FreeVPN.One: A Cautionary Tale
FreeVPN.One, with over 100,000 installations, has been accused of unauthorised screenshot capture and spying on users' location data. Security researchers at Koi revealed that the extension captures screenshots 1.1 seconds after page loads, sending sensitive data back to its servers. Despite claiming to protect user privacy, it has been categorizing and exfiltrating data without consent, raising major privacy concerns. The developer's denial and lack of transparency further exacerbate trust issues, especially with a sketchy online presence. Users are left vulnerable, and with the extension still featured on the Chrome Web Store, the risks are significant. This situation underscores the importance of paying for trustworthy VPNs rather than relying on free options that may compromise security. "Pay for a trustworthy VPN, folks. The free ones usually aren't worth the risk." In conclusion, this serves as a stark reminder: buyer beware in the world of free software.