The dangers of free VPNs on Android: network address leaks and malware
Virtual private networks have long been a necessary tool for ensuring the protection and privacy of actions on the Internet. But not all VPN services fully meet these requirements, especially free services for Android are guilty of shortcomings. A recent report found that many of them not only do not provide the required level of protection, but can also threaten the user's privacy, exposing them to cyber threats.
Security issues with free VPNs and how to minimize the risks
According to the Top10VPN report, more than 100 of the most popular free VPN apps for Android expose their users to significant risks. Of these, more than 10% do not provide adequate data encryption, and half demonstrate instability of VPN tunnels. As a result, data leaks and insufficient protection leave users vulnerable to hacker attacks.
Common risks:
- Network address leaks. Many free VPN services cannot hide the user's actual network address, which puts privacy at risk. Problematic applications include: Tomato VPN, Phone Guardian VPN, Turbo VPN.
- Weak information encryption. Poor or partial encryption of information allows intruders to access your Internet sessions. Many applications do not use modern security methods, which increases the risk of data leaks.
- Susceptibility to DNS leaks. Some VPNs not only reveal IP addresses, but also allow DNS requests to leak, which makes it possible to track user activities on the network.
- Malware. Around 20% of free VPN apps contain malware, such as trojans or phishing tools. Even if these threats may be false positives, the risk of infecting your device is still high.
Some of the VPN apps performed the worst in terms of security. Wang VPN, BeastVPN, and GreenNet were rated as providing minimal data protection. Their use is highly undesirable, as there is a risk of serious leaks of confidential information.
A disappointing and short summary of free VPNs:
- More than 50% of applications have encryption issues.
- About 20% were marked as containing malware.
- Only 20% of VPNs use the most secure encryption algorithms.
How to avoid risks when choosing a VPN
Choosing a secure VPN service is the key to protecting your data and privacy on the Internet. Below are some important factors to consider to avoid risks when using a VPN:
- Modern encryption standards. The security of a VPN directly depends on the encryption methods it uses. A reliable service should support modern encryption algorithms, such as AES-256, OpenVPN and IKEv2. These are some of the most reliable protocols that ensure stable connections and high data protection.
- Logging policy. A quality VPN service should have a no-logs policy, meaning it does not save data about your online activities. This is especially important to prevent data leaks and tracking.
- Check for network address and DNS leaks. A reliable VPN protects against network address leaks and DNS requests. This will help avoid disclosing your location and information about what sites you visit. Use online testing tools leaks: IP Leak Test checks if your actual network address will leak when connected via a VPN. DNS Leak Test determines if the service encrypts DNS requests, hiding them from ISPs and third parties.
- Support for P2P, streaming services, and other targeted requests. If you plan to use a VPN for downloading torrents or watching streaming video (for example, on Netflix or YouTube), make sure the service supports P2P connections and bypassing geoblocks. Many VPNs limit the speed for such activities or do not support them at all.
- Reputation and user reviews. Before choosing a VPN, it is worth studying independent reviews and opinions of real users. This will help you understand how reliable the service is in practice. Particular attention should be paid to: the reputation of the company managing the VPN, reviews of connection speed, the level of user support and frequency of updates, as well as independent security audits that confirm compliance with the "no logs" policy.
Private VPN server: eliminates risks
When choosing a VPN, it is important to consider not only the cost, but also the level of data protection, connection stability and the reputation of the service. A reliable VPN should have modern encryption, a "no logs" policy, leak protection features and support for various devices. A private VPN server meets all these requirements.
You can buy a private VPN server on favorable terms and choose a convenient period of use on Private VPN server. The site also provides complete information about available servers in various regions and detailed answers to popular user questions.