Brave browser, known for its privacy-centric features, has come under scrutiny for silently installing its VPN service on Windows devices without user permission. This discovery came about after users downloaded the browser and found Brave’s VPN service, Brave Firewall + VPN, integrated into their systems.
Even users uninterested in Brave’s VPN offerings were affected by this unauthorized installation
Two unexpected guests named Brave VPN Service and Brave VPN Wireguard Service appeared in the Services manager of the system after installation. While Brave’s $9.99 per month Firewall + VPN service remains inactive until subscription, the secret installation raises concerns about the browser’s transparency.
Addressing the issue on GitHub, Brave’s VP of Engineering Brian Clifton stated that the Brave VPN Wireguard Service was introduced in version 1.57.47, especially for users with administrative privileges. The other service, Brave VPN Service, has been bundled with the browser for some time.
This automatic VPN setup is currently exclusive to the Windows version of the browser, and the company plans to change this behavior in a future version. Usually VPN services are included only after explicit user request and payment. Therefore, Brave’s approach is open to criticism.
Internet Explorer caused surprise: The most popular browsers have been announced!
The most popular internet browsers as of June 2023 have been announced. The ranking attracted attention. Here are the most popular browsers…
The fate of VPN services bundled in current Brave installations remains unclear. While manual removal is possible, future updates may reinstall these services.
As a workaround, you can try uninstalling and reinstalling Brave without administrative rights to prevent unauthorized service additions. What are you thinking? Please don’t forget to share your thoughts with us in the comments.