SINGAPORE — A Chinese national was recently arrested in Singapore for allegedly infecting millions of computers around the world with malware bundled in free Virtual Private Network (VPN) programmes.
SINGAPORE — A Chinese national was recently arrested in Singapore for allegedly infecting millions of computers around the world with malware bundled in free Virtual Private Network programmes.He earned millions by selling access to these hijacked computers to cybercriminals for various illegal activities
The DOJ said in a press release on May 24 that Wang allegedly bundled the malware through VPN programmes such as MaskVPN and DewVPN, and also with pirated software. These criminals used the hijacked computers to conceal their identities and commit various crimes. These included financial crimes, stalking, transmitting bomb threats, illegal exportation of goods, and receiving and sending child exploitation materials.
A virtual encrypted tunnel is a secure, private pathway on the internet that keeps data safe and hidden from others while browsing. “It is this allure of restricted content that cybercriminals are tapping, with the promise of unknown downloads or apps providing access,” said Mr Yeo. In 2018, consumer research firm GlobalWebIndex surveyed 138,962 internet users aged 16 to 64 across 40 countries and found that 45 per cent of Singapore users would use VPN to access better entertainment content.A common security risk associated with free VPNs is that there can be “limited or no confidentiality” regarding data privacy, said Associate Professor Razwana Begum from the Singapore University of Social Sciences .
Running any VPN service has costs like maintenance or dealing with complaints and there needs to be a way to cover these costs, he said. Mr Ali Fazeli, a cybersecurity expert at cybersecurity research and development company Nexvision Lab, said:"Not all free VPN services are 'bad' or cause security issues. It is those containing malicious software or fake VPNs that can be dangerous."
“A proxy backdoor is a hidden way for someone to control the user’s computer or network without the user’s permission,” he added. Mr Reed added that this includes whether the VPN provider has a history of independent audits and a legally binding privacy policy.
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