VPN-vasion: When Your “Secure” Browsing Turns into a Data Harvesting Spree
FreeVPN.One’s developer claims their secret screenshot feature is just for “background scanning,” but it captures trusted sites like Google Sheets. And when asked for legit credentials, they vanished faster than your last Wi-Fi signal. Remember, not all VPNs wear capes, some wear masks. Trust your VPN like you trust your ex—not at all.
Hot Take:
Who knew FreeVPN.One’s idea of ‘privacy’ was akin to a nosy neighbor with binoculars? This extension is less about ‘protecting’ your data and more about ‘collecting’ it, all while wearing the disguise of a digital guardian. It’s like hiring a bodyguard who rummages through your drawers when you’re not looking. If VPNs are the knights of the internet realm, FreeVPN.One is the one that forgot to put the ‘noble’ in its code of conduct.
Key Points:
- FreeVPN.One captures screenshots on every page load, not just when users click the scan button.
- Device and location data are exfiltrated during installation and startup through geolocation APIs.
- The extension’s ‘security’ features hide its true intent: unauthorized data harvesting.
- Responses from the developer were evasive and failed to reassure researchers.
- The research highlights how some VPNs and privacy tools can be misleading and potentially harmful.