Numerous free VPN apps previously identified by TTP had been associated with China-linked cybersecurity firm Qihoo 360, including Turbo VPN, VPN Proxy Master, Signal Secure VPN, and Snap VPN. While both Snap VPN and Thunder VPN had been removed from the Apple App Store, the persistence of other free VPNs may indicate financial benefit for both Apple and Google, said TTP researchers. Such findings have prompted Deepwatch CISO Chad Cragle to urge both Apple and Google to promptly act on the Chinese-owned free VPN apps. "It's time for the platforms to take responsibility and set the example. You can't claim to prioritize privacy if youre letting other parties control the playbook," said Cragle.
Network Security, Application security, Privacy
US data privacy threatened by free VPN apps

(Adobe Stock)
Google and Apple were reported by the Tech Transparency Project to have continued hosting free VPN apps linked to Chinese companies in their respective app stores, presenting significant privacy and national security threat to the U.S., months after the TTP disclosed that over a fifth of such apps on the U.S. Apple App Store had been under Chinese firms, according to Hackread.
Numerous free VPN apps previously identified by TTP had been associated with China-linked cybersecurity firm Qihoo 360, including Turbo VPN, VPN Proxy Master, Signal Secure VPN, and Snap VPN. While both Snap VPN and Thunder VPN had been removed from the Apple App Store, the persistence of other free VPNs may indicate financial benefit for both Apple and Google, said TTP researchers. Such findings have prompted Deepwatch CISO Chad Cragle to urge both Apple and Google to promptly act on the Chinese-owned free VPN apps. "It's time for the platforms to take responsibility and set the example. You can't claim to prioritize privacy if youre letting other parties control the playbook," said Cragle.
Numerous free VPN apps previously identified by TTP had been associated with China-linked cybersecurity firm Qihoo 360, including Turbo VPN, VPN Proxy Master, Signal Secure VPN, and Snap VPN. While both Snap VPN and Thunder VPN had been removed from the Apple App Store, the persistence of other free VPNs may indicate financial benefit for both Apple and Google, said TTP researchers. Such findings have prompted Deepwatch CISO Chad Cragle to urge both Apple and Google to promptly act on the Chinese-owned free VPN apps. "It's time for the platforms to take responsibility and set the example. You can't claim to prioritize privacy if youre letting other parties control the playbook," said Cragle.
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