VPN or virtual private network is a technology that allows you to be safe when it comes to using your mobile phones or any devices. Technically, it hides a user from hackers that are phishing info and online activities of their possible victims. However, not all VPN tech is safe. Others even use the VPN itself to be used as a hacking tool. Luckily, Google recently takes action.
Why free VPN app costs you more-- not money but your personal info
If you take a look on the internet right now, you will see a lot of search results of 'free VPN.' As explained via Lifehacker, only one free VPN app can be trusted with your mobile data-- and it is already installed once you bought an Android. Other than this, free VPN apps in the online play store could be tracking your data without you knowing.
One example is the recently removed app in Google Play Store, the SuperVPN Free Client. This app already has over 1 million downloads before Google finally decides to delete the app in their choices. It turns out that the free VPN app has a shady background that all users must be warned about. SuperVPN was said to be a tool for hackers to infiltrate Android users' personal info.
Even months before Google deleted the app from Play Store, VPN information, and review resource, VPNpro already warned everyone from using the said app.
As they analyze the SuperVPN Free app, they found out that the "app has critical vulnerabilities that open it up to dangerous attacks known as man-in-the-middle (MITM) hacks. These vulnerabilities will allow hackers to easily intercept all the communications between the user and the VPN provider, letting the hackers see everything the user is doing."
Ironically, the security app that must have to contain the info of the users from hackers is the first one to steal info from them, according to the report.
"In fact, a VPN is supposed to be so safe that, even if a hacker could intercept these communications, it would take them longer than the age of the universe even to begin to decrypt the data. But that's not what SuperVPN has done here," said VPNpro.
How to make sure that the downloaded VPN app is safe to use?
As explained via Lifehacker, as much as possible, do not ever download a free VPN app for your mobile phone. Before buying or downloading free security apps, ask these questions: Do I know the brand? Where is the VPN brand located? And what permissions do they require from my phone?
Once you get all the answers from these questions, by then, you can be sure that you won't fall to any VPN scams.
