Using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) in Egypt is not explicitly illegal under the country's penal code, meaning individuals are not prosecuted solely for possessing the software (1). However, the legal landscape is complex due to strict internet regulations aimed at national security and combating terrorism. While no law categorically bans VPN technology itself, the government actively restricts access to these services. Authorities employ sophisticated blocking measures to prevent users from connecting to external servers, effectively rendering many commercial VPNs unusable within the country (1).
The primary legal risk stems from the 2018 Anti-Cyber and Information Technology Crimes Law, which criminalizes accessing blocked websites or content (2). Under this legislation, bypassing government censorship to view prohibited material is a punishable offense. The law grants authorities broad powers to block any website deemed a threat to national security or the economy (2). Consequently, using a VPN to access such blocked platforms falls into a legal grey area that could lead to fines or imprisonment, depending on the nature of the content accessed (2).
"Egyptian authorities are using the Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) technique to impede access to virtual private networks (VPNs), commonly used in Egypt to access restricted content. Between 2017 and 2020, Egypt blocked 600 websites and online services, including 400 virtual networks, proxy service providers, and 11 news websites."
Enforcement involves technological barriers rather than mass arrests of individual VPN users. The National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (NTRA) utilizes Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) to identify and throttle VPN protocols like OpenVPN and WireGuard (1). This surveillance apparatus also targets Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services, which are frequently blocked to protect state-owned telecom revenues and monitor communications. Users often experience severe connectivity issues when attempting to secure their connection, as the government continuously updates its firewalls to counter new circumvention tools and proxy servers (1).
Source:
https://www.business-humanrights.org/en/latest-news/egypt-authorities-use-dpi-technology-to-block-vpn-use/
https://www.loc.gov/item/global-legal-monitor/2018-10-05/egypt-president-ratifies-anti-cybercrime-law/
Last updated: 11-01-2026 Disclaimer: This article does not provide legal advice. If you need legal advice, please contact an attorney directly.
