A popular Chrome VPN extension, FreeVPN.One, has been found to secretly capture and transmit users’ screenshots without their knowledge, highlighting weaknesses in Chrome Web Store security checks. Despite claims of compliance and transparency by the developer, the extension’s behavior raises concerns about privacy violations and marketplace oversight. #FreeVPN.One #ChromeWebStore #BrowserExtensions
Keypoints
- The FreeVPN.One extension was found to be exfiltrating screenshots of users’ browsing activity.
- Chrome’s security measures failed to prevent the malicious behavior despite verification processes.
- The extension had over 100,000 verified installations before the issue was exposed.
- The developer claimed the screenshot functionality was for detecting suspicious domains and was compliant with policies.
- Google has not yet responded or taken action to remove the extension from the Chrome Web Store.
Read More: https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/21/freevpn_privacy_research/