- A malicious free VPN extension is back in the Chrome Store
- The new free unlimited VPN extension already has more than 31,000 installations
- Two older versions removed after spying on more than 9 million users
A notoriously dangerous free VPN extension appears to have returned to the Chrome Store and already has more than 31,000 active installations, a new research report reveals.
The service is linked to a group of malicious VPN extensions operating under the name “Free Unlimited VPN”. Two nearly identical free VPN extensions lurked in the Chrome Store for at least six years, silently spying on more than 9 million users.
They were removed in May 2025 after being reported several times. Now, security researchers at LayerX Security have discovered that a new version of the extension once again puts people’s privacy at risk.
“Free VPN extensions promise privacy, speed, and one-click global access. For millions of users, they are an easy way to bypass restrictions or hide IP addresses without paying for a subscription. But that promise often hides a trade-off: if the product is free, your data becomes the product,” the researchers note.
The report comes just a week after Google warned users about malicious VPN apps that act as spyware in disguise.
How Free Unlimited VPN puts your data at risk
It only took a quick search on the Chrome Web Store to find the free unlimited VPN browser extension and, at first glance, it looked legitimate. It had over 110 reviews and an average rating of 4.4 out of 5, while promising complete freedom and privacy “with no ads, no registrations and unlimited traffic.”
However, that’s not what you’ll get if you sign up, according to LayerX Security.
They say that both the old and new versions of the VPN browser extension made many more proxy network requests. “They obtained hidden configuration files from remote servers, altered proxy settings in real time, and intercepted browser browsing events, functioning as remotely controlled proxy redirectors with hidden update channels,” they wrote.
Simply put, “what appeared to be a simple free VPN was, in practice, a complete surveillance mechanism at the browser level,” the researchers warn.
Worse yet, LaxerX Security’s analysis found that the new version (released in July 2025) is “notably more advanced and evasive than the previous one,” as its new infrastructure makes it more difficult to detect malicious activity.
The risks of using the extension range from traffic interception and stealthy redirection to dangerous phishing pages to persistent remote monitoring, serious privacy violations, and profiling.
You can read the full security analysis here. If you have downloaded the extension, we strongly recommend that you uninstall the app and all data linked to it as soon as possible.
Please note that there are some seemingly unrelated VPN apps with similar names, but they are not the subject of this investigation. And, despite initially being able to find “Free Unlimited VPN” on the Google Web Store as we wrote the story, the app appears to have been removed at the time of publication (November 20).
How to protect yourself from malicious VPNs
The LayerX Security investigation is the latest in a long series of investigations that have highlighted the dangers hidden behind many free VPN solutions, even those offered in official app stores.
Even when these apps are not malicious per se, poor performance and intrusive data-grabbing ads are often the price you pay when using a free service.
That’s why TechRadar only recommends very few free VPN services.
Proton VPN is among the best free VPNs and the company also offers a reliable VPN extension app for Chrome. While it’s super secure and private, the free version has some drawbacks, like not being able to select your server location.
The good news is that signing up for one of Proton VPN’s premium plans has never been cheaper thanks to its early Black Friday VPN deal.
Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to receive news, reviews and opinions from our experts in your feeds. Be sure to click the Follow button!
