Can Free VPNs Contain Viruses?

[feynman1]

Do free VPNs have viruses? If so, when connected with them, files on the PC are vulnerable to attack?

 

[MikeeMiracle]

A VPN is just a means to connect to another network, there is nothing inherantly unsafe i doing so. If the network you connect to has an infected computer then you may be more succeptable.

Why are you using a VPN? For annonymity?

A lot of these free VPN providers cannot provide the infrastructure to actually provide the service they advertise so they end up "renting" the service from someone else. In the IT security news this week have been 7 VPN providers who have been promising to "hold not data" on you and yet, they all "rented" out the service from the same provider who WAS keeping logs.

Dependoing on your reasons for using a VPN proxy to the internet, you need to be really careful to vet the provider you use.

 

[feynman1]

Can paid for VPNs keep track of what websites users access?

 

[MikeeMiracle]

Any VPN can keep track, wether they do or not is another question and comes down to trust in that provider. You are basically routing your information through someone else's computer network. That's all the internet is really, other people's computers/servers/networks and that's how you should view it to remain safe.

An idea of why you are looking to use one would be helpful is providing you with a better / alternative solution.

For example if you are just browing have you ever thought of using the TOR Browser? It was originally created by the US as a mean of allowing those abroad a method to circumvent cencorship and provide anonymity.

Yes, it is also the gateway to accessing the "Dark Web" as it's capable of hosting web sites within it's network, but that was not it's primary purpose or usage. It's used by many foreign journalists and even western journalists for research purposes.

 

[rneyade]

Can paid for VPNs keep track of what websites users access?

Both free and paid VPNs will keep a record of the websites you are visiting. Your connection is through their gateway/proxy. If they want to do this, it is easy to get that. However, it is hard to confirm because you don't have access to their servers.

 

[Coco]

Not all the free VPNS have viruses.