Free VPNs leak your data while claiming privacy
Free VPNs leak your data while claiming privacy
https://securityaffairs.com/190239/security/free-vpns-leak-your-data-while-claiming-privacy.html
Publish Date: 2026-04-01 03:43:00
Source Domain: securityaffairs.com
Free VPNs leak your data while claiming privacy
Pierluigi Paganini
April 01, 2026
Most free Android VPNs track users, request dangerous permissions, and connect to risky servers, privacy comes at a hidden cost.
Free VPN apps are some of the most popular downloads on Android, promising privacy at no cost. But the reality is far from what they advertise. Most users tap “install” without a second thought, unaware that many of these apps collect and share personal data rather than protecting it. Mysterium VPN’s research provides concrete evidence of the risks hidden inside free VPNs, revealing how they operate behind the scenes and why “free” often comes with a high price for your privacy.
The research focused on 18 of the most popular free Android VPN apps from the Google Play Store. Each app was analyzed using MobSF, an open-source mobile security framework. This static analysis examined four main areas: the permissions requested by the app, any embedded third-party trackers, hardcoded network endpoints, and developer or third-party email addresses within the code. While static analysis cannot reveal real-time activity, the presence of these elements alone shows what the app is capable of and the potential dangers to users.
A major finding is the sheer number of embedded trackers. Trackers are pieces of software that collect data on user behavior, often for advertising or analytics. Out of the 18 apps tested, 17 contained at least one tracker, and the average app included nearly five. Some apps contained more than a dozen trackers, including platforms from the U.S., China, and Russia. Google’s advertising and analytics tools, like AdMob and Firebase Analytics, were present in nearly every app, and Facebook integration appeared in several, enabling cross-platform tracking. Apps such as Turbo VPN and VPN Proxy Master included Chinese platforms like Umeng and Mobvista, as well as…
