- Researchers found that 30 out of 30 Russian Android apps can detect VPNs.
- The report notably identifies MAX, VK services and Yandex browser.
- From April 15, Russian Internet services will be forced to detect VPNs
The 30 most popular Android apps in Russia now track VPN access on devices, and 20 of these services actively block or restrict functionality when a connection is detected, according to a recent study.
The data, collected by Russian digital rights group RKS Global, follows a separate study indicating that state-controlled “super-app” MAX can monitor whether users are connected to a VPN.
The change comes as major Russian service providers reportedly had until April 15 to start restricting VPN users.
Before the deadline, the same researchers found that only 22 of the apps tested were looking for VPN connections. By April 16, that number had increased to 100% of apps tested.
RKS Global told TechRadar that it expects this trend to grow as more developers are forced to comply with Kremlin directives.
What apps look for VPNs?
According to the RKS Global report, the list of apps capable of detecting VPNs includes state-controlled “super-app” MAX, various local banking platforms, and major Yandex services such as Yandex Browser, Maps, and Music.
The researchers also identified VK services, including VK Video and Vkontakte, as well as several local markets, as having implemented these digitization capabilities.
The study further claims that Yandex Browser is the only app tested that also looks for an active connection to Tor Browser.
Contacted by TechRadar, a Yandex spokesperson denied that the browser scans users’ devices for Tor, saying: “Tor Browser is mentioned in the list of more than 100 browser exclusions, including Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Brave, DuckDuckGo and others, for one purpose: when a website prompts the user to open its application, the browser should not redirect the user to another browser; that would be useless.
The company also argued that VPN detection methods are “common market practice for location-based features and content targeting” used by many major services in Russia and abroad.
When asked to confirm whether Yandex was using its VPN detection features to prevent users based in Russia from using its services, the spokesperson said: “We comply with all applicable laws and regulations in the markets in which we operate. We do not comment on internal systems or security-related processes. »
TechRadar has contacted VK and MAX for comment.
An obligation to detect VPNs
The findings appear to be linked to government efforts to prevent VPN use to circumvent growing online restrictions.
In early April, Russia’s Minister of Digital Development asked more than 20 Russian online service providers how to detect and block VPN connections.
The measures are part of the Kremlin’s plan to “reduce VPN use” through new blocking obligations for businesses, as well as new fines and fees for people caught using a VPN or similar circumvention tools.
Speaking to TechRadar, Amnezia VPN founder Mazay Banzaev compared these scanning obligations to how spyware works. “Popular Russian applications are encouraged to analyze: network settings of devices, routing and DNS, the presence of VPNs and proxies at the system level, as well as connection behavior,” he said.
How to escape detection
Guidelines issued by the Ministry of Digital Development highlight several limitations in current VPN detection, which residents are now using as a road map to get around the problem.
RKS Global recommends execute a VPN on a router, as this makes detection more difficult as all traffic is redirected through an encrypted tunnel before even reaching the mobile or laptop.
The researchers also suggest having two separate devices – one for Russian apps and one for foreign apps accessible via a VPN – if possible. If you only have one Android phone, you should consider activation of Android work profile to prevent apps from different profiles from being linked to each other.
Finally, it is worth remembering that the official instructions also warn that checking active VPN connections is harder on iPhones because “access to system settings on iOS is significantly limited.”
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