The Popularity Of Low Quality VPN Applications In Russia Raises Security Concerns

Illustration of low-quality VPN in Russia is in the spotlight (photo: dock. pexels)

JAKARTA - The increasing popularity of low-quality VPN applications in Russia is in the spotlight, especially after Apple's action to comply with the Russian government's request by removing about 60 VPN apps from the App Store last summer. Since the conflict in Ukraine began, nearly 100 VPN applications have been removed, including popular services such as ExpressVPN and NordVPN.

This move is seen by critics as a form of support for Russian government control over internet access, limiting citizens' ability to evade censorship. However, although many of the official VPN applications were removed, Russian citizens were still able to find a variety of free VPN applications that claimed to offer secure encryption and privacy in surfing.

Recent reports show that the top 8 of the top 10 free apps on the Russian App Store are VPN applications. However, many of these apps are thought to be unreliable and have the potential to harm users.

Some of them reportedly recorded user data, including IP's browsing history and addresses, and sold them to third parties or even submitted them to the government.

In countries with authoritarian regimes like Russia, government-approved VPNs could be used as surveillance tools instead of privacy protection. Users who try to access blocked sites or maintain the confidentiality of their search can face imprisonment if they use a low-quality VPN.

Users in countries with strict censorship laws are advised to carefully examine VPN providers, ensure that they are truly independent and implement policies without strict records. Relying on the VPN available on the App Store without further investigation is not a safe choice.