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| Guardian Firewall | |
|---|---|
| Developer | Sudo Security Group |
| Initial release | June 2019; 6 years ago (2019-06) |
| Operating system | iOS,macOS,Android,Windows,Fire OS |
| Type | Virtual private network,Firewall,Privacy software |
| License | Proprietary |
| Website | guardianapp |
Guardian Firewall is a privacy-focused application that combinesvirtual private network (VPN) andfirewall functionality to block data and location trackers on mobile and desktop devices.[1][2] Developed by Sudo Security Group and founded by security researcher Will Strafach, the application is available for iOS, macOS, Android, Windows, and Fire OS platforms.[3][4]
Guardian Firewall was founded in 2013 by Will Strafach, a security researcher and formeriPhone jailbreaker known by the alias "Chronic."[5][6] The company gained prominence in 2017 when Strafach discovered that the AccuWeather mobile application was transmitting precise user location data to third-party companies without user permission.[7][8]
The Guardian Firewall application became publicly available in June 2019, initially launching for iOS devices.[9][10] The application subsequently expanded to additional platforms including macOS, Android, Windows, and Fire OS.
In August 2022, Guardian was acquired by DNSFilter, a provider ofDNS-based web content filtering and threat protection.[11][12] Following the acquisition, Guardian continued to operate as a standalone application while integrating DNSFilter's AI-powered DNS security features.[13]
Guardian Firewall operates by routing device traffic through an encrypted VPN tunnel to Guardian's servers, where the system identifies and blocks unauthorizedtracking attempts while maintaining application functionality.[14][15] The application blocks connections to location trackers, email trackers, and data collection services while encrypting network traffic using AES-256 encryption.[16][17]
The software supports bothIKEv2 andWireGuard VPN protocols.[18][19] Users can view blocked connection attempts through an alerts interface that categorizes tracking attempts by type, and the application includes an exceptions feature allowing users to exclude specific applications or websites from firewall filtering.[20]
Guardian Firewall operates on a no-logs policy, stating that it does not collect or store user activity data, connection logs, or personally identifiable information.[21][22] The service underwent independent security audits by security firm Assured in 2024 to verify its privacy practices and infrastructure configurations.[23][24]
In July 2020, Guardian partnered with Brave Software to integrate Guardian's firewall and VPN technology into the Brave web browser.[25][26] The integration, branded as Brave Firewall + VPN, provides system-wide protection beyond browser traffic and is available across Brave's iOS, Android, macOS, and Windows applications.[27][28] The partnership uses a privacy-preserving authentication system that does not require user information retention.[29]
Technology journalist Glenn Fleishman wrote in Fast Company that Guardian represented a novel approach to mobile privacy protection by performing tracker blocking at the server level rather than on the device itself.[30] Security researcher Kenn White commented on the Guardian-Brave partnership as representing innovation in combating online tracking and data mining.[31]
In 2020, Guardian was featured on the show Lockdown.[32]
Prior to the application's public launch, technology blogger John Gruber of Daring Fireball described the service as following a "set it and forget it" user experience model.[33] By the time of its acquisition in 2022, Guardian reported having blocked over 5 billion data trackers and 1 billion location trackers.[34]