"When you choose a Virtual Private Network (VPN) service, it is imperative that you pick one with a solid reputation and high security standards. It's important that robust encryption is in place and the VPN provider is known for protecting its users, quickly patching security issues, and being transparent about where it comes from and how it handles user data."
"Co-authored by Benjamin Mixon-Baca, Jeffrey Knockel (from Citizen Lab), and Jedidiah R. Crandall, the academic paper, titled Hidden Links: Analyzing Secret Families of VPN Apps (.PDF), explores three families of VPNs, narrowed down from the top 100 VPNs available in the Google Play Store. 'Nearly identical' Java code Family A - Providers: Innovative Connecting, Lemon Clove, Autumn Breeze | VPNs include: Turbo VPN, Turbo VPN Lite, VPN Monster, VPN Proxy Master, VPN Proxy Master -- Lite, Snap VPN, Robot VPN, SuperNet VPN"
Three VPN families encompass 18 apps linked to parent companies and account for over 700 million Google Play Store downloads. App packages include well-known names such as Turbo VPN, Snap VPN, Global VPN, X-VPN, and Fast Potato VPN. Code analysis found 'nearly identical' Java code across multiple apps, indicating shared development or reuse between ostensibly independent providers. Security issues include hard-coded Shadowsocks keys and other vulnerabilities that weaken encryption and user data protections. Many free VPNs display opaque ownership structures and inconsistent security practices, increasing the risk to user privacy and safety.
Read at ZDNET
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]