Bargain hunting? Don’t fall victim to fake free VPNs

Many of them best VPN comes at a cost, and if you don’t want to spend money on a VPN just yet, you might want to take a look best free vpn. However, it’s important to make sure your free VPN is secure and reliable. Cyber security company Kaspersky has warned of an increase in potentially malicious apps masquerading as VPNs.

In the third quarter of 2024, Kaspersky experts discovered that the number of users encountering apps posing as free VPNs increased by 2.5 times compared to the second quarter globally. These apps were universally malware or programs that could potentially be used by malicious actors, and this increase has continued in the fourth quarter.

Cybercriminals take advantage of users who want to use a free VPN. In May 2024, the authorities are wound up a botnet (network of hijacked computer devices) known as 911 S5. Several free VPN services, including MaskVPN, ShieldVPN, and PaladinVPN, were used to create this botnet.

Users who installed these VPN apps had their devices turned into proxy servers that channel someone else’s traffic. The malicious network spanned 19 million unique IP addresses in more than 190 countries worldwide. Botnet administrators sold access to proxy servers installed on these devices to other cybercriminals, and the system was used for cyberattacks, money laundering, and mass fraud.

Screenshot of fake VPN app

Image: A fake VPN app before removal from the Google Play Store (Image credit: Kaspersky)

“There is a growing demand for VPN apps on all platforms, including smartphones and computers,” said Vasily Kolesnikov, security expert at Kaspersky. “Users tend to think that if they find a VPN app on an official store, like Google Play, it’s safe and can be used to download content that wasn’t originally available in their location. And they think it’s even better if this VPN service is free!”

“But this often ends up being a trap, as recent cases and our statistics showing an increase in malicious VPN app encounters prove. To be safe, users should be wary of these threats and use a security solution, along with a reliable and proven VPN service.”

What to look for in a free VPN

You may now be asking “are free vpn safe?” The answer is yes – if you choose the right one. The leading free providers are secure, but they won’t offer the same comprehensive coverage that a paid VPN will. Free VPNs are often cut-down services that don’t offer nearly as many features as their premium counterparts. If you feel that you need to upgrade, it’s worth checking out best Black Friday VPN deals for bargains.

A lot of the time, free VPNs will have data or bandwidth restrictions and offer slower speeds. You are limited with your choice of server location and many are not really interested in taking care of your privacy. They may not have a no-logs policy, which means the VPN provider can collect and store your information and what you do while connected to their VPN. We always recommend VPNs that have one no-logs policyand if it’s been reviewed, that’s even better.

PrivadoVPN free is our most recommended free VPN. It’s faster than many paid VPNs and in our tests it reached speeds of up to 900Mbps, making it one of the fastest VPN. It has a data limit of 10GB, which should be fine for daily purposes, but will eat up if you’re going to stream a lot – for this we recommend one of best streaming VPN.

Private VPN devices

(Image credit: Privado VPN)

With PrivadoVPN Free you can access a limited number of 13 server locations in 10 countries, which is actually quite generous for a free product, and you have full control over which server you connect to (something not possible with Proton VPN Free).

Proton VPN Free is Privado’s closest challenger and is the best free VPN for privacy, with its no-logs policy verified by a independent audit. Its speed and server locations don’t quite match Privado, but you get unlimited data. Both Proton and Privado only allow you to secure one device, so if you want to protect all your devices, look elsewhere.

A free VPN that offers unlimited device protection is Windscribe free. Along with this, you get 14 server locations in 11 countries, and you can choose which one you want. Its fast, hitting speeds of 900 Mbps and comes with a range of features, but it has drawbacks. The 10GB data cap is again quite generous but won’t last long with streaming. It has good privacy protections, but these have not been verified by an independent review. Windscribe certainly cannot be considered one of those best VPN for beginnersas its interface is quite cramped and not the easiest to use.

What if I fall victim to a malicious app?

No one wants to become a victim of cybercrime, but it can happen. Having a VPN is a great way to protect your privacy by changing your IP address, location and encrypting your data. Despite this, VPNs are not a silver bullet and there are additional ways to protect yourself.

Most cybercrime occurs due to human error, and if you click a link and hand over your details, not much can be done. It is important to only click on a link or download if you are sure it is safe. Your passwords should be long, unique and contain a variety of letters, numbers and symbols. “123456” continues to be the world’s most popular password and uses one of best password manager can help secure your accounts.

Some VPN companies include password managers or antivirus software in their plans. Only NordVPNpp Threat Protection Pro can match best antivirus softwareafter receiving the grade best protection against malicious VPN tool. These tools detect and warn you about suspicious websites and apps and warn you before you access them.

If you fall victim to cybercrime, some VPN providers offer identity protection tools. ExpressVPN offers Identity defenderwhich includes ID alerts, ID theft insurance up to $1 million and a data removal service. ExpressVPN has recently bolstered its Identity Defender suite with the addition of its Credit Scanner Toolso you can protect your credit rating and identity. NordVPN offers a similar product, NordProtect. However, this is only available on Nord’s most expensive Prime plan.

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Bargain hunting? Don’t fall victim to fake free VPNs

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