A recent report reveals that at least five VPN applications available in the App Store are linked to the Chinese military, with three of them accumulating over a million downloads.
One of the Chinese firms associated with these apps is currently seeking applicants for a position focused on “monitoring and analyzing platform data,” requiring familiarity with American cultural norms.
VPN Applications
Virtual Private Network (VPN) applications are intended to safeguard users’ online privacy, defending against man-in-the-middle threats often posed by fake public Wi-Fi hotspots, while also preventing ISPs or mobile carriers from tracking visited websites.
Moreover, VPNs can assist in bypassing geographical restrictions for streaming services and content that may be blocked by local governments.
Nevertheless, the reliability of VPNs hinges on the integrity of their developers. A fraudulent VPN could potentially expose all your browsing data to its creator.
Five VPN Applications Tied to the Chinese Military
An investigation conducted by the Tech Transparency Project, in conjunction with the Financial Times, has identified at least five VPN applications in both the App Store and Google Play Store with affiliations to a company linked to the Chinese military.
The recent report from the Tech Transparency Project and additional findings from the Financial Times indicate that five free VPNs available through US tech companies’ app stores have connections to Shanghai-listed Qihoo 360.
Qihoo, officially known as 360 Security Technology, was sanctioned by the US government in 2020 due to its alleged ties with the Chinese military. The US Department of Defense subsequently included Qihoo on a list of companies affiliated with the Chinese military.
Recent job postings by Guangzhou Lianchuang highlight that its apps operate in over 220 nations, claiming a user base of 10 million daily. One of the open positions involves tasks such as “monitoring and analyzing platform data,” and requires proficiency in American cultural contexts.
The following five applications are linked to this matter:
- Turbo VPN
- VPN Proxy Master
- Thunder VPN
- Snap VPN
- Signal Secure VPN (not affiliated with the Signal messaging platform)
Following notification from the FT, Apple has removed Thunder VPN and Snap VPN from its App Store; the status of the other three applications remains uncertain.
The complete article details the intricate web of connections the investigators uncovered to highlight these links.
Update: Apple has stated that it prioritizes user privacy and security with stringent rules in place for VPN applications, and any app failing to meet these standards will be banned from the App Store.
DMN’s Opinion
It is advisable to use VPN applications from trustworthy providers, especially those like NordVPN that have undergone independent security audits.
VPN applications originating from China should be regarded with skepticism since the law mandates developers to retain usage logs and submit them to the government as required. Apps that fail to comply with this regulation have been excluded from the App Store since 2017.
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Photo by Engin Akyurt on Unsplash
