Key Takeaways:
- 1. FreeVPN.One Chrome extension has been found to secretly capture screenshots of users’ browsing sessions, including sensitive information.
- 2. The extension misrepresented its activity as “AI Threat Detection,” deceiving users into constant surveillance.
- 3. Users are advised to uninstall suspicious VPN extensions, use trusted VPN providers, scan devices for malware, change passwords, and check permissions of browser extensions.
The FreeVPN.One Chrome extension, boasting over 100,000 installs, was discovered to be covertly taking screenshots of users' online activities, contrary to its stated purpose of providing VPN services. The extension's actions, disguised as "AI Threat Detection," breached user privacy by capturing sensitive data and sending it to the developer's servers. Despite claims that the images were not stored, no evidence was provided. Following the exposure by Koi Security, the extension was removed from the Chrome Web Store, emphasizing the risks associated with unverified browser extensions. Users are urged to take precautions such as uninstalling suspicious extensions, using reputable VPN services, scanning for malware, changing passwords, and scrutinizing permissions requested by browser add-ons.
Insight: The incident with FreeVPN.One underscores the importance of scrutinizing "free" tools, as they may come with hidden privacy risks. Users should be cautious, conduct thorough vetting of extensions, and opt for privacy tools backed by reputable companies to safeguard their data.
This article was curated by memoment.jp from the feed source: Fox Scitech.
Read the full article here: https://www.foxnews.com/tech/chrome-vpn-extension-secretly-spies-you
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