You can find many VPN providers that offer their service for free, both for the computers and mobile devices. But, how reliable are they? The answer is not really. These free private connection services are not beneficial for you at all. These services advertise themselves as the services that will provide you with security and privacy online for free. But, there is no such thing as a truly free service. In exchange for using these services, you are risking your security and privacy instead of protecting it. These services are making money from ads that are displayed to their users, as well as from other things.
It is strongly recommended for you to stay away from these free VPN providers, since their free private connection is doing exactly the opposite of a trustworthy VPN connection. In fact, it could be dangerous for you to use such free services if you are not careful with what you are doing. Here are 5 dangers of using a free private connection for your devices:
1. They Are Embedded With Malware
Some previous security researchers have found that many free VPN software, especially mobile apps, are embedded with malware. This malware has various functions, including transmitting your important data from your device to the third party, logging your activity without your permission, or stealing your important information. So, that’s the risk that you have to deal with when you choose to use a free private connection. The malware might also bombard you with pop-up ads, which can be very annoying during your browsing session.
2. They Track And Monitor Their Users
Most of free private connections will track and monitor their users, including your browsing habit. Remember that you are using the VPN software to avoid third-party monitoring, not allowing third parties to monitor your device. This is something that you need to consider before using any of the free VPN services that are available online. When you choose to use it, your device will be in danger, since the important data that you store in it might be monitored. Also, even though you’ve uninstalled the software, the malicious software might still be installed on your device, unless you restore your device to the factory settings.
3. They Sell The User’s Data To The Third Parties
It is a common practice for a free VPN service to sell their user’s data to the third parties. It is their primary goal. They want to fool as many users as possible into using their service, and then use their user’s data to their advantage. So, by using a free private connection, you are in fact giving your data freely to these shady service providers, which will in turn use your data for their own purposes and profits. Would you like to give your important data away to these unscrupulous people? Of course not.
4. They Might Hack Your Accounts Later
There are quite a lot of reports from people that say their accounts were hacked shortly after using a certain free VPN provider. This is what you need to be aware of. While you can mask your IP address using the free private connection, if you use it to log into your accounts, the VPN provider can technically store the login information on their server. Of course, many trustworthy VPN providers will not do that, since they implement the technology that makes it impossible, even for them as a service provider, to store or retrieve the login information of their users. But, for free VPN providers, it is quite a common practice. They can sell your data to some hackers, which will in turn try to hack your accounts and steal your valuable information.
5. They Offer A Weak Security Protocol With Various Service Limitations
Most free private connections can be offered for free because the service providers don’t have to invest anything on advanced security protocols. They usually use a weak security protocol such as PPTP to make it easier for them to provide the VPN connection without spending too much money for the service maintenance. A weak security protocol can easily be hacked by a competent hacker, and when it happens, you can be in a big trouble. Also, most free VPN services have various service limitations, including slow server speed, just a handful of available servers, unreliable performance, and so on.
Those are the 5 dangers of using a free private connection for your devices. You have to stay away from this type of VPN service, since you don’t want to risk your security and privacy online and giving away your important data to some irresponsible people. Be sure to keep your online activity secure and protected by using a reputable VPN service.