ExpressVPN Provides Update on New VPN Protocol WireGuard

There’s a new VPN protocol called WireGuard. It is free and open-source. With interesting features, WireGuard is believed to have the potential to bring significant changes to the VPN field. Nowadays, WireGuard’s development is now led by Edge Security LLC.

WireGuard’s advantages

Compared to other VPN protocols (like OpenVPN and IPSec), WireGuard is easy to use.

I've just configured working wireguard configuration (raspberry pi + digitalocean) in ~5 minutes. Well, that's really impressive ?

— Stepan Vrany (@MstrsObserver) March 12, 2019

As WireGuard directly operates on an operating system’s kernel level, the integration makes it possible to encrypt and decrypt data in a faster, more secure manner. It works well with MacOS, Linux, Android, and routers. If WireGuard gets established as a widespread protocol, it’s expected to have fewer leaks, low battery usage, and less arbitrary disconnections.

Is WireGuard ready for roll-out?

With the excitement surrounding WireGuard’s tremendous potentials, many users are waiting for when VPN providers will roll-out the new VPN protocol. On Thursday, March 14, 2019, top VPN provider ExpressVPN gave an update, clarifying its position on WireGuard.

WireGuard is not yet complete

ExpressVPN says that there are still lots of work that needs to be done with WireGuard. This is also the opinion of WireGuard’s developers themselves. According to WireGuard’s website:

“WireGuard is not yet complete. You should not rely on this code. It has not undergone proper degrees of security auditing and the protocol is still subject to change. We’re working toward a stable 1.0 release, but that time has not yet come.”

WireGuard has anonymity concerns

One of WireGuard’s biggest challenges is that it can’t ensure anonymity. Whether users are using a VPN or on a public network, they shouldn’t be allocated static IP addresses. Hackers and people with malicious intents have means to detect such IP addresses (for instance, through WebRTC).

Through theft, sale, or legal seizure, malicious users can also acquire records of VPN providers and match these records with identifying data of users. If the VPN company is good, it must be unable to match these records with the identifying data of its users. Unfortunately, WireGuard has no solution yet to this anonymity issue.

ExpressVPN supports WireGuard

Though it is not yet deploying WireGuard, ExpressVPN states it will be supporting moves to review and audit the new protocol’s code. For its part, ExpressVPN will send bug reports and raise any concerns directly to WireGuard’s developers. As ExpressVPN prioritizes the privacy and security of its users, the provider will wait for further tests before it deploys WireGuard for everyone’s use.

This is great news coming from one of our top-rated VPN providers! If they keep this up they’ll find themselves climbing up many of our top VPN providersl ists!

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