The Wiretap: Free VPNs Are A Danger To Your Privacy
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Virtual private networks, or VPNs, are used by web users worldwide to encrypt their web traffic and hide their IP addresses. While many VPNs offer an extra layer of privacy, some free VPN apps are now posing a threat to children’s privacy, according to researchers.
Forbes’ Emily Baker-White recently reported that children are increasingly turning to free VPNs to bypass their schools’ restrictions on browsing inappropriate websites, including porn. Shockingly, some of these free VPNs have ties to China and could potentially be sharing children’s data with the Chinese government.
In a recent case, a Chinese national was charged with attaching malware to free VPNs, compromising as many as 19 million computers. This created a botnet used by cybercriminals to cover their tracks and generate over $8 billion in fraudulent revenue.
Experts are now urging users to opt for paid-for VPNs from reputable vendors like F-Secure or Proton, which offer higher levels of security and privacy protection.
Keith Enright, Google’s chief privacy officer, has announced his departure from the tech giant after 13 years. This move comes amidst broader layoffs at Google, with Matthew Bye, a 15-year veteran and director of competition law, also leaving the company.
In other news, Forbes has launched the Midas List, ranking the world’s top venture capitalists. Highlights include investments in privacy and security from Shardul Shah, Scott Sandell, and Trae Stephens. Additionally, a TikTok exploit that allows hackers to gain access to celebrity and corporate accounts is being addressed by the platform.
Ticketmaster recently confirmed a hack, with 560 million customer records stolen by a hacker known as ShinyHunters. The breach was traced back to account hacks at cloud provider Snowflake, prompting investigations by Google’s Mandiant and security company CrowdStrike.
404 Media recently obtained an internal Google database detailing security and privacy incidents dating back to 2016, including incidents involving children’s voices and license plate numbers collected by Street View.
Europol has announced a successful takedown of multiple malware families in what they call “the largest ever operation against botnets.” Operation Endgame led to over 100 servers being shut down and four arrests across Armenia and Ukraine.
On a less positive note, former American marine and police officer John Mark Dougan has been linked to over 150 fake local news sites spreading disinformation. Dougan, currently residing in Moscow, has denied accusations of hacking and spreading false information about the Ukraine war.
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