Swedish virtual private network company Mullvad VPN is adding QUIC obfuscation for WireGuard to help users get around firewalls and censorship, the company said in a blog post earlier this month.
WireGuard is an industry-standard VPN protocol that’s both lightweight and effective, using strong cryptography while also being speedy. QUIC obfuscation is a technique that disguises online usage as regular HTTP/3 web traffic, making detection more difficult, since HTTP is seen as normal internet usage.
Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.
“HTTP is generally not blocked by state-level censors, since much of the internet would be unreachable without it,” Mullvad’s blog post said.
A representative for Mullvad didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Read more: Best VPN Service for 2025: VPNs Tested by Our Experts
The VPN industry is highly competitive and growing rapidly. It was valued at $41.33 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow to $151.92 billion by 2030, according to Grand View Research.
Multiple players in the space are fighting for the Best VPN title, many of whom heavily advertise their services online, such as ExpressVPN, NordVPN and Surfshark.
Read more: ExpressVPN Adds Siri, Widgets and Shortcuts to Its iOS App
Mullvad VPN seeks to set itself apart by being very privacy-focused. As governments around the world crack down on civic unrest, online privacy concerns and pornography, VPN usage is soaring in certain markets as a response.