Windscribe alleges warrantless seizure of VPN server by Dutch authorities

Windscribe VPN has alleged that local authorities in the Netherlands seized one of its servers without a warrant, sparking concerns about procedural overreach and potential implications for user privacy.

The incident was publicly disclosed by the company on X (formerly Twitter) and has yet to be acknowledged or clarified by Dutch law enforcement agencies.

According to Windscribe, the seizure occurred without a formal legal process, with authorities reportedly stating that the server would be returned after a “full analysis.” The company emphasized that its infrastructure is based on RAM-only servers, meaning no user data or logs should be present on the hardware. As a result, even full physical access would reveal little beyond a base Ubuntu operating system install.

While Windscribe’s architecture minimizes the risk of user data exposure, the company did not offer many details about what could possibly have prompted this action. Windscribe has not responded to our requests for more information at the time of writing.

As of now, Dutch police have issued no public statement regarding the incident, and no judicial warrant has been referenced. Without further details, it's unclear whether the seizure was part of an investigation, a misidentification, or a politically sensitive data operation.

Windscribe is a Canada-based VPN service known for its strong privacy posture and transparency with users. The provider has consistently promoted its use of RAM-only infrastructure, meaning all operational data is wiped upon server reboot or power loss. This stateless setup is designed to ensure that even in cases of physical seizure, no user-identifiable data is retrievable, an approach increasingly common among privacy-focused VPN vendors.

If the claim of a warrantless seizure holds, the action could further erode trust in European hosting jurisdictions, especially for services that handle sensitive whistleblower or investigative data.

CyberInsider has contacted both Windscribe and the Dutch police to request more information about the action, and we will update this post as soon as new information becomes available.