A surprising number of famous VPNs are owned by, or closely related to, Israel. ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, Hotspot Shield, Auro, HolaVPN, and many other big names are in the list. Considering there are Israeli intelligence agencies like Mossad and Unit 8200, is your data still safe with those Israeli VPN companies?

That’s exactly what SafePaper is here to figure out. No racism, no bias, just a clear look at Israel’s data practices and legal reality to help you make choices.

Quick Overview – VPNs with Strong Ties to Israel

The table below provides a quick overview of Israeli VPN Companies and their specific VPN products to pay attention to.

Company	Related VPN
Kape Technologies	ExpressVPN, CyberGhost VPN, Private Internet Access (PIA), ZenMate (deactivated)
Point Wild	Hotspot Shield, Betternet, UltraVPN, Touch VPN, VPN 360, OVPN, PrivadoVPN, Bitdefender VPN, TotalVPN
Hola VPN Ltd	Hola VPN
Check Point	Check Point Capsule VPN, Mobile Access, Harmony SASE, Quantum Remote Access VPN
Extended List (93 Companies)	Perimeter 81, Cato Networks, … (primarily enterprise network security providers less known)

Why Israel Is Not A Privacy Heaven

As shown above, many mainstream VPNs have strong ties to Israel. So, is Israel an ideal choice for your data security? The answer is no. The main risks come from:

1. Israeli Intelligence Agencies

Israeli intelligence agencies have the legal right to monitor any VPN that has a physical presence there, and can gain enhanced capability to do so when former military personnel are part of the VPN’s core team.

Photo credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON’S UNIT

• Mossad

Mossad is a foreign intelligence focued national agency in Israel. It utilizes advanced tools and intelligence alliances (like the “Five Eyes+”) to gather information and is one of the world’s largest espionage agencies. This global reach raised concerns about potential monitoring of Israeli VPN companies.

• Shin Bet

Shin Bet is Israel’s domestic security agency, focusing primarily on internal surveillance. It can legally compel domestic telecommunications providers to provide extensive user metadata. This power was used for large-scale contact tracing during the COVID-19 pandemic, which also raised concerns over data processors like VPNs.

• Unit 8200

Unit 8200 is the elite cyber intelligence unit of the Israel Defense Forces. It is known for supplying talent to the Israeli cybersecurity industry, and its members often hold leadership or positions in major global technology and security companies, including several well-known VPN providers.

2. Israeli Data Laws and Regulations

All VPNs with companies or servers in Israel must comply with local laws. Israeli data laws authorize the government to forcibly obtain data under the guise of “national security” and prohibit companies from disclosing it to users.

• Privacy Protection Law (PPL)

Privacy Protection Law (PPL) is Israel’s primary privacy protection law. Amendment No. 13, which strengthens regulation and penalties, came into effect in August 2025. However, the law includes exemption clauses that apply when personal data processing is carried out by “national security” authorities and is “reasonable and necessary for the performance of their duties.

• Israel Security Agency Law

The Israel Security Agency Law defines the powers of the domestic security agency Shin Bet. This law authorizes Shin Bet to legally request user data from telecommunications providers and other entities in order to fulfill its duties (such as counter-terrorism).

• Gag Orders

According to a report by Reuters, the number of gag orders in Israel has approximately tripled over the past 15 years. This trend increases the possibility that your data be handed over by an Israeli VPN company secretly.

3. Global Intelligence Partnerships

The Five Eyes (FVEY) is an intelligence alliance that shares information across Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK, and the US. While not officially included, Israel were prospective member of the Five Eyes alliance and collaborated before.

Due to Israel’s close cooperation with Western intelligence alliances such as the “Five Eyes,” VPNs whose parent companies or servers are located in allied countries, like the US, are also at risk. User data may be collected by allies and indirectly provided to Israel through intelligence-sharing agreements.

Israeli VPN Companies & Close VPN Ties

This deep company and Israeli government association is further strengthened by a complex web of VPN relationships. Many well-known VPNs are closely connected to one another.

1. Kape Technologies

It’s no secret that the former company of Kape Technologies is the advertising company Crossrider, which is known for inserting malicious ads. Israeli billionaire Teddy Sagi acquired Crossrider in 2017 and renamed it to Kape Technologies PLC the next year. The company started acquiring VPNs like CyberGhost VPN and later expanded to others including Private Internet Access, ExpressVPN, and Zenmate, becoming one of the giants in cybersecurity.

Though Kape Technologies is based in London, there are far more connections between it and Israel.

Ultimate Control: Ultimate control of the company has always remained in the hands of Israeli billionaire Teddy Sagi, who has a history of financially supporting the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), raising questions about the potential link between his business interests and national loyalty.

Israeli Military Background: Several core founders and executives have service backgrounds in Israel’s elite intelligence forces; for example, co-founder Koby Menachemi served in the top cyber intelligence unit, Unit 8200.

Israeli R&D Center: Kape maintains a significant R&D center in Tel Aviv, which not only constitutes a substantial business presence in Israel but also means that these operations are entirely within the jurisdiction of Israeli law.

2. Point Wild

Point Wild, Aura, Pango Group, and AnchorFree are essentially different names for the same growing cybersecurity group that owns multiple VPN brands. It all started with AnchorFree, famous for its flagship product Hotspot Shield. Through acquisitions and rebranding, it evolved into what is now known as Aura (formerly the Pango Group), with Point Wild also being part of its corporate structure.

As of 2026, Point Wild is tied to VPNs in two ways: it owns/operates consumer VPN brands including Hotspot Shield, Betternet, UltraVPN, Touch VPN, VPN 360, plus OVPN and PrivadoVPN (acquired by Pango per PitchBook). It also powers partner VPNs. Bitdefender VPN integrates Pango’s VPN technology and infrastructure, and after Pango’s merger into Point Wild, the broader group also includes TotalVPN (a TotalAV add-on).

The complicated background of this cyber gaint making its headquarters hard to locate, but its ties to Israel still run deep.

Founder Background: AnchorFree was co-founded by David Gorodyansky and Eugene Malobrodsky. David shared his entrepreneurial journey in The Times of Israel, with the title explicitly stating “this Jewish VC.” The article also points out that both of AnchorFree’s founders are Jewish immigrants.

Company Legal Foundation: According to Wikipedia, the core parent company, Pango Group, “was established in Israel in 2017”. Subsequently, the business was acquired by Aura, which is explicitly described as “an Israeli-founded cybersecurity company (via parent Pango Group).” This establishes its legal status as an Israeli company.

3. Hola VPN Ltd

Hola VPN stands out prominently on the Israeli VPN map. Its corporate entity, Hola Networks Ltd., is registered and operates in Israel, and its founding team consists of local serial entrepreneurs. The company’s control center, R&D, and legal entity are all located in Israel. This means that its core operations are entirely under Israeli jurisdiction and must comply with local laws like PPL.

Headquarters & Legal Jurisdiction: Hola VPN Ltd, headquartered in Israel, is entirely under Israeli jurisdiction and must comply with Israeli laws like the Privacy Protection Law. It may be legally required to provide data in matters involving “national security.”

Complex Intelligence Industry Connections: Reports indicate that its business network, Bright Data(formerly Luminati Networks), is linked to the Israeli NSO Group, a company that develops surveillance software, placing it within a complex intelligence industry ecosystem.

4. Check Point

Check Point is a cybersecurity company primarily geared towards enterprises. Unlike consumer-facing brands like ExpressVPN, Check Point’s core business focuses on providing professional remote access and network perimeter security solutions for businesses like “Quantum VPN” and “Harmony SASE”.

Israeli Identity and Jurisdiction: Check Point is an Israeli cybersecurity company founded in Ramagan, Israel in 1993, with its global headquarters in Tel Aviv. This means its legal entity and core operations are subject to the Israeli judicial system.

Intelligence Background: The company’s co-founder and long-time CEO, Gil Shwed, drew inspiration for its firewall technology from his service in Unit 8200, an elite cyber intelligence unit of the Israel Defense Forces. This background makes its technology inextricably linked to Israel’s national security networks.

Accusations of Intelligence Link: According to Reuters, Chinese regulators have accused a number of companies of having “linkages with intelligence agencies,” including Check Point. Also named was the well-known security company McAfee, whose affiliated VPNs include McAfee Safe Connect and TunnelBear.

5. Extended List (93 Companies)

For a broader overview of Israeli VPN and cybersecurity companies, refer to the “Top VPN Companies in Israel” generated by the business data platform ensun. This list lists 93 VPN companies related to Israel and their details for further research.

Conclusion

The focus on Israeli VPN companies is not political or racist. It stems from how Israel’s government and legal system work, that’s what fundamentally shapes the trustworthiness of VPN companies. Instead of targeting just one country or one company, be a universal skeptic for all products related to your privacy, like what SafePaper does.

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