Cybersecurity firm Koi Security revealed that FreeVPN.One, a Chrome VPN extension with over 100,000 users, has been secretly capturing and transmitting screenshots of users’ browsing activity to remote servers[1][2].
The spyware functionality was introduced in July 2025 after earlier updates expanded the extension’s permissions. According to researcher Lotan Sery from Koi Security, “FreeVPN.One shows how a privacy branding can be flipped into a trap”[3].
When confronted, the developer claimed screenshots were only taken of suspicious sites and were encrypted, but researchers found evidence of capture on trusted sites like Google Photos[4]. The extension’s “AI Threat Detection” feature discloses taking screenshots, but Koi Security found most surveillance occurred silently in the background[5].
The case highlights growing risks with free VPN services, particularly as demand increases due to new online safety regulations in the UK requiring age verification[3:1].
GIGAZINE - Chrome VPN Extension Accused of Secretly Capturing User Screenshots ↩︎
It’s FOSS - Google Verified FreeVPN Caught Red-handed Spying on its Users ↩︎
VARINDIA - Chrome VPN Extension Accused of Secretly Capturing User Screenshots ↩︎ ↩︎
It’s FOSS - Google Verified FreeVPN Caught Red-handed Spying on its Users ↩︎
Instagram - Dhaka Chronicles post about FreeVPN.One spying ↩︎
People using a free VPN get exactly what they pay for.
Totally worth every penny. Zero cost, zero privacy.
wait! so 0€ is 0 privacy… so 1€ is 1 privacy? so its possible to purchase multiple privacies??? :O
It’s not linear though. Price of perfection is infinite, and it ramps up quickly. With 1 € you’ll get a tiny bit of privacy, but if you want double that, the price is probably more like 5-20 €.