Bitmask is a 100% open source censorship-bypassing VPN from LEAP Encryption Access Project. It is one app that allows you to connect to multiple trusted VPN providers. Bitmask is third-party audited, fast, secure, super easy to use, and free! You just install it and run it—zero configuration, zero registration. Bitmask and our partner providers do not require user accounts, keep logs, or track you in any way.
OUR TRUSTED VPN PROVIDERS
VPNs help protect your privacy and secure your online activity, but it’s super important to use a trusted VPN provider. With Bitmask you can select from our trusted service providers riseup.net and The Calyx Institute. Riseup.net is a longtime provider of online communication tools. Their email and mailing lists are used by hundreds of thousands of users around the world. The Calyx Institute has a long track record of educating users about the threat of online surveillance and providing tools to protect their privacy.
OPEN SOURCE AND THIRD PARTY AUDITED
Like any good VPN, Bitmask helps you to protect your internet traffic against mass surveillance, enhances your online privacy, and can help bypass censorship. Specifically, Bitmask
– is third party audited and uses only open source technology
– encrypts and protects your traffic from the spying eyes of your internet service provider
– secures your browsing traffic on public and private Wi-Fi networks
– hides your IP and your real location from websites and online services
– circumvents censorship and allows you access to blocked content
THIS IS A FREE, DONATION-FUNDED SERVICE
Bitmask is free to use and funded by donations from users like you. We believe everyone should have access to secure communication tools. Your donations keep Bitmask operational. Thank you!
DEVELOPED BY LEAP ENCRYPTION ACCESS PROJECT
Founded in 2012, LEAP is dedicated to giving all internet users access to secure communication. There are many fronts in the fight against the enclosure of the internet and the relentless efforts to surveil and monetize our lives. LEAP is part of the growing effort to expand the use of circumvention technology to protect us from government and corporate incursion into our online lives. LEAP builds and brands RiseupVPN, CalyxVPN, and Bitmask. https://leap.se
MORE TRANSLATIONS!
We want to continue to expand the use of VPNs, and translations are critical to this effort. Contributions to this effort are greatly appreciated and can be done here: Transifex project https://app.transifex.com/otf/bitmask/dashboard/
SOME TECH SPECS
– Built on Android's VPNService
– Uses OpenVPN with WireGuard coming soon
– UDP for fast connections, and TCP for more stability
– Censorship bypassing technology like Obfs4, Snowflake, KCP + Obfs4 and more
– No IPv6 Leaks: Bitmask will not leak IPv6 traffic
– No DNS Leaks: Bitmask is configured on both the client and the server to prevent any leaking of DNS
features:
- provide support for QUIC as obfuscation protocol
- improve bridge hopping mode
bugfixes:
- reduce obfuscated connection failure rates after changing settings
- fix updating expired VPN certificate via new API v5
- improve invite code validation
- fix minor UI bugs in location selection and censorship circumvention settings
- support new provider config API (beta)
- allow to setup provider using an invite code and via an obfuscated proxy
- scan invite codes via QR code
- new circumvention settings user interface
- in-app language picker
- update openvpn and openssl
- updated translations (<3<3<3 -> translators)
- support for elliptic curve private keys used in VPN setup
Fixes an app crash during provider setup in case the app has been moved to the background.
features:
* updated openvpn, openssl, tor, snowflake
* encrypted storage
* new provider setup UI
* Support for Android 13
* support TLS 1.3 on all Android versions
* Dns over Https (DoH) during provider setup
bugfixes:
* fixed possible on-device DoS vulnerability, leading to app crashes
* fixed task hijacking vulnerability (aka. strandhogg)
* fixed blocking vpn service stopping and notifications disappearing correctly
* disable location selection button if provider only supports 1 location
Since the last release was not fully rolled-out, a summary of version 1.1.6 and 1.1.7:
* updated design
* improved circumvention capabilities
* updated dependencies (openvpn, tor, snowflake etc.)
* updated translations
* fixed crashes and other bugs
* support for Message of the Day
* 1.1.7 fix: hiding debugging entries in settings
features:
* improve censorship circumvention
* point donation link to Riseup Labs
* updated translations
bugfixes:
* fix notifications not disappearing after disconnecting the VPN from the quick tile settings
* fix some app crashes
* fix icon colors in advanced settings screen
bugfixes:
* fix crash in tile service on some devices
Due to the increased demand of the VPN service, we need more donations to run the servers. Therefore, we have set the donation reminder to once a week.
features:
* Tor on Snowflake: use new circumvention tech to unblock the communication between Bitmask and its configuration servers
* many, many new translations
* improved user interface
* UDP support for faster connections
* updated dependencies
bugfixes:
* some app crash fixes
* disable LED for VPN status notifications, enable them if app updates are available
* improvement some wordings
features:
- updated translations
bugfixes:
- fix app crash in gateway selection error handling
- removed slovenian language as it is unmaintained right now
- fixed potential crashes due to wrong string formatting in several languages
features:
- some new translations, more coming soon
bugfixes:
fixed relaunch VPN on reboot
-> in case always-on system setting is enabled on Android O+
-> in case VPN was connected before turning off the smartphone on pre Android O
-> better support for "Block connections without VPN" system setting while rebooting
features:
- support for Android 10 and Android 11
- new translations (<3 to all translators)
- update openvpn, openssl and other dependencies
bugfixes:
- fix "exclude apps from VPN" feature
features:
- geoip service: improved automatic gateway selection, taking hemisphere into account
- vpn tethering over bluetooth
- general vpn tethering improvements
- tile service: start/stop Bitmask from Quick Setting Tiles
- security updates (openssl, openvpn)
- updated translations (thanks to Localization Lab and all translators!)
bugfixes:
- fixes for several UI bugs on Android 4.X devices
- improved provider setup flow
- fixes for several rare crashes
- fixed memory leaks
1.0.3 - the PuraVida release:
- circumvent DNS blocking
- IPv6 Firewall: allows now the usage of many apps that couldn't connect before while Bitmask was enabled (requires root permission)
- VPN Tethering: share your VPN with other devices via USB or Wifi-Tethering (requires root permission)
- updated translations bugfixes
- fix UI bug in navigation drawer
- implement Pluggable Transports to circumvent VPN blocking
- exclude apps from VPN (credits to Akuma!)
- improved gateway setup error handling
- faster recognition of newly added providers
- updated translations (thanks to Localization Lab and all translators!)
- reduced APK size
- fix performance issues on UI thread if VPN (re-)connects
- fix several crashes
- removed annoying dot from navigation drawer menu icon ;)
- show the correct state on main screen if VPN blocks all outgoing traffic
Features:
- full support of Android 8+ kill switch ("Block connections without VPN")
- improve visibility of connecting state by changing the progress animation
- update ics-openvpn, openssl and openvpn
- a lot of small UI improvements
- updated translations (thanks to Localization Lab and all translators!)
Bug fixes:
- fix Android 9 app crash
- fix tablet layouts in portrait
- fix bug that leads to inability to turn off VPN on Android 8+
0.9.11 - another consolidation release
- fixes app crashes
- make Bitmask usable for Android 4.X again
- improve setup if provider changes its config
- improve vpn start
- fix notification sound bug on Android O
- new translations
Bugs:
- fixes error handling of invalid VPN client certificates
Features:
- updates on languages (thanks to Localization Lab!)
- improved gateway selection: if the app cannot connect to the nearest gateway it will choose the next closest one
Features:
- allows providers to create an own version of Bitmask without knowing much about Android development
-> Credits goes to janak, a GSOC 2018 participant for LEAP!
- direct link to Android's VPN settings to allow always-on vpn
- updated crypto libraries
- new translations
- bugfixes
0.9.8 - the UI overhaulFeatures:- support for Android's always-on vpn system setting- complete new ui based on material design- improved error handling- updated crypto libraries- support for Android 8.1- new translations- new experimental feature to save batteryseveral bugfixesAnd much more: https://0xacab.org/leap/bitmask_android/blob/master/CHANGELOG
- support for Android O- fixes failing login on Android 7.0 and Android 7.1 (Android Nougat)- fixes vpn gateway selection- fixes support for tablets- fixes several app crashes- updated ics-openvpn code, incl. openvpn and openssl- show vpn data throughput and button to disconnect vpn in notification bar- enforce TLSv1.2 on all devices- bitmask honors the default protocol order (udp/tcp) specified bythe LEAP provider