Active in providing VPN services since 2005, GoTrusted can confidently call itself a pioneer in providing top security and privacy protection services to both consumers and corporate internet users all around the world. Just a year later, in 2006, they introduced their patented SURE technology to be able to provide solid support on locations where other providers failed to provide a VPN connection. Today, they continue to innovate by following internet speed increases introduced by ISPs and through the development of GoTrusted apps for Android and iOS along with many other software updates.
Unlimited usage and bandwidth – both are offered by GoTrusted with support for both your laptop/desktop computers and mobile devices added to this as well. When we asked the company’s CEO David Lonardo if he could give us numbers on their network of VPN servers, he replied that they prefer not to disclose this publicly to safeguard the high security of their services. This is a perfect illustration of GoTrusted’s high concerns about protecting their users’ data and privacy as well as possible. Read through the interview to get valuable internet security tips from David along with in-depth information on his company’s VPN services.
Can you introduce yourself to our readers?
I’m David Lonardo, President and founder of GoTrusted VPN service. I have worked in the network security industry since the 90s – formerly for Symantec corporation.
Is it fair to say that GoTrusted is more about protecting users’ online privacy than unlocking websites?
We started GoTrusted primarily to protect both users’ systems and privacy on public internet connections and insecure ISPs. When we started GoTrusted, there really was no easy solution to secure your systems over public Wi-Fi internet connections when mobile. GoTrusted was one of the first public VPN services and the first SSL type public VPN offered. This made it compatible over many networks compared to other VPN protocols at the time.
GoTrusted worked over any NAT type routers, for example, where other VPN’s could not connect. These connections can be hotels or countries that filter the internet when traveling, cafes, any public Wi-Fi, or even insecure ISP connections to the home such as some cable providers, which made it very easy to listen in on your internet activities. GoTrusted solved this by providing a ‘firewalling’ effect when connected to block open ports and using strong encryption on communications sent and received from your computer over the internet. Thus, making any intercepted traffic gibberish to malicious snoopers. Of course, there are many other benefits to using GoTrusted, such as being able to view blocked websites like Facebook, YouTube, Twitter or the free press media from places where the internet and news is filtered.
You seem to put a strong focus on the Chinese market. What makes your VPN service the best one for users in China?
GoTrusted’s Secure Tunnel software automatically uses many different VPN modes to access the GoTrusted secure network. This makes it much easier for the end-user to connect when secure communications are usually blocked by ISPs or in countries, such as in China. GoTrusted’s own patented VPN protocols, along with other standard protocols are deployed by the software depending upon network conditions and your location… the user, of course, just has to click one button. We’ve had a lot of customers tell us that GoTrusted worked where other VPNs failed to connect – and this is a focus of our engineering efforts.
How many servers, IPs and locations across the world does GoTrusted have?
GoTrusted does not release complete lists of IP ranges or exact server locations. We consider this to be a security issue when VPN IP/domains are listed freely. These IP counts change depending upon network conditions and loads in any case. We do have servers at secure locations globally at major internet super nodes that provide reliable/unfiltered internet access for users connecting from almost any location in the world. We also have a large margin of bandwidth bursting available on the network – so the user, when connecting to any IP, is assured a fast connection. The GoTrusted software auto-configures the server retrieved when connecting so our customers do not have to ‘hunt’ for a good server IP to connect to.
Video: GoTrusted Commercial with Mr. TMI
Does GoTrusted work on Linux, Xbox 360 and PS3? If not, will support for these be added in the future?
Although we do not officially support consoles, GoTrusted’s network supports many different VPN protocols that users with third party plugins have managed to connect without much issue… using PPTP, for example. The same applies to Linux, although this is much easier since, like any modern OS, Linux support L2TP and PPTP, both of which can be used to connect to the GoTrusted VPN service network.
How well does GoTrusted work with Skype and other VoIP, cloud apps?
We test popular applications with the GoTrusted network – including VoIP. Skype, for example, is part of our standard quality assurance checks as we have a lot of business customers using that when traveling abroad or at remote office locations. GoTrusted does not filter any applications over the internet, so any application designed to work on a local network (behind a NAT router) should work okay over GoTrusted.
Will you release iOS, Android apps in the future?
We are in process of developing our own branded mobile application at this time for Android and iOS. Both Android and iOS users are currently supported with the GoTrusted service through the standard VPN capabilities of their devices. Android users also have the option of a standard third party OpenVPN application to connect to the GoTrusted network.
Can you tell us a bit more about your patented VPN technology?
Although a full description is in the patent itself, it’s primarily an improved SSL type VPN that GoTrusted developed back in 2006. We saw an issue where other VPN types were failing to connect over certain networks that attempted to block secure connections, and we came up with a solution. The GoTrusted VPN technology, called SURE for Secure User Routable Encryption, was tested/deployed at locations where previous VPN methods failed… including other SSL types. SURE technology was found to provide a reliable and fast connection with strong encryption in those locations.
What makes your VPN services more suited for small businesses and enterprises than those of other providers?
The core focus of both small businesses and enterprises is to keep support for the applications that they use to a minimum. Support equals time, which equals lost productivity. Small businesses have the issue where, because of costs, they do not have an IT expert at the ready and just need things to work out-of-the-box.
Enterprises have the issue where they have the expert IT admins, but those admins have thousands of employees to oversee – most of which are not computer experts. Those admins are responsible for making sure the software works for those employees. VPN software, as you know, can sometimes be very complex, with lots of buttons and settings… all of which is a support issue waiting to happen if misconfigured.
GoTrusted’s motto is, two buttons is one too many. The GoTrusted software is designed primarily to handle most any setting automatically, removing the issue of ‘support’ from the complexity of a VPN connection from an almost innumerable variation of networks that the software is used from. This driving design philosophy makes the GoTrusted software ideal for VPN deployments for both our small business and enterprise customers.
Why should our visitors choose GoTrusted and not a different provider?
I guess this is when I mention that we have unlimited bandwidth, unlimited usage, and a single account can be used to secure both mobile and laptops for a low monthly fee? Well, that’s all true, and we have a free trial to prove it but, as you know, GoTrusted is no longer one of the only players in the VPN security business. The VPN security market is currently teeming with providers. The best advice I can give anyone looking for a VPN is two things:
One… You need a VPN service, without a doubt, for using your smartphone or laptop on any public Wi-Fi connection. The cost is minimal for the protection provided. Being in the business, I can say first-hand of all the amazing amount of damage an unprotected internet connection can cause to a device, your privacy, and your identity protection. If you don’t have a VPN service yet, get one now from a reliable and reputable company.
And Two… How to determine a reliable and reputable company? Just like antivirus, you likely will not be installing some strange software from an unknown vendor from an unknown location on your computer to ‘protect’ against viruses. VPN is the same thing.
You’re picking a company to protect your privacy and secure your system. Given the amount of choices for a VPN service provider, it’s hard to tell who you can trust with your privacy. Some providers use adware in their software which result in browser pop-ups, toolbars and who knows what else being installed on your system. Also, their software may not perform the actual VPN function properly. GoTrusted’s own testing has shown vendors to have issues with DNS leakage – a technical term that basically means that their software was allowing the website domains that you were browsing to go un-encrypted and broadcast in the clear. We hope customers will try GoTrusted for their VPN security needs given our reputation and longevity in the business. That experience is difficult to replicate.
Do you have further internet security tips for (business) people who travel a lot?
We have a blog on our website that publishes posts about internet security issues.
In general, make sure your antivirus is up to date – often said, I know, but it’s important. If using a Mac/PC, lock down your open ports by activating the built-in system firewall – Mac users especially… as they typically have this disabled. GoTrusted software itself will also completely ‘stealth’ any ports left open on your host system, once a session is activated.
Remember that when connecting to the internet, we’ve shown hotels and public Wi-Fi (airports) in certain countries that filter the internet or are high in crime/fraudulent activity will immediately attempt to install malware/tracking software on your system as you connect to their Wi-Fi networks. Be aware of this. Professionals should use sand-boxing (throw-away virtual systems) in short stays to countries that fit this profile. Also, even in ‘freer’ countries, everyone in the hotel or airport that you’re using to connect to the internet will be able to intercept or see your traffic unless encrypted.
The general public should temporarily set their web browser security settings to maximum when traveling and buy a subscription to specialized anti-malware scanning software in addition to their anti-virus. Perform lots of manual scans with your anti-malware and anti-virus after using the local internet when traveling. And, of course, make sure your VPN service is ON when using the internet.
Which novelties may we expect from your company in the future?
GoTrusted is currently in the process of expanding our available bandwidth in locations around the globe. Because of recent increases in internet connection speeds provided by ISPs, a bandwidth increase for European GoTrusted customers is due in a couple of weeks and more bandwidth for Asia is due next month after testing is completed in that location.
We also have our iOS and Android applications in progress and due later this year to make it easier for those users to connect to the GoTrusted network.
Anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
We’d like to wish you luck with your website. Anyone that brings focus onto the benefits of VPN security is a plus for our industry. Thank you!
Big thanks to David Lonardo from GoTrusted for this great in-depth interview! It was great to find out more about this industry pioneer, and we appreciate the fresh tips to increase our internet security.
If you’re a customer of GoTrusted, make sure to write a review for them on our site.
Daniel C.
Sander D.
