The investigation was released by cybersecurity company Kaspersky, which issued an urgent warning. According to the report, there are six specific apps that should be removed immediately from any cell phone, as they pose a high risk to users. These are MaskVPN, DewVPN, PaladinVPN, ProxyGate, ShieldVPN, and ShineVPN.
When installed, the cell phone can become a proxy server used by criminals to execute attacks. In this way, they access passwords, bank histories and all kinds of information that can compromise the user’s security.
The trick behind these apps is simple but devastating. A legitimate VPN serves clear functions: it encrypts data, protects the IP address, and provides greater privacy on the internet. However, fake versions replicate that promise to gain people’s trust, but instead of protecting, they expose the vulnerability of the device to the maximum. The supposed “safe tunnel” that should protect navigation becomes a perfect trap for spying, intercepting and stealing.
Specialists point out that many people fall into these digital traps because they rely on links received by email, social networks or messaging services. Added to this is the use of weak passwords, the habit of downloading files of dubious origin and excessive exposure on social networks, which makes it easier for cybercriminals to develop personalized attacks.
