Today's virtual private networks (VPNs) take the stage: 2010 and beyond As users became more conscious of the importance of privacy and anonymity, companies like HideMyAss (2005), PureVPN (2007), ExpressVPN (2009), Tunnelbear (2011), NordVPN (2012), and IPVanish (2012) were able to establish themselves as leaders in their respective markets. As a result of government censorship, virtual private networks (VPNs) have also gained popularity in a number of countries.