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Navigating the digital landscape in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Dubai can be a complex task, especially when it comes to maintaining online privacy and accessing restricted content. The UAE has stringent internet regulations, making the use of a Virtual Private Network (VPN) not just a convenience, but often a necessity for both residents and visitors.
In this article, we aim to provide a comprehensive guide to the best VPNs for use in the UAE and Dubai. We understand the unique challenges faced in this region, from heavily censored content to regional geo-blocks, and the importance of maintaining a secure and private internet connection.
We will explore the most reliable and efficient VPN services that cater to the specific needs of internet users in the UAE and Dubai. Our focus will be on VPNs that offer robust encryption, a wide range of server locations, fast connection speeds, and a strict no-logs policy. Whether you’re seeking to access global content, secure your online transactions, or simply safeguard your digital privacy, this article will help you find the best VPN solution for your needs in the UAE and Dubai.
To be considered a good VPN service for use in places such as Dubai and the UAE, it must provide great protection against DNS leaks, have no traffic logs, offer a strong encryption scheme, not be blocked (some VPN services are blocked in the region), and have many servers.
NordVPN stands out as an excellent VPN choice for users in the UAE and Dubai for several reasons, despite some drawbacks:
Enhanced Security with SSL 2048-bit Encryption: NordVPN goes beyond the industry standard by offering SSL 2048-bit encryption, which is significantly stronger than the typical 256-bit encryption. This heightened level of security is particularly important in the UAE and Dubai, where online surveillance and censorship are prevalent.
Double VPN Protection: The option for double encryption (double VPN) provides an extra layer of security by routing your internet traffic through two separate VPN servers. This feature is especially beneficial for users in the UAE and Dubai who require additional privacy safeguards due to stringent internet regulations.
Extensive Server Network: With over 5000 servers globally, NordVPN offers users in the UAE and Dubai a wide range of options for connecting to different regions. This extensive network is crucial for bypassing geo-restrictions and accessing a broad spectrum of content.
Multiple Simultaneous Connections: The ability to have up to six simultaneous connections is advantageous for users with multiple devices or families sharing a single VPN account.
Support for Various Platforms: NordVPN’s compatibility with major platforms like Android, iOS, Windows, and Mac, accompanied by comprehensive tutorials, makes it accessible and user-friendly for a diverse range of users.
Strong Privacy Features: Features like a strict no-logging policy, DNS leak protection, and an automatic kill switch are essential for maintaining user privacy and security in the UAE and Dubai, where digital privacy can be a concern.
Effective Customer Support: The availability of email and chat support for resolving issues enhances the user experience, offering assistance whenever needed.
Pricing and Performance Considerations: While NordVPN is one of the more expensive options available, its range of features and strong performance in privacy-sensitive regions like the UAE and Dubai can justify the cost. However, potential users should be aware of the slower server connection times and the extended refund processing period.
In summary, NordVPN’s advanced security features, extensive server network, support for multiple devices and platforms, and strong privacy protections make it a reliable VPN choice for users in the UAE and Dubai. These features, combined with effective customer support, provide a comprehensive solution for overcoming the region’s internet restrictions and privacy concerns, despite its higher price and some performance nuances.
ExpressVPN is a strong choice for users in the UAE and Dubai for several reasons:
Strong Encryption and Security: ExpressVPN uses AES-256 encryption, which is the gold standard in the industry. This level of encryption is crucial in the UAE and Dubai, where internet surveillance and censorship are prevalent. It ensures that your online activities are secure and private.
DNS Leak Protection: This feature prevents your DNS requests from being exposed to your ISP or other third parties. This is particularly important in the UAE and Dubai, where government surveillance can be a concern.
Strict No-Logging Policy: ExpressVPN’s commitment to not keeping logs of user activity is a significant advantage in a region where digital privacy is a concern. This policy ensures that your online behaviors, including the sites you visit and your online communications, are not recorded or monitored.
Extensive Server Network: With servers in over 90 countries, ExpressVPN offers one of the widest selections of server locations. This vast network is particularly beneficial in the UAE and Dubai for accessing international content and bypassing local restrictions.
Effective Customer Support: Quick and efficient customer support is crucial, especially in regions where users might frequently encounter issues due to strict internet regulations. ExpressVPN is known for its responsive and helpful customer service.
Ease of Use: The VPN service is designed to be user-friendly, catering to average users who may not be technically proficient. This makes it accessible for most people in the UAE and Dubai who need a simple, effective solution for bypassing censorship and securing their internet connection.
High Cost Consideration: While ExpressVPN is more expensive than some other options, the level of service, security, and the extensive server network it offers can justify the cost, especially in a region where reliable and secure internet access is vital.
Limited Configuration for Power Users: Although ExpressVPN may not offer the granular and advanced settings desired by power users, its balance of ease of use, security, and performance makes it a suitable choice for the majority of users in the UAE and Dubai.
In summary, ExpressVPN’s combination of strong encryption, privacy protection, extensive server network, and user-friendly design make it a suitable VPN choice for users in the UAE and Dubai, especially for those concerned about privacy, security, and accessing a wide range of international content.
VyprVPN offers several features that make it a suitable VPN choice for users in the UAE and Dubai, despite some limitations:
Owns Its Servers: Unlike many VPNs that rent servers, VyprVPN owns its servers, providing greater control over the network. This ownership is significant in regions like the UAE and Dubai, where stringent internet regulations are in place. By owning its servers, VyprVPN can ensure better privacy and security controls, a critical factor for users in these regions.
Strong Encryption and Privacy Measures: VyprVPN employs military-grade encryption, ensuring a high level of data security. This is particularly important in the UAE and Dubai, where the government strictly regulates internet use. The strong encryption helps protect user data from surveillance and interception.
No-Logging Policy: VyprVPN’s commitment to a no-logging policy is crucial for users in the UAE and Dubai, who may be concerned about their online activities being monitored or recorded. This policy ensures that users’ online actions, including their browsing history and data usage, remain private.
Bypassing Censorship: VyprVPN has a track record of providing anonymity and circumventing censorship, which is a key requirement for users in the UAE and Dubai. The region is known for its internet censorship, and a VPN capable of bypassing these restrictions is essential for unrestricted internet access.
Pricing Considerations: While VyprVPN is known for being more expensive than some competitors, with price points of $12.95 and $9.95, the investment may be justified for users who prioritize the benefits of owning servers and strong privacy features.
Performance Aspect: One downside noted is the slower service compared to competitors. This factor might be a consideration for users who require high-speed connections for activities like streaming or gaming.
In summary, VyprVPN’s server ownership, robust encryption, and strong stance on privacy and no-logging make it a compelling option for users in the UAE and Dubai, especially for those who prioritize privacy and security over speed and are willing to invest in a higher-priced service. The ability to bypass censorship is particularly relevant in these regions, making VyprVPN a suitable choice despite its slower performance and higher cost.
Do not get the idea that there are harsh filtering policies in every area as there are specific things that government regulatory bodies are concerned with. Some of these are:
Content that offends/defames persons
Religious content that can be considered either controversial or offensive
Content related to terrorism
Sexually explicit content
Discriminatory content (especially that which promotes hate)
Content that promotes illegal drugs
Content encouraging political discussion that opposes or threatens the ruling power
Much of this content, such as pornography and terrorism, are blocked at the Internet Service Provider (ISP) level upon instruction from The UAE Telecommunications Regulation Authority.
3. Unexpected Offensive or Unlawful Acts
The problem with a lot of these regulations is that they are not clear cut in many cases and so specific actions that are frowned upon or legal are sometimes hard to infer. To understand this better, consider the following actions that are either frowned upon or considered illegal in the UAE and Dubai based on their regulations:
Picture posts – In many areas of the world, it is normal to post group photos on social media without a second thought. In the UAE and Dubai, however, it would be in your best interest to ensure you have permission from the parties in the pictures, or to ensure that you do not post the pictures at all. The Federal Law number 5 (2012) states that privacy violation with Information Technology is a legally punishable offense. The posting of photos of parties without their consent falls into this category.
Potentially offensive emotes, emojis and emoticons – When considering a platform such as WhatsApp, the use of emojis is a staple in conversation. In the UAE and Dubai, however, should someone feel offended by any emoji, emoticon or emote (whichever applies to the platform you use), you could face legal trouble.
Unapproved websites – This one is more of a grey area than others as not every unlawful website is blocked. While there are some websites that you should obviously not be on such as those that promote hacking, others are quite harmless. Using them, however, could have some hefty legal consequences.
4. Penalties
The unfortunate reality in the UAE and Dubai is that whether cybercrimes are innocently committed from harmless acts or they are committed with intent, the matter is treated in the same matter. Engaging in activities that are considered discriminatory or offensive, attracts a prison sentence of up to 10 years. Additionally, there are large fines of anywhere between US $100,000 and US $600,000 that can be charged in addition to or instead of the jail sentence.
It is not uncommon for activists and reporters (whether foreigners or those local to the UAE) to find themselves facing legal sanctions for unlawful speech or posting unlawful content that seems non-violent and completely innocent. These penalties and their far reach have led to self-censoring in the UAE and Dubai as persons would rather forego accessing certain content or making certain posts than run into legal issues.
5. Cyber Security
Until now, only privacy and legislation has been discussed. Another consideration, however, is that of cybersecurity. Emirates such as Dubai are known around the world for wealth and attractions. This makes such territories attractive to not only well-meaning visitors, but they also become attractive to those with malicious intent. The attraction was so high that in 2016, 5 percent of all cybersecurity attacks in the world targeted the UAE.
This was discussed at the International Conference for the Criminalization of Cyber Terrorism (ICCCT) in 2017; a year that was synonymous with numerous financial losses for corporate and private individuals alike. In the year 2017, Dubai increased monitoring of internet access and tightened sanctions as the equivalent of $1 billion US dollars was stolen from victims because of over 130 attacks on over 30 websites.
The number of total victims was over half that of the total UAE adult population. In 2018, the data of 14 million users and 558,000 drivers were compromised because of a successful cyber-attack on Careem, the number one competitor of Uber in the Middle East.
The attack exploited a breach, which allowed attackers to access a database that stored information on company drivers and users of the application. The data that was compromised included names, phone-numbers, trip data, and e-mail addresses. While it was not a concrete conclusion, Careem indicated in an interview with Reuters that there was no evidence to suggest that data such as passwords or stored credit cards were compromised. The world is no longer living in an age where attackers are satisfied with being able to successfully exploit a breach. Attacks are most often launched to result in a gain for the attackers; and what better location to target than one that seems to be thriving financially?
6. Why you may need a VPN when traveling to UAE & Dubai
Considering the information presented, the seemingly simplest solution is to self-censor to stay within the confines of the law. However, unless you have extensive experience with the territory or unless you are a resident, this may be a bit harder than it sounds. Also, while self-censoring may be a (partial) fail-safe in the context of the law, it does not bolster your defenses against cybersecurity threats. Once you are accessing networks in the UAE region, the device that you are using can be exposed to breaches. Details such as your public IP address contribute to geolocation and is tracked by ISPs.
Additionally, with the changes to access and tighter surveillance that has been implemented in Dubai and the UAE, there are additional systems capturing information on your device and your activity. This means that there are channels that can be exploited for access to this information directly, as well as the monitoring systems that are now eligible to be attacked. The suggested method for protecting yourself is using a system that encrypts and encapsulates data and promotes your privacy as your traffic is sent over the internet. A Virtual Private Network can be used to achieve this.
7. What is a VPN?
A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a subscription-based service that provides privacy, anonymity, and security by masking your traffic and hiding your online activities. The service works by offering four main points of functionality. These are:
IP address hiding through change – Your IP address is a unique set of digits that identifies your device and/or location. Public IP addresses are assigned to a location by an ISP. Every device that connects to your network shares this public IP. This sharing is possible because all devices have various private IPs that can only be seen internally. This system exists because IP addresses are limited. Therefore, each network can use the same set of private addresses while only requiring a single public IP.
Traffic comes into the public IP then is directed to the applicable private IP through Network Address Translation (NAT). In turn, all devices send out traffic over the same public IP using NAT. The traffic is marked so return traffic can be properly addressed. Public IP addresses are changed to reflect other locations when connected to a VPN and so your location stays hidden.
Data Encryption – Traffic is encrypted when a VPN is used. This means that attackers that try to intercept your traffic are not only going to have trouble getting to it but if they should the data is encoded and cannot be decoded without the required decryption key.
Website and service access – As discussed, there are websites and services that are blocked at the ISP level based on state regulations. Some of the stranger services that fall into this category are Skype and streaming services such as Netflix. Due to the IP and location change mentioned above, such services become accessible as your location appears to be outside the UAE or Dubai.
Marcus is a cybersecurity analyst with a focus on VPN and proxy services. As the founder and driving force behind a prominent VPN and proxy website, Private Proxy Guide, Marcus has emerged as a trusted authority in the digital realm. With a passion for staying ahead of evolving cyber threats, he has played a pivotal role in educating and empowering individuals and businesses to safeguard their online presence.
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