| Metric | Without VPN | HMA Extension (Premium, US East) | HMA Extension (Free, US) | |--------|-------------|----------------------------------|---------------------------| | Download Speed | 890 Mbps | 412 Mbps | 98 Mbps | | Upload Speed | 520 Mbps | 298 Mbps | 41 Mbps | | Latency (ms) | 12 | 84 | 210 | | Page Load Time (cnn.com) | 0.9s | 1.7s | 4.2s |
Date: April 14, 2026 Subject: Functional, Security, and Usability Analysis of HMA VPN Chrome Extension Audience: IT Professionals, Security Analysts, and End-Users 1. Executive Summary The HMA (HideMyAss) Chrome Extension is a browser-based Virtual Private Network (VPN) tool developed by Avast (following its acquisition of HMA in 2016). Unlike a full-device VPN client, this extension operates exclusively within the Google Chrome browser, securing only browser traffic while leaving other applications (gaming, email clients, background services) on the host machine unaffected. hma chrome extension
Cybersecurity Analysis Unit Sources: HMA official documentation, Chrome Web Store data, independent speed tests (Q1 2026), Deloitte audit summary (2024), and NVD CVE database. | Metric | Without VPN | HMA Extension
