- A malicious free VPN extension is back on the Chrome Store
- The new free and unlimited VPN extension already has over 31,000 installations
- Two previous versions were removed after spying on over 9 million users
A notoriously dangerous free VPN extension appears to have made a return to the Chrome Store, and it already has over 31,000 live installs, 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 have been hiding 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 iteration of the extension is once again putting users’ privacy at risk.
“Free VPN extensions promise privacy, speed, and global access with just one click. For millions of users, they provide an easy way to bypass restrictions or hide IP addresses without paying a subscription. But this 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 acting like spyware in disguise.
How a 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 seemed legit. It has received over 110 reviews and an average rating of 4.4 out of 5, while promising complete freedom and privacy, with “no ads, no registration 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 performed significantly more proxy network requests. “They retrieved hidden configuration files from remote servers, changed proxy settings in real time, and intercepted browser browsing events, functioning as remotely controlled proxy redirectors with concealed 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, LaxerX Security’s analysis found that the new version (released in July 2025) is “significantly more advanced and evasive than the old one” because its new infrastructure makes it more difficult to detect malicious activity.
The risks of using the extension range from traffic interception and stealth redirection to dangerous phishing pages, persistent remote control, serious privacy violations and profiling.
You can read the full security review here. If you have downloaded the extension, we strongly recommend that you uninstall the app and all data related to it as soon as possible.
Keep in mind that there are a few seemingly unrelated VPN apps with similar names, but those are not the subject of this investigation. And, while we were initially 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
LayerX Security’s research is the latest in a long line of investigations that have exposed the dangers behind many free VPN solutions, even those offered on official app stores.
Even when these apps aren’t malicious per se, poor performance and intrusive, data-harvesting ads are often the price you pay when using a free service.
This is why TechRadar recommends very few free VPN services.
Proton VPN is among the best free VPNs and the company also offers a reliable Chrome VPN extension app. Although it is ultra secure and private, the free version has some drawbacks, such as not being able to select your server location.
The good news is that subscribing to one of Proton VPN’s premium plans has never been cheaper thanks to its premier Black Friday VPN deal.
Follow TechRadar on Google News And add us as your favorite source to get our news, reviews and expert opinions in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!
