Virtual private networks, or VPNs, are used by web users the world over to encrypt their web traffic and hide their IP addresses. Often, they’re entirely benign tools that promise an extra layer of privacy.earlier this week that children are increasingly using free VPNs to circumvent their schools’ attempts to prevent them from browsing porn or other inappropriate websites.
Research being shared with U.S. lawmakers this week shows that some of those VPNs have links to China and could be sharing children’s data with the Chinese government.for allegedly attaching malware to free VPNs to hack into as many as 19 million computers, creating a botnet used by cybercriminals to hide their tracks and acquire over $8 billion in fraudulent revenue.
Experts recommend paid-for VPNs from reputable vendors, such as F-Secure or Proton, which typically carry less risk and promise genuine privacy boosts.the Midas List , our annual ranking of the world’s top venture capitalists. Highlights from a privacy/security perspective include Shardul Shah, who’s invested in Datadog and Wiz; Scott Sandell, who’s backed CloudFlare; and Trae Stephens, whose investments in the space include Anduril., its owner LiveNation confirmed, after a hacker known as ShinyHunters claimed they had stolen 560 million customer records.