An IT expert at the Russian State Duma Explains Data Risks of Using VPN

“To prevent hackers from getting personal data of users, users don’t need to use a VPN connection in their daily life”, said Yevgeny Lifshits, a member of the expert council of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy, Information Technology and Communications.

He explained that a VPN is a virtual network that is supposed to protect the user’s personal data from hackers. It is assumed that using this network allows users to maintain network privacy. However, according to the expert, VPN services carry more danger than protection.According to Lifshits, such services are not needed in everyday life.

“Sometimes VPN services are necessary for work to transfer commercial data. In everyday life, they have no value.”

According to the expert, if a person does not commit crimes that he wants to hide with a VPN, then he does not need to protect himself.  Otherwise, passwords may end up in the hands of hackers.

“A user installing a VPN believes that he has secured himself, but the service provider may allow a data leak,” said Lifshitz. 

According to him, if the VPN service is unreliable, hackers can get passwords and other personal data of the user. The expert noted that now there are thousands of companies offering a secure connection and an ordinary person can make a mistake with the choice of a reliable one.

Earlier it was reported that the personal data of 20 million users of free VPN services were publicly available on the Internet. Experts found on the open server email addresses, smartphone model data, passwords, IP addresses, home addresses, device IDs, and other information with a total volume of 1.2 terabytes. It is noted that the leak occurred from networks such as UFO VPN, Fast VPN, Free VPN, Super VPN, Flash VPN, Secure VPN and Rabbit VPN. Some of them have millions of downloads from Google Play and the App Store and high ratings.