The Kaspersky Secure Connection: VPN service is a new application of Russian Kaspersky security company for the Android mobile operating system.
The application is available for free as well as on payment. The free version of the app gives you a daily traffic of 200 Megabytes, while the premium version removes the limitation, and can be used on up to five devices.
The application promises to protect the privacy and the data of its users when online, by encrypting the links and by not recording what online users do.
Nevertheless requests access to your contacts, calls, and location, and if you dump anything, it does not start. If you check the full list of rights requested by the app, you'll find many more, such as Identify, device and app history (reads your bookmarks and web history), and also reads what's on storage devices USB.
It is not clear why these rights are required and the basic reason for a service provider to work VPN, but rather that's why it has negative reviews on Google Play.
The quota of 200 Megabytes per day is enough for a little bit of browsing and perhaps your email control, but do not expect it to last long. 200MB are these.
If you need a VPN to start streaming media or open heavy sites on program of your preferred browsing, 200MB is just not enough.
But we should mention one more theme related to your privacy which only becomes visible if you allow the rights. The app is powered by Hotspot Shield. The Center for Democracy and Technology has filed a complaint against Anchorfree, Inc, the company behind Hotspot Shield. (PDF)
The Center for Democracy and Technology asks the Federal Trade Commission to investigate Hotspot Shield Free Virtual Private Network (VPN) security practices and data exchange, a product of AnchorFree, Inc. Hotspot Shield Free VPN promises secure, And anonymous internet access. As described in detail below, this complaint concerns the undisclosed and unclear data exchange and redirect traffic that takes place at Hotspot Shield Free VPN. It is something that should be considered an unfair and misleading commercial practice in accordance with 5 article of the FTC.
To say it nicely: Avoid the Kaspersky Secure Connection application until Kaspersky has a mind. However you can try it out F-Secure Freedome VPN, an application that requires fewer permissions to run.
