US Edition'Screenshot-Grabbing' Chrome VPN Extension Still Available
FreeVPN.One extension, with 100,000 installs and a verified badge, secretly captured user screenshots and sent data to remote servers, violating user privacy under the guise of security.
- Koi Security researchers discovered FreeVPN.One Chrome extension, with 100,000 installs and a 3.8 star rating, silently captured user screenshots and sent them to remote servers, Cybernews reported recently.
- Researchers found the surveillance capabilities were added gradually via updates in spring 2025, broadening FreeVPN.One's permissions and enabling screenshots and data exfiltration by July 17, 2025, just before U.K. online age verification rules.
- Researchers found screenshots included sensitive data such as passwords and banking details, the add-on requested sweeping permissions for all URLs, tabs and scripting, and the developer justified captures as a 'Background Scanning' feature but ceased communications when pressed.
- Users should uninstall FreeVPN.One and run a scan using antivirus software, while the extension remains available on the Chrome Web Store with a Featured/verified badge.
- Koi Security notes this is not an isolated find, as researchers say Google’s automated and human checks failed to catch this shift, while the listing used an 'AI Threat Detector' feature to mask issues.
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World NEWS LiveThis free Chrome VPN extension found to spy on its 100k+ users – uninstall it now
A free VPN browser extension was found to take screenshots of every page the users visit. The extension has over 100k downloads and Google Store's "Featured" badge.
A popular VPN extension for Chrome, with more than 100,000 users and Google verification seal, has been discovered spying on its customers.
A Chrome extension advertised as a VPN service apparently secretly collects and sends screen recordings of its users to external servers. This is evident from an investigation by Koi Security, which analysed the procedure of the FreeVPN.One software in detail. FreeVPN.One, which advertises as the fastest free VPN for Chrome, presents 100,000 installations and has been awarded the coveted "Featured" badge by Google, creates unnoticed screenshots …
Chrome VPN Extension Found Secretly Recording Users’ Screens
A Chrome extension promoted as a free VPN service, and even carrying a verified badge in the store, has been caught doing the opposite of what users expected. Instead of protecting people’s privacy, it was silently capturing what appeared on their screens and sending the data elsewhere. As per KoiSecurity, more than 100,000 people had installed it by the time researchers uncovered what was happening. How it unfolded FreeVPN.One was not a sudden …
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