Apple @ Work is exclusively brought to you by Mosyle, the only Apple Unified Platform. Mosyle is the only solution that integrates in a single professional-grade platform all the solutions necessary to seamlessly and automatically deploy, manage & protect Apple devices at work. Over 45,000 organizations trust Mosyle to make millions of Apple devices work-ready with no effort and at an affordable cost. Request your EXTENDED TRIAL today and understand why Mosyle is everything you need to work with Apple.
If you’ve read any of my writing over the years, you know I love protocols and building on top of them. Launched in 2001, OpenVPN has been the go-to protocol for VPN connections across almost all services. But the problem with underlying protocols is they’re a bit harder to evolve as technology changes. As mobile devices became a key part of the VPN experience, so did the need for faster speeds, better security, and improved roaming abilities. That’s where ExpressVPN’s Lightway protocol comes into play.
About Apple @ Work: Bradley Chambers managed an enterprise IT network from 2009 to 2021. Through his experience deploying and managing firewalls, switches, a mobile device management system, enterprise grade Wi-Fi, 1000s of Macs, and 1000s of iPads, Bradley will highlight ways in which Apple IT managers deploy Apple devices, build networks to support them, train users, stories from the trenches of IT management, and ways Apple could improve its products for IT departments.
First introduced in 2020, Lightway was ExpressVPN’s answer to modern VPN demands with a new and modern standard. Built initially in C, Lightway was designed to offer faster connection speeds, stronger security, and reduced battery consumption—particularly on mobile devices. Unlike traditional protocols prioritizing flexibility over performance, Lightway was built for efficiency, making it ideal for streaming, gaming, and other high-bandwidth activities that have become commonplace with VPN for business and consumer needs alike.
Of course, like any protocol, it has to be open source. This allows companies to build on top of it without worrying about future costs of usage but allows the protocol code to be examined by the community at large. A codebase that everyone can “hammer on” is more secure.
“At ExpressVPN, we innovate to solve the challenges of tomorrow. Upgrading Lightway from its previous C code to Rust was a strategic and straightforward decision to enhance performance, and security while ensuring longevity. With Rust widely recognized as the high-performing, secure, and reliable language, it was a natural choice for evolving Lightway,” said Pete Membrey, Chief Research Officer at ExpressVPN.
Introducing Lightway in Rust
Lightway in Rust is the first major attempt at a new VPN protocol in many years. It’s built on common standards and could replace OpenVPN as the new industry norm. The biggest shift? A complete rewrite of the codebase from C to Rust, a modern programming language known for its memory safety, speed, and security.
The move to Rust brings several clear advantages for Lightway with the new release:
- Enhanced Security: Rust eliminates memory-related vulnerabilities common in C, offering stronger protection against exploits.
- Performance Gains: The simpler Rust codebase means faster connection speeds, lower latency, and better battery performance on iPhones, Android, etc. OpenVPN was built when the world was largely using desktop workstations, so this is one of the key gains of Lightway in Rust.
- Transparency and Trust: Lightway in Rust remains open-source, and ExpressVPN has backed its security claims with two independent audits from Cure53 and Praetorian. Both audits confirmed the protocol’s robustness, swiftly addressing all identified vulnerabilities.
What’s next?
ExpressVPN is positioning Lightway in Rust as a serious contender to OpenVPN and WireGuard as the default industry standards. Obviously, with any protocol, the other companies in the VPN space will have to be convinced that Lightway with Rust is better than the alternatives. Protocols can’t last forever, but moving them forward is part of the trade-offs of a community protocol.
Apple @ Work is exclusively brought to you by Mosyle, the only Apple Unified Platform. Mosyle is the only solution that integrates in a single professional-grade platform all the solutions necessary to seamlessly and automatically deploy, manage & protect Apple devices at work. Over 45,000 organizations trust Mosyle to make millions of Apple devices work-ready with no effort and at an affordable cost. Request your EXTENDED TRIAL today and understand why Mosyle is everything you need to work with Apple.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
