What makes free VPN services live?

Question

VPN

You can find enough such programs and they really work and hide the IP. But why would they provide this service for free?
Some, like TouchVPN , do not even have traffic limits and do not ask you to pay to remove it.
What's the catch? What are the risks?

Answer 1

1. They steal your data if it is transmitted unencrypted;
2. They track your visits if the VPN was raised by special services;
3. They push you ads in HTML;
4. They shove you worms if you're smart enough to download the "client".
5. Earn on advertising on the site itself;
6. Collect statistics of visits.

Answer 2

There are always risks, even with the most trusted companies.
But in general, normal offices that work for reputation, and not temporary profit, do not deal with any garbage. Usually there are some paid services. And free ones are limited by something, and this is not necessarily traffic. This may be, for example, the ability to establish more than 1 connection at the same time. Or have ip in all countries, and not in 1-2 countries on a free plan. And all that.
Everything boils down to trust. See what the company is like, how long it exists, what reviews, etc. If you can use OpenVPN or even configure Windows natively, then this is a plus for trust in general (even if you have your own client). You decide who to trust. This applies not only to VPNs, but to the entire information environment in general.

Answer 3

1. They keep logs and leak them to those who pay (if the VPN is raised by "interested people", then they simply leak it for analysis)
2. If the connection is not encrypted, they steal passwords and other "interesting" information
3. They shove ads everywhere they reach
4. Can plant a virusyak
Free cheese is known where. Guarantees that the VPN does not do this or anything else - you have no other than their word of honor. By the way, a paid VPN also does not guarantee anything - a paid VPN also merges the logs :) because you cannot check it in the same way...

Answer 4

If you pay nothing to the service, then you yourself are a product.
They collect activity statistics and sell it to the right people.