Police Fail Attempted Raid On Mullvad VPN
Police Fail Attempted Raid On Mullvad VPN
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Mullvad, the Swedish firm responsible for Mullvad VPN (virtual private network), has reported that police left empty-handed after attempting to seize computers from its offices in Gothenburg, Sweden.
An update on Mullvad’s website states that the authorities departed without taking anything when informed that the company does not retain any of it’s customers data.
The National Operations Department (NOA) of the Swedish police has visited Mullvad VPN with a search warrant, with the intention to seize computers with customer data. No customer data was compromised. https://t.co/bMpPRNz88N
— Mullvad.net (@mullvadnet) April 20, 2023
Think Police
Mullvad cleverly turned the tables on the six man team of dopey detectives by arguing.
“there was no reason to expect they would find what they were seeking, and any seizures would therefore be illegal under Swedish law,”
Mullvad went on to state.
“After demonstrating that this is indeed how our service operates and consulting with the prosecutor, they left without taking anything or obtaining any customer information.”
This represents a massive own goal by the Swedish police at a time when they are scrambling to quietly curtail online freedom. For a company like Mullvad, this is the type of publicity that money simply can’t buy.
Friends Don’t Pry
Mullvad went on to reveal that this is the first time in its 14 years of VPN operation that police have issued them with a search warrant.
A worrying development for those who value their right to online privacy, but entirely in keeping with the draconian changes we are seeing in countries that traditionally had a more privacy orientated view on these matters.
Various media outlets have contacted the Swedish authorities for more information on the failed raid but as yet, no response has been forthcoming.
Clutching at Straws
Anyone familiar with Mullvad will know that their VPN service does not require an email address for registration and instead generates a random account number for all users, In line with Mullvads policies the customer data sought by the police simply does not exist. Even if the police had removed hardware from the VPN providers offices, they would not have found anything.
Company CEO Jan Jonsson told The Verge.
“By now, they should be familiar with how our service functions. Our business is centered around the fight against data retention, and we never store any activity logs of any kind.”
Freedom First
Mullvad clearly state on their website that they believe in a free internet, free from the type of mass surveillance and censorship that is everywhere you look these days. Their approach to internet freedom and anonymity even stretches to their innovative ideas around pricing and how you can pay for their service.
Priced at a refreshingly simple flat rate of 5 Euros per month, no matter the payment frequency, it’s a welcome departure from the coercive pricing we see elsewhere. What’s even more remarkable for an internet company in this day and age is that you can actually pay via Cash or top up with a Scratch card from one of their resellers, a move reminiscent of the early days of mobile phone top ups.
Of course, they still have more modern payment options like debit card and crypto but in a world where we are being forced into a future where every transaction is stored for future scrutiny, this is a hugely impressive step back into the comfort of the old normal.
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