These popular free VPNs all share the same shady security practices – here’s why

Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.

ZDNET’s key takeaways

• Three VPN families analyzed, linking 18 apps to parent groups.
• Security issues found, including hard-coded Shadowsocks keys.
• Study shows many free VPNs may have shady security practices.

A new academic study has revealed suspicious origins and security vulnerabilities in apps collectively downloaded from the Google Play Store over 700 million times.

When you choose a Virtual Private Network (VPN)…