At least five VPN apps in the App Store were found to have links to the Chinese military, according to a new report today.Three of them have racked up more than a million downloads.A subsidiary of one of the Chinese companies behind the apps is currently hiring for a role in “monitoring and analysing platform data,” with a familiarity with American culture listed as a job requirement … VPN apps Virtual Private Network (VPN) apps are designed to protect the privacy of internet usage, protecting against man-in-the-middle attacks using fake public Wi-Fi hotspots, as well as ensuring your ISP or mobile carrier can’t track the websites you visit.
Additionally, VPNs can be used to circumvent geoblocks on anything from streaming video services to content banned by a country’s government.However, VPNs are only as trustworthy as the companies behind them.A fake VPN can expose all your browsing data to its developer.
Five VPN apps linked to Chinese military A joint investigation by the Tech Transparency Project and the found that at least five VPN apps present in both the App Store and Google Play store had links to a company associated with the Chinese military.The five apps are: Turbo VPN VPN Proxy Master Thunder VPN Snap VPN Signal Secure VPN ( associated with the Signal messaging app) After the alerted Apple, the company removed Thunder VPN and Snap VPN from the App Store.The fate of the three remaining apps is unclear.
The full piece outlines the complex network of individuals and companies the investigators had to unravel in order to reveal the connections.9to5Mac’s Take You should only ever use VPN apps offered by reputable companies, ideally those like NordVPN who have permitted independent audits of their security.Chinese VPN apps are never to be trusted since the law requires developers to keep usage logs and to make these available to the government.
Apps which do not comply with this requirement were removed from the App Store way back in 2017.Highlighted accessories Anker 511 Nano Pro ultra-compact iPhone charger MagSafe Car Mount for iPhone Apple MagSafe Charger with 25w power for iPhone 16 models Apple 30W charger for above Anker 240W braided USB-C to USB-C cable You’re reading 9to5Mac — experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day.Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop.
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