UCWeb is a mobile internet company that is part of the powerful Alibaba Group of China. The company is behind UC Browser, a highly popular solution in Asia with millions of users who rely on the smart features and great performance that it offers. The browser is available in 7 languages and it stands out for its simplicity, compatibility and speed. UC Browser is regularly updated to ensure a seamless experience and it works with a variety of platforms, including Android, Windows Phone and iOS. One of the best features of UC Browser is that it can help you to access content faster, thanks to the data compression and cloud acceleration that it applies to load content more efficiently.
The content of the web pages is compressed by the browser’s servers before transferring it to you, which helps content to load faster. The data compression feature also allows you to control data usage. The cloud system enables UC Browser to send and capture data from nearby servers, which can help to reduce the time that it takes to load the content. As a result, UC Browser is a great option to enjoy a fast browsing experience. In addition, UC Browser allows you to download files in multiple formats and it also offers a HTML5 web app and cloud syncing functionality. You can manage your downloads without hassle and stop downloads and resume them later. With UC Browser it is also possible to save pages for offline access.
Security Issues
While there are many reasons to consider UC Browser, it is important to note that there are some downsides that affect your online privacy. In 2015, research organization Citizen Lab tested the English and the Chinese version of UC Browser and exposed the fact that due to some major vulnerabilities, the data of many users had been compromised. Citizen Lab found that personal information was sent to a diversity of commercial tools. It also criticized the disappointing level of encryption used by UC Browser.
To make matters worse, Edward Snowden revealed that the ASD (Australian Signals Directory), which plays a similar role as the NSA, was taking advantage of the security weaknesses found in UC Browser to spy on user’s online activities. The ASD in cooperation with the other member of the Five Eyes alliance (United Kingdom, United States, Canada and New Zealand), exploited the vulnerabilities of the UC Browser to install spyware on users’ devices. Eventually, Alibaba took measures to fix these security issues and it provided new versions of the browser so that Citizen Lab could test them.
Citizen Lab was able to confirm that the majority of issues that they previously found were resolved. However, if you use UC Browser and want to make sure that your information remains secure, it is still advisable to take measures to prevent that your private data is accessed by third parties. The most effective and practical solution to protect your browsing activity and personal data from online threats is a VPN. To select the best VPN services for UC Browser, we have taken into consideration aspects like mobile support and security.
ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN’s mobile apps are known for their excellent quality and the service offers great speed and stability. With the top performance that ExpressVPN supports and the capacity of UC browser to load websites faster, you can enjoy a more efficient browsing experience. Although ExpressVPN’s prices are higher than other options available, the great quality of the service makes it an option that should be taken into consideration. There are no activity logs kept, data is protected with string encryption and you can browse, stream and download content without hassle.
Private Internet Access
Apart from offering affordable prices, PIA is known for supporting features that will keep your data protected. They don’t keep logs of your online activities and their software includes a kill switch, that will close all internet applications when the VPN connection drops. This prevents your real IP address, your location and your online traffic from being exposed. PIA also offers good speeds and it gives customers the possibility of accessing over 3200 servers.
NordVPN
If you are concerned about your privacy, NordVPN is an excellent choice thanks to its solid zero logs policy and the fact that this provider is based in Panama, away from the jurisdiction of the NSA, the ASD and other Five Eyes’ organizations. NordVPN is great for UC Browser as it offers top security and great software for a variety of platforms and devices, including tablets and smartphones. They support multi-hop double connection and Tor over VPN, which bring an extra layer of security to your data.
PureVPN
PureVPN combines convenient features and reasonable prices. They have great apps for mobile platforms and the service is easy to use. Their global coverage is remarkable and you can switch between servers in over 140 countries. PureVPN also offers strong security to protect your data from eavesdroppers, hackers and other threats. Additionally, they don’t monitor or log your online traffic. Thanks to the speed, security and solid mobile apps that PureVPN offers, it can be considered as another good option for UC Browser.