PrivitizeVPN completely busted by Google - shocking!

I think this is really interesting. I was looking for a CD to download and saw a download from the Pirate Bay. Then I noticed they advertized that I could download in private. I was in shadow mode with Shadow Defender, so I thought why not? I downloaded the set-up file and began the installation. It's called PrivitizeVPN. I chose the Custom installation and unchecked the browser addons etc... It installed and then I connected it.

I went to speedtest.net and the speeds were awesome! But I noticed something. Google was in English with no sign of another country so I checked the ip. I have several IP address location sites bookmarked. They all showed Sweden. So I surfed for a while and then I had a thought. I went to google maps. And to my absolute surprise, it not only showed the United States, but it showed a map of my city! I was shocked. So I went through an entire list of browser tests and IP sites that I have saved, including GRC DNS etc... The DNS showed Finland and the IP address showed up as Sweden in every single test.

I decided to exit the VPN. I ran cleaners and deleted sandboxie and tried a couple other VPNs. None of them showed my city. So I reconnected to PrivitizeVPN and went to google maps and sure enough, it showed a map of the city that I live in. I did the browser tests and DNS tests again. They all showed Sweden and Finland.

So I had an idea. I decided to login to an old gmail account. One that I have had for many years that is not private. Down at the bottom of the page it will show the IP address of the current and previous logins. So guess what IP address showed up? Mine. My real IP was showing.

So while none of these browser tests was able to see my true IP, Google was!

Some of you may have seen another post where I mentioned that the German exit nodes in airVPN do not fool Google. I went back and tested those. Gmail does not show my true IP, but instead of telling me what country it is like it normally does, it leaves that blank. And when I go to Google Maps, it shows me a picture of the United States. I think Google has some special magic up it's sleeves.

I would not recommend using the German exit nodes with airVPN. I use Italy, Singapore and others. But I don't use the German exit nodes. Some here may disagree. But I am just putting my opinion out there. Take it or leave it.

 

Maybe PrivitizeVPN is really just a proxy server?

Or maybe Google is setting some new sort of super cookie

 

I don't know about proxy server. But every single IP address locator service, browser test, and DNS test that I have ever seen, or ever seen posted here.....that try to expose a true IP, showed Sweden and Finland. All of them. Only Google showed my true IP.

I thought about the cookie. But if that was the case, then why is the super cookie not working for any other VPN? Well, I guess it is partly busting airVPN's German exit nodes. But it's not showing my real IP. It just seems a little strange to say the least.

But I thought about the cookie. So I delete the sandbox, ran bleachbit, ccleaner, and r-wipe. I then re-installed PrivitizeVPN and got the same results. Very weird. I can't help but wonder if there is some kind of deliberate leaking between PrivatizeVPN and Google

 

Maybe PrivitizeVPN is colluding with Google, or maybe Google can see through it. Either way, it's worthless.

But if Google can't see through other VPNs, even after testing PrivitizeVPN, it's probably not super cookies. And really, Google isn't that evil

Indeed, Google tells me that some consider PrivitizeVPN to be malware

 

The exact same thing happens to me when I use a program that's called HMA. Do you think it happens for the same reasons? Google will seriously control the world one day haha

 

What browser? Could browser-based AP sniffing derived geolocation have played a role? Something that you allowed for Google but not for other IP Address/location sites? Did you run a sniffer to verify that your connections to Google weren't going through the VPN as opposed to your IP Address somehow being leaked to Google over the VPN?

 

the way i see it 2 things might have happened there:
-the ip check was not done by the server and instead from your own computer/browser.
-it was not really a vpn!

 

PrivitizeVPN is not a PirateBay product. Its a product from another company that pays PirateBay to host and offer it as a download. Don't use it. Same rules apply to all free VPN service.

 

Yes you are right. I will not use it. I am glad that I was in shadow mode when I tried it.

 

I have geo.enabled in Firefox set to false. So it's not that.

 

Caspian,

It's something to do with the browser, and probably add-ons (even privacy ones)...but I haven't traced it down yet.

I have a very mature Firefox 19 Portable install with a ton of add-ons. If I type googleDOTcom, I get regular Google. I also have an Iron Portable install that I never use. I just opened it and tried Google - I got the search page for the country I'm VPN'd into. I'm on Air. So it has something to do with the browser, and maybe the actual company (Firefox .vs Iron). I doubt Google can see your real IP. Maybe something is set to 'English' somewhere, etc... but It'll be a pain to track down. Something to check out anyway.

PD

Edit: I just logged into an anon Gmail account on Air, and "Last Activity" showed the Air address...I don't think Google can bust VPN anonymity. This was with the Firefox Portable browser.