result in fines, throttling, or content bans - Up to 60% of Steam's game library may disappear **The real risk:** Major platforms might exit Turkey entirely rather than comply. This would mean: - Loss of digital game libraries - Erased progress and achievements - No access to purchased content While framed as child protection, the law represents expanded government control over digital spaces. The vague "cultural rules" give authorities broad discretion to restrict content. **Broader implications:** This highlights a growing trend where platforms can silently filter speech and alter purchased content. Gaming serves as a clear example of how conditional digital ownership has become—what you "own" can vanish based on regulatory decisions. Turkish gamers face potential overnight loss of their digital collections, with no clear recourse or compensation.

🇬🇧 UK Quietly Expands Biometric Surveillance Infrastructure

Fri 6th Feb 2026
The UK is establishing legal frameworks for mass biometric surveillance, starting with facial recognition technology. The concern is that this creates a precedent for expanding into emotion detection and behavior prediction systems. **Key developments:** - Surveillance infrastructure being normalized through regulatory language - Legal frameworks opening doors for future expansion - Shift from targeted security to population-scale monitoring **Context:** - Prime Minister Starmer previously proposed mandatory digital IDs by 2029 - Plans include phone-based identification and biometric data collection - Officially framed as immigration control and security measures Critics argue this represents a fundamental shift in policing methods, moving from reactive security to proactive population monitoring. The concern is that once legal infrastructure is established, the scope of surveillance typically expands rather than contracts.

Iran Plans to Cut Global Internet Access

Fri 6th Feb 2026
Iran is moving forward with plans to disconnect from the global internet, a decision that could significantly impact online freedom and privacy for its citizens. **Key Points:** - The Iranian government is working to isolate its internet infrastructure from the rest of the world - This follows a broader trend of internet restrictions, including the recent US decision to withdraw from global internet freedom initiatives - Citizens may face severe limitations on accessing international websites, services, and information - The move raises concerns about censorship, digital rights, and the ability to communicate freely online This development highlights the growing fragmentation of the global internet and the importance of tools that can help maintain access to information across borders. [Read more](https://www.mysteriumvpn.com/blog/news/irans-plan-cut-global-internet)

Iran Builds North Korea-Style Intranet Cutting 90 Million From Global Web

Fri 6th Feb 2026
**Iran imposed a 25-day internet blackout** affecting 90 million people, but this goes beyond typical censorship that VPNs can circumvent. **Key developments:** - Government constructing a North Korea-style intranet system - Only approved websites accessible - All traffic monitored by authorities - Connectivity previously dropped to just 1% **What this means:** This represents a shift from temporary shutdowns to permanent digital isolation. Unlike standard censorship, an intranet creates a closed network where citizens can only access government-approved content. **The broader impact:** This is Iran's most extreme internet control measure to date, effectively creating what experts call a "digital prison." The infrastructure being built could permanently sever Iranians' access to the global internet, controlling information flow and hiding evidence of government actions from the outside world.

🚨 Bangladesh Election Site Exposed 14,000 Journalists' Data Through Basic URL Trick

Fri 6th Feb 2026
**The Breach** Bangladesh's Election Commission leaked personal data of approximately 14,000 journalists through a new accreditation website. The exposed information included photos, signatures, ID documents, and phone numbers. **How It Happened** The vulnerability was shockingly simple: changing "user" to "admin" in the website's URL granted access to complete application files. No sophisticated hacking required - just basic URL manipulation. **The Damage** - Personal information exposed for 2 hours - Data could be downloaded, copied, or archived during exposure window - Demonstrates rushed government digital systems lacking basic security **Key Takeaway** This incident highlights how even official government platforms can fail at fundamental security. When institutions rush digital infrastructure without proper testing, your personal data becomes vulnerable. **Protect Yourself** - Use VPNs when submitting sensitive information - Maintain strong, unique passwords - Question whether mandatory digital forms are truly necessary - Assume any data you submit online could potentially be exposed
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