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Israeli Ownership of VPN Companies: Why Your 'Private' VPN Might Not Be Private

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Israeli Ownership of VPN Companies: Why Your 'Private' VPN Might Not Be Private

You pay for a VPN to protect your privacy. You trust the VPN company with all your internet traffic - every website you visit, every message you send, every search you make. But do you know who actually owns your VPN? The answer might shock you. Many of the most popular VPN companies are owned by Israeli firms - the same nation that created Pegasus, the world's most invasive spyware.

The Israeli Cybersecurity Industry

Before understanding VPN ownership, you need to understand Israel's position in global cybersecurity:

The Unit 8200 Pipeline

Israel's Unit 8200 is an elite military intelligence unit:

  • Comparable to America's NSA
  • Trains soldiers in cybersecurity, surveillance, and hacking
  • Many graduates enter the private sector
  • Creates a pipeline of skilled cybersecurity professionals

The Commercial Spyware Industry

Israel is the world's leading exporter of commercial spyware:

NSO Group: Creator of Pegasus spyware

  • Can infect any smartphone
  • Used against journalists, activists, and world leaders
  • Licensed to governments worldwide
  • Targeted WhatsApp users with zero-click exploits

Candiru: Another Israeli spyware company

  • Creates tools for government surveillance
  • Caught targeting human rights defenders
  • Part of Israel's offensive cybersecurity industry

Black Cube: Private intelligence firm

  • Staffed by former Mossad agents
  • Engaged in corporate espionage
  • Used to surveil and discredit targets

The Israeli Cybersecurity Ecosystem

Israel has more cybersecurity companies per capita than any other country:

  • Hundreds of companies in the sector
  • Billions in venture capital investment
  • Close ties to Israeli military intelligence
  • Export-focused industry

VPN Companies with Israeli Connections

Now let's examine specific VPN companies and their Israeli connections:

ExpressVPN

Status: Acquired by Kape Technologies (Israeli company)

Details:

  • Once one of the most trusted VPNs
  • Acquired by Kape Technologies in 2021
  • Kape Technologies is headquartered in Israel
  • Previously known as Crossrider, a company known for adware/malware

The Problem:

  • Your traffic now flows through Israeli-owned infrastructure
  • Israel has extensive surveillance capabilities
  • No transparency about data handling post-acquisition

CyberGhost

Status: Owned by Kape Technologies (Israeli company)

Details:

  • Popular Romanian-origin VPN
  • Acquired by Kape Technologies
  • Same Israeli parent as ExpressVPN

Private Internet Access (PIA)

Status: Owned by Kape Technologies (Israeli company)

Details:

  • Once considered privacy-focused
  • Acquired by Kape Technologies
  • Changed ownership multiple times
  • Israeli parent company raises concerns

ZenMate

Status: Owned by Kape Technologies (Israeli company)

Details:

  • German-origin VPN
  • Acquired by Kape Technologies
  • Part of the Israeli company's VPN portfolio

Kape Technologies: The VPN Empire

Kape Technologies now owns:

  • ExpressVPN
  • CyberGhost
  • Private Internet Access
  • ZenMate

This means millions of users who think they're choosing between independent VPNs are actually sending their traffic to the same Israeli company.

Other Israeli-Connected VPNs

Hola VPN:

  • Israeli company
  • Peer-to-peer VPN model
  • Users' bandwidth used by others
  • Significant privacy concerns documented

TunnelBear (before McAfee acquisition):

  • Had Israeli connections in development
  • Now owned by McAfee (American)

IVacy VPN:

  • Some Israeli connections reported
  • Ownership structure unclear

Why Israeli Ownership Matters

You might wonder: why does it matter if a VPN is Israeli-owned?

Israel's Surveillance Capabilities

Israel operates sophisticated global surveillance:

  • Pegasus spyware: Infects phones worldwide
  • Intelligence partnerships: Shares data with Five Eyes nations
  • Technical capability: Advanced hacking and surveillance tools
  • Legal framework: Limited oversight of intelligence activities

Data Access

Israeli intelligence could potentially:

  • Request data from Israeli companies
  • Access infrastructure for surveillance
  • Monitor traffic flowing through Israeli-controlled VPNs
  • Correlate VPN traffic with other surveillance data

Precedent: NSO Group

If Israeli companies will sell spyware to authoritarian regimes, would Israeli VPN companies resist Israeli intelligence requests?

The Five Eyes Connection

Israel is a "third party" partner of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance:

  • Shares intelligence with the US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand
  • Receives intelligence from these nations
  • Part of the global surveillance network

Data flowing to Israel may ultimately reach US intelligence through this partnership.

The Kape Technologies Problem

Kape Technologies deserves special attention:

History as Crossrider

Before becoming a VPN company, Kape was Crossrider:

  • Developed browser extension platform
  • Accused of facilitating adware and malware distribution
  • Changed name to distance from negative reputation
  • Pivoted to VPN acquisitions

The Privacy Irony

A company that once facilitated adware now owns multiple "privacy" VPNs:

  • CyberGhost
  • ExpressVPN
  • Private Internet Access
  • ZenMate

Consolidation Concerns

Kape's acquisition of multiple VPNs means:

  • Less competition
  • More users under one corporate umbrella
  • Centralized infrastructure
  • Single point of data access

What About Other VPN Ownerships?

Israeli ownership isn't the only concern:

Chinese-Owned VPNs

Some VPNs have Chinese connections:

  • Potential access by Chinese intelligence
  • Data collection concerns
  • Different but similar risks

American-Owned VPNs

US-based VPNs face:

  • Patriot Act compliance requirements
  • NSA data requests
  • FISA court orders
  • National security letters

Five Eyes VPNs

VPNs based in Five Eyes countries (US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand) are subject to:

  • Intelligence sharing agreements
  • Legal data requests
  • Potential gag orders

How to Evaluate VPN Ownership

Before trusting a VPN with your traffic:

Research the Company

  1. Check the parent company: Many VPNs are owned by larger corporations
  2. Research ownership history: Has the VPN been acquired?
  3. Look for jurisdiction concerns: Where is the company incorporated?
  4. Check transparency reports: Does the company publish them?

Key Questions

  • Who owns the VPN company?
  • Where is the parent company headquartered?
  • Has ownership changed recently?
  • Are there connections to intelligence or surveillance industries?
  • What jurisdiction governs the company?

Red Flags

  • Recent acquisition by larger company
  • Ownership in Five Eyes or Israel
  • Former military intelligence connections
  • Lack of transparency about ownership
  • Parent company with history in surveillance or adware

VPNs Without Known Israeli Connections

For those seeking to avoid Israeli-owned VPNs:

Options to Consider

Mullvad:

  • Swedish company
  • Strong privacy reputation
  • No Israeli ownership identified
  • Account number system (no email required)

ProtonVPN:

  • Swiss company
  • Same team as ProtonMail
  • No Israeli ownership identified
  • Strong privacy reputation

IVPN:

  • Based in Gibraltar
  • Privacy-focused
  • No Israeli ownership identified

Important Note: Companies can change ownership. Always verify current ownership before trusting.

No VPN is Perfect

Even "good" VPNs have considerations:

  • Mullvad: Swedish jurisdiction (EU data retention concerns)
  • ProtonVPN: Swiss, but faces legal pressures
  • All VPNs: Trust required that they operate as claimed

For Muslim Users: Special Considerations

Muslims should be particularly cautious:

Israeli Surveillance of Muslims

Israel has demonstrated interest in surveilling Muslims:

  • Palestinian surveillance is extensive
  • Muslim activists targeted with Pegasus
  • Intelligence sharing with Western governments
  • Documented monitoring of Islamic organizations

Research Topics

If you research topics like:

  • Palestine
  • Iran
  • Islamic theology
  • Muslim politics
  • Anti-Zionism

Using an Israeli-owned VPN means your traffic flows through infrastructure controlled by a nation with documented interest in monitoring such activities.

Travel Concerns

If you travel to Muslim-majority countries:

  • Using Israeli-affiliated services could cause issues
  • Some countries restrict Israeli-linked technology
  • Consider your VPN choice carefully

The Technical Reality

Regardless of ownership, VPNs have inherent limitations:

Your VPN Knows Everything

Your VPN provider can see:

  • Every website you visit
  • When you visit
  • How long you stay
  • How much data you transfer

Trust is Required

VPNs require trust:

  • Trust in their logging policy
  • Trust in their technical implementation
  • Trust in their ownership
  • Trust in their legal compliance

The Fundamental Problem

You're trusting one entity with all your internet traffic. Who that entity is matters enormously.

What Should You Do?

If Using Israeli-Owned VPN

If you're currently using ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, PIA, or ZenMate:

  1. Understand the risks: Israeli ownership means potential Israeli access
  2. Evaluate your needs: Are you researching sensitive topics?
  3. Consider alternatives: Non-Israeli VPNs exist
  4. Layer your protection: Use Tor or other measures for sensitive activities

General VPN Advice

  1. Research ownership: Know who owns your VPN
  2. Understand jurisdiction: Where your data lives matters
  3. Use multiple tools: Don't rely solely on VPN
  4. No illegal activity: VPNs can be compelled to provide information
  5. HTTPS everywhere: Protect your traffic even from VPN

For Maximum Privacy

  1. Use non-Five Eyes, non-Israeli VPN
  2. Combine with Tor for sensitive activities
  3. Use privacy-focused browsers
  4. Minimize identifying information
  5. Understand your threat model

Conclusion: Know Who You're Trusting

The VPN industry has consolidated dramatically, with Israeli company Kape Technologies acquiring multiple major VPNs. Millions of users who think they're making independent privacy choices are actually sending all their traffic through Israeli-owned infrastructure.

This doesn't mean these VPNs are actively malicious. It means:

  • Your trust is placed in Israeli companies
  • Israeli intelligence has potential access
  • Your threat model should account for this
  • Alternatives exist if you prefer different ownership

Privacy is about making informed choices. Knowing who owns your VPN is essential to making that choice.

For Muslims, for activists, for researchers studying Israel or Palestine, for anyone whose activities might interest Israeli intelligence - choosing a non-Israeli VPN is a reasonable precaution.

The question isn't whether Israeli VPN companies are compromised. The question is whether you want to trust your traffic to a company headquartered in a nation that created Pegasus and operates extensive global surveillance.

Choose wisely.

Written by Huzi - Exposing the hidden connections in the privacy industry.