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Pvt Ltd · Browser Extension Supply Chain · VPN Abuse

Chrome Extensions · Free VPN Scam · Proxy Hijack · Data Exfiltration · LayerX Campaign

9 Million Users Hit by Malicious “Free” VPN That Steals Your Data

A long-running campaign of fake “Free Unlimited VPN” browser extensions quietly turned millions of users into surveillance targets. Posing as privacy tools, these Chrome extensions acted as remote-controlled proxy implants: hijacking web traffic, exfiltrating browsing histories, and silently profiling victims for nearly six years before being exposed by LayerX Security researchers in November 2025. In this CyberDudeBivash breakdown, we map the attack, explain how it evaded detection, and give you an immediate mitigation playbook for both home users and enterprise defenders.By CyberDudeBivash · Founder, CyberDudeBivash Pvt LtdLayerX Campaign · Free VPN Abuse · Browser Threat Intel

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Affiliate & Transparency Note: This guide contains contextual affiliate links to training, hardware, VPN and security products that help you harden your devices and networks against malicious “free” tools. Using these links may earn CyberDudeBivash a small commission at no additional cost to you and directly supports more deep-dive investigations like this one.

SUMMARY – Your “Free VPN” Might Actually Be a Remote-Controlled Proxy Implant

Chrome extensions marketed as “Free Unlimited VPN” were downloaded more than 9 million times and stayed active for almost six years before security researchers from LayerX exposed the campaign.
Instead of encrypting traffic, these extensions turned victims’ browsers into remote-controlled proxy nodes, routing traffic through attacker servers and giving operators full visibility into browsing and login activity.
Newer variants introduced evasion techniques such as delayed activation, dynamically downloaded proxy logic, disabling competing extensions, URL hashing, and history.replaceState() tricks to erase forensic traces.
Attackers could read or redirect traffic to phishing sites and ad farms, harvest credentials, and build detailed profiles of browsing behaviour and interests for targeted follow-on attacks.
If you’ve installed any random “free VPN” or “unlimited VPN” extension: remove it now, reset your browser proxy settings, rotate passwords, and set up phishing-resistant 2FA. Enterprises must add browser extensions to asset management, EDR visibility and policy control immediately.

Partner Picks · Safer Alternatives to Random “Free” VPNs (Affiliate)

Edureka – VPN, Network & Blue-Team Skills

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AliExpress – Hardware for DIY VPN & Lab

Build your own VPN using trusted protocols (WireGuard/OpenVPN) on cheap mini PCs or routers instead of trusting shady browser extensions.Get Lab Hardware for Self-Hosted VPN →

Alibaba – Cloud Servers for Private VPN

Spin up your own encrypted tunnel on a cloud instance you control instead of routing your life through unknown “free” providers.Deploy a Self-Hosted VPN in the Cloud →

Kaspersky – Endpoint Protection Against Malicious Extensions

Combine browser hardening with strong EDR/AV that can spot malicious extensions, traffic redirection and info-stealers piggybacking on fake VPNs.Secure Endpoints Against Malicious VPN Add-ons →

1. Incident Overview: The “Free Unlimited VPN” Chrome Trap

Security researchers at LayerX Security uncovered a multi-year campaign abusing Chrome VPN and ad-blocking extensions that marketed themselves as “Free Unlimited VPN” style privacy tools. Instead of protecting users, the extensions:

Accumulated more than 9 million installations from the Chrome Web Store.
Operated undetected for nearly six years, from 2019 through mid-2025.
Turned browsers into remote-controlled proxies, redirecting traffic through attacker-controlled servers.
Gave operators full visibility into victims’ browsing and the ability to inject redirects to phishing or ad-fraud sites.

At least three main variants (Extension A, B and C) were identified, all sharing the same backend infrastructure and behaviour pattern but evolving to become stealthier over time.

2. How the Malicious VPN Extensions Hijack Traffic

On the surface, the extensions looked like any other VPN add-on: one-click connect, nice icon, plenty of reviews. Under the hood, they behaved very differently from legitimate VPN clients:

Proxy-based, not tunnel-based: Instead of creating a proper encrypted tunnel, the extensions abused Chrome’s proxy APIs to reroute traffic to attacker-controlled proxy servers.
Remote configuration: After installation, the extension fetched hidden configuration files from C2 servers. These configs dictated which domains to redirect, what PAC scripts to apply, and where to send captured metadata.
Dynamic payload loading: Recent variants (Extension C, July 2025) downloaded core proxy logic at runtime and executed it dynamically, making static analysis almost useless.
Delay-based sandbox evasion: A deliberate two-second delay before enabling proxy routing likely helped the extension bypass automated browser-extension sandboxes that only watch initial behaviour.
Extension kill-switch: The malware scanned installed extensions to disable competing proxy/VPN add-ons, ensuring exclusive control over traffic.
Keepalive & history tampering: Keepalive scripts kept background components running, while history.replaceState() calls wiped traces of malicious redirects from the browser history, complicating forensics.
Remote PAC scripts: The extension updated proxy rules through remote PAC files, letting operators silently redirect victims to phishing pages, forced ad pages or tracking endpoints with no visible UI changes.

In short: this was not “just another shady VPN”. It was a programmable man-in-the-browser platform delivered via the Chrome Web Store.

3. What Data Is at Risk?

Because the malicious extension sat inside the browser’s proxy chain, it could observe or manipulate a large portion of web traffic, especially unencrypted or weakly protected flows:

Visited URLs and full click-paths, including sensitive research and personal interests.
Authentication flows and session cookies to some sites (especially where HSTS and strong protections were absent).
Redirected sessions to fake login pages that harvest usernames and passwords.
Browsing profiles (hashed URLs, domains, categories) used to build behavioural dossiers on victims.
Potentially financial data, webmail access and SaaS admin portals, depending on user habits.

Once such data is captured, it can be resold to brokers, used for targeted phishing, account-takeover campaigns or even extortion. Similar patterns have been seen in malicious VPN apps and other tracking scandals in the past.

4. How to Check if You Were Hit (Home & Power Users)

You may have been exposed if you installed any extension claiming to be:

“Free Unlimited VPN” or similar wording on Chrome.
A combination VPN + ad-blocker with vague branding, few details on the vendor, and aggressive “100% free forever” claims.
VPN extensions with unclear privacy policies or websites that look like basic templates with no company info.

On Chrome/Edge:

Go to chrome://extensions (or the Extensions page in your browser’s menu).
Disable and remove any VPN/ad-blocker you don’t explicitly recognise and trust.
Open Settings → System → Open your computer’s proxy settings and ensure no strange PAC/proxy entries remain.
If in doubt: export bookmarks, then reset the browser profile and reinstall only the bare minimum extensions.

5. Home User Playbook: 10-Minute Emergency Cleanup

If you think you installed a suspicious “free VPN” extension, follow this CyberDudeBivash rapid-response checklist:

Remove the extension: Delete all unknown VPN/ad-blocker extensions from all browsers and all profiles.
Reset proxy settings: On your OS network settings, restore proxy configuration to default (no PAC, no manual proxy).
Run a full endpoint scan: Use a reputable security suite (e.g., Kaspersky, Defender) to rule out extra payloads.
Change passwords: Prioritise email, banking, cloud storage, social media and any SaaS admin portals.
Enable phishing-resistant 2FA: Prefer app-based or hardware keys over SMS where possible.
Review account activity: Check recent logins and sessions for your main accounts; revoke suspicious sessions.
Educate your household: Make sure family members understand why “free VPN” can be dangerous.

6. Enterprise Playbook: Browser Extension & VPN Risk Controls

For organisations, this incident is another reminder that browser extensions are part of your attack surface. At minimum, security teams should:

Inventory extensions: Use MDM, browser management (Chrome Enterprise, Intune), or EDR to list all deployed extensions.
Block unapproved VPN/proxy extensions: Maintain an allow-list and block everything else by default.
Monitor proxy and PAC usage: Alert on unusual PAC configurations or sudden changes in enterprise browsers.
Correlate with network logs: Look for traffic to known C2 or suspicious proxy infrastructures used by these campaigns.
Harden browsers: Apply security baselines that restrict extension permissions and auto-update policies.
Run awareness campaigns: Educate employees on why “free VPN” extensions are banned, and provide vetted alternatives.

7. How to Choose a Safe VPN in 2025/2026

Not all free VPNs are malicious, but the risk profile is brutally skewed. Research shows many free VPNs and proxy services embed tracking, weak encryption, or outright malicious behaviour. Practical rules:

Prefer paid VPN providers with independent audits, clear ownership and transparent logging policies.
Avoid random browser-only “VPNs” – proper services support OpenVPN/WireGuard/IKEv2 and system-wide clients.
Read recent reviews from independent security researchers, not just app store ratings.
If you’re technical, consider self-hosting your own VPN on a cloud or home server you control.
Never trust any VPN or proxy that hides its company details, jurisdiction or privacy policy.

8. CyberDudeBivash Recommended Stack

These partners help you move away from shady “free VPN” traps and towards a professional, well-governed security stack. Using these links helps grow the CyberDudeBivash ecosystem with more free incident guides, apps and tools.

Edureka – Deep dives into networking, VPNs, SOC, DFIR and cloud security.
AliExpress WW – Affordable lab hardware for self-hosted VPNs and security testing.
Alibaba WW – Cloud VMs and storage for VPN endpoints and traffic analysis.
Kaspersky – Endpoint protection, malicious extension detection and web protection.
Rewardful – Run referral programmes for your own security tools and services.
HSBC Premier Banking [IN] – Strategically manage global security and infra budgets.
Tata Neu Super App [IN] – Rewards for the humans behind your blue-team work.
TurboVPN WW – Use cautiously as a paid VPN, not random browser add-ons.
Tata Neu Credit Card [IN] – Optimise training and hardware spend for security teams.
YES Education Group – Leadership and communication skills for CISOs and IT leads.
GeekBrains – Developer and automation training for secure tool building.
Clevguard WW – Monitoring for personal and family devices hitting risky apps.
Huawei CZ – Connectivity for distributed blue-team and SOC environments (where applicable).
iBOX – Billing infra if you build your own paid VPN or security SaaS.
The Hindu [IN] – Track local tech and security policy impacting VPN and privacy.
Asus [IN] – Solid laptops for security work, lab builds and daily DFIR grinding.
VPN hidemy.name – Another privacy-focused VPN option (again, as a proper client, not a random extension).
Blackberrys [IN] – Look sharp when explaining these incidents to the board.
ARMTEK – Logistics and spares for your physical infra.
Samsonite MX – Travel gear for IR teams and consultants.
Apex Affiliate (AE/GB/NZ/US) and STRCH [IN] – Perks and comfort for the humans behind your defence stack.

9. FAQ: “Free VPN” Myths, Data Selling & Browser Safety

Q1. Are all free VPNs malicious?

No, but the economics are against you. If you are not paying with money, you’re probably paying with data, ads or risk. Studies and incidents keep showing that a large share of free VPNs, proxies and extensions engage in aggressive tracking or shady behaviour. Treat “free & unlimited” VPN claims as a red flag, especially from unknown brands.

Q2. I removed the extension – am I 100% safe now?

Removing the extension stops new traffic from being hijacked but does not erase whatever data was already captured. You must assume that passwords, session cookies and browsing profiles may already be in attacker hands, so changing passwords and enabling strong 2FA is non-negotiable. In high-risk environments, treat exposed accounts as compromised and follow your IR playbooks.

Q3. Is using a VPN browser extension always bad?

Some reputable VPN vendors offer browser extensions as companion tools, but you should:

Install only from known, audited VPN providers whose main app you already use.
Avoid extensions that are the only product offered by a mysterious brand.
Prefer full-device VPN clients over extension-only “VPNs” for real security and privacy.

10. CyberDudeBivash Ecosystem & Next Steps

CyberDudeBivash Pvt Ltd is building an ecosystem of apps, playbooks and deep-dive reports so normal users, blue teams and CISOs can actually keep up with these kinds of threats.

For org-level help, reach out via the contact page – we can review your browser extension posture, VPN usage and shadow-IT risk and build a cleanup and hardening plan tailored to your environment.

Work with CyberDudeBivash Pvt Ltd on Browser & VPN Threat Hardening

From fake VPN campaigns like this one to malicious browser wallets and “free” security scanners, the browser is now a primary attack surface. CyberDudeBivash Pvt Ltd can help you audit, harden and monitor your browser ecosystem, extensions, VPN usage and shadow-IT across the entire organisation.

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