Recent research by Citizen Lab and Arizona State University exposed troubling connections among some of the world’s most-downloaded VPN apps. VPN - Super Unlimited Proxy was included because of our scale, but the research did not identify us as part of those hidden families. Here’s why the research matters, and how we keep our service transparent and secure as one of the most-downloaded VPNs in the world.
The researchers found that some VPN apps share the same underlying code and infrastructure, and even reuse hard-coded passwords, practices that raise real security concerns. A number of these apps were also linked to Qihoo 360, a Chinese company with state ties. The takeaway is straightforward: when encryption keys are hard-coded, traffic can be decrypted, and when apps aren’t upfront about data collection, users can’t fully trust that their privacy is being protected.
That context is why we want to be clear about who we are. VPN - Super Unlimited Proxy is operated by Super Unlimited Inc., a U.S. based company headquartered in Redwood City, California. We operate independently and under U.S. law, where consumer protections and privacy standards apply.
It’s true that some articles summarizing the research have listed VPN - Super Unlimited Proxy alongside other VPNs. We were included in the researchers’ dataset because of our scale: our app is among the most widely used in the world, with more than a billion downloads to date. The analysis itself, however, placed us in an “Other” group: apps that were checked but showed no hidden ownership ties and none of the “family” traits flagged in the reports.
One reason for that distinction comes down to protocols. The apps flagged in the reports rely heavily on Shadowsocks, an older system never designed to be a true privacy tool, and often with the same password hard-coded into every client. That’s not how we work. Our stack uses modern and trusted protocols such as:
None of these rely on static keys, and none involve shortcuts that put users at risk. Each session is encrypted dynamically, and we don’t embed universal passwords in our code.
We’re equally direct about data. Unlike some of the apps flagged, we don’t log your browsing history, we don’t track your physical location, and we don’t sell your personal information. To keep the app free, ads are shown with the help of trusted partners. Some of these may be personalized, but you can opt out anytime through your device settings (Google or Apple), the DAA AppChoices app, or partner privacy tools. Our Privacy Notice makes this clear: “VPN - Super Unlimited Proxy does not record your VPN browsing activities in any way that can be associated with you… Since we do not collect your VPN browsing activities, even if we were compelled to share user activity data, there would be nothing to give.”
What we do collect is minimal and operational: things like whether a connection succeeded or failed, the speed and latency of a connection, and anonymized error reports when something crashes. This data helps us keep servers balanced, diagnose problems, and improve reliability. It never includes your browsing history, the apps you use, or your physical location.
The bigger point is this: the researchers are right to shine a light on the corners of the VPN ecosystem that thrive on opacity. Too many services have profited by leaving users in the dark. But their findings also underline an important distinction. Not every free VPN cuts corners. Not every provider misleads its users. Some, like us, choose transparency and work to keep the promises that VPNs are supposed to deliver.
We welcome scrutiny, because it makes the industry stronger. If you’re trusting us with your traffic, you deserve nothing less than full clarity about who we are and how we operate. That’s also why we offer a paid option so users who prefer an ad-free experience can support the service directly, without any tradeoffs on privacy. VPN Super Unlimited Proxy is built on that foundation. U.S.-headquartered, independently run, and committed to protecting your privacy.
If you’d like to know more, feel free to get in touch with us. We’d love to hear from you.
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