- CISA has warned that personal VPNs can increase a user’s “attack surface”.
- This advice is part of a wider warning about advanced spyware.
- Dodgy VPNs, especially free apps, can collect data or introduce malware
The top US cybersecurity agency has issued a stern warning in its latest letter: “Do not use personal VPN.”
HE Advise comes from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), which warned iPhone and Android users that many commercial VPN services can cause more harm than good. According to CISA, “Personal VPNs simply transfer residual risk from the Internet Service Provider (ISP) to the VPN provider, often increasing the attack surface.”
The warning suggests that while a VPN can protect your activities from your ISP, trust the VPN provider, many of which “have questionable security and privacy policies.” This is an important statement from a federal agency that highlights a key risk associated with the number of commercial VPNs.
The warning is part of a wider effort to combat the rise of sophisticated commercial spyware. Security agencies are increasingly concerned about bad actors using sophisticated tools to infiltrate smartphones, and a malicious VPN app is an ideal Trojan horse.
As a recent security advisory from Google shows, bad actors are experts at spreading malicious apps masquerading as legitimate VPN services to compromise user security and steal everything from browsing history to financial data.
These warnings are particularly relevant given the increasing use of VPNs to bypass geo-restrictions or in response to new regulatory measures, such as age verification laws. But, as the CISA guidelines suggest, the rush for a quick privacy fix can lead to users downloading questionable apps that are ineffective at best and spyware at worst.
How to choose a secure and private VPN
CISA’s general warning suggests that not all VPNs are trustworthy, but that’s the crux of the problem. hesitant Supplier.
The best VPN services are transparent, vetted and committed to protecting user privacy. To be on the safe side, look for a provider with a strict, independently verified no-logging policy to ensure it doesn’t collect or store data about your online activities.
In addition, strong encryption protocols such as OpenVPN and WireGuard form the backbone of secure VPN connections, keeping your online traffic private and protected from eavesdropping. These encryption standards use advanced cryptographic techniques to protect your data from hackers, ISPs, and government surveillance, making it extremely difficult for third parties to decrypt your communications.
When choosing a VPN, it’s also a good idea to look for additional security-oriented features that improve your online protection.
One of these options is a kill switch that automatically blocks internet access if the VPN connection is unexpectedly interrupted. This prevents your IP address and sensitive data from being exposed in plaintext, a common risk if security measures are not in place.
Other useful features include DNS leak protection, multi-hop connections that route traffic through multiple servers, and Perfect Forward Secrecy (PFS), which regularly changes encryption keys to minimize data exposure.