What are the locations of ProtonVPN Secure Core servers?

1. What “Secure Core” means and why location matters

ProtonVPN’s Secure Core is a multi‑hop (double‑VPN) architecture that first sends your traffic through a specially protected Secure Core server in a privacy‑friendly jurisdiction, then out through a normal exit server in your chosen country; this design aims to prevent attribution even if an exit server is compromised ^{[2] [1]}. Proton emphasizes the jurisdictional choice—Switzerland, Iceland, and Sweden—because their legal regimes and physical‑security facilities reduce the risk that an adversary can compel or tamper with those entry nodes ^{[2] [1]}.

2. Official claims: ownership, hardening, and data‑center security

Proton’s official pages state Secure Core servers are "installed and operated by Proton" in “hardened data centers” and protected with full‑disk encryption and other measures to keep keys and certificates safe even if physical access were obtained ^{[1] [2]}. Proton frames these technical and operational controls as deliberate countermeasures against server tampering or nation‑state pressure ^{[2] [3]}.

3. Where the servers are: the concrete list provided by Proton

Every Proton source included in the search materials consistently lists Switzerland, Iceland, and Sweden as the Secure Core locations ^{[1] [2] [3]}. Third‑party guides and reviews that discuss Secure Core repeat the same triad of countries ^{[4] [5]}, reinforcing that these three are the canonical Secure Core jurisdictions in current reporting ^[6].

4. Claims about expansion and app visibility — competing signals

Proton’s April 2024 blog and later roadmap posts indicate ongoing work to add server locations and to make Secure Core options visible in the app, implying potential changes over time ^{[7] [8]}. The roadmap language suggests new Secure Core servers will “appear in your Proton VPN app” as they are deployed ^[7]. This means while the canonical Secure Core locations remain Switzerland, Iceland and Sweden in current docs, Proton signals the architecture and locations could expand, and users should check Proton’s live server map for updates ^{[7] [8]}.

5. Independent reporting and consistency with Proton’s story

Multiple independent reviews and VPN guides restate that Secure Core entry nodes are based in Switzerland, Iceland, and Sweden, and treat Secure Core as Proton’s implementation of double‑VPN protection ^{[5] [6] [9]}. These outlets echo Proton’s emphasis on privacy‑friendly jurisdictions, which lends corroboration to Proton’s public claims without providing independent technical audits in these search results ^{[5] [9]}.

6. What the available sources do not mention

Available sources do not mention specific cities, data‑center operators, IP ranges, or exact physical addresses for the Secure Core servers; Proton’s public pages describe hardened data centers but do not publish granular facility details in the materials provided ^{[1] [2]}. Available sources do not include an independent forensic audit of the physical Secure Core servers in these data centers in the provided search results ^{[1] [5]}.

7. How to verify for yourself and practical takeaways

Proton’s official server map and support pages are the authoritative place to verify current Secure Core availability in apps and to see whether Proton has expanded Secure Core into additional countries since these documents ^{[10] [1]}. For users who need the extra layer Secure Core provides, Proton instructs enabling the feature in the app; for those requiring absolute proof of physical controls or independent audits, current reporting in these sources does not provide that level of forensic detail and recommends consulting Proton’s transparency reports and technical docs where available ^{[1] [2]}.

Limitations: this summary relies solely on Proton’s documentation and industry reporting found in the supplied search results; no independent audit or facility‑level disclosures appear in the sources provided ^{[1] [5]}.