IVPN acquires Safing, operator of Portmaster and the SPN network

The key points

• IVPN has acquired Safing ICS Technologies GmbH*, the company behind the consumer firewall application Portmaster and the SPN network
• Over the coming months, the IVPN team will take over the operation of the Portmaster and SPN services
• IVPN is committed to continuing the improvement of the VPN service, Portmaster, and the SPN network with a focus on better integration across our services

The why and how

We believe a trustworthy VPN service is just one part of the essential toolkit for resisting online surveillance. Complementary tools like application firewalls help you achieve greater control over your network and connections. After considering the development of a new application from scratch, we determined that Portmaster, with its maturity and reliability, stands as the best service currently on the market.

Following initial discussions that highlighted shared values with Safing and its founders, Raphael and Daniel, both parties agreed that an acquisition was the logical next step. We are looking forward to building on their work and offering a suite of products that help people protect their privacy online.

The next steps

The IVPN team will start to take over responsibilities in December, with Raphael and Daniel supporting us in an advisory capacity to ensure a smooth handover over the next few months.

Our pledge to Safing’s customers and community:

• No disruptions: We have no plans to change the business model, pricing, or policies in ways that would disadvantage you.
• Transparency: At IVPN, we default to transparency and will keep you informed about our plans and developments—there will be no surprises.
• Uphold values: All decisions we make in the future regarding the service will be guided by the shared principles of the Safing community and IVPN

You can learn more about the story behind the acquisition and the next steps in Safing’s blog post and a joint announcement video by Raphael and Viktor from IVPN.

* formally, Nicholas Pestell owns 100% of both IVPN and Safing ICS Technologies GmbH

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