Dutch Police Seize VPN Server, User Data Safe

Dutch authorities have confiscated a VPN server belonging to Windscribe, as announced by the company on X. The seizure occurred without a warrant, with officials stating they would analyze the server before returning it. Windscribe has assured its users that their privacy remains protected.

This is because all of Windscribe's servers are RAM-only, meaning they operate on volatile memory. Data is not stored on hard drives and is automatically wiped when the server loses power or is rebooted. Authorities would therefore only find a standard Ubuntu installation, with no user data or connection records to be found.

Windscribe CEO Yegor Sak explained that while authorities might attempt a RAM dump, it would not compromise user privacy. This incident underscores the critical importance of VPNs utilizing RAM-only server infrastructure or employing full-disk encryption for robust user protection.

The company's privacy policy also states it does not log user IP addresses or connection histories. This aligns with previous situations, including a 2023 case where Greek authorities investigated Sak for alleged illegal access, but the case was dismissed as Windscribe had no relevant data to provide.

Windscribe consistently informs law enforcement that it retains no logs, a claim supported by its transparency reports, which show zero requests have been fulfilled due to a lack of relevant data. The company has also undergone regular third-party audits since 2021 to validate its privacy claims.