Privacy-focused Brave browser in trouble for installing VPN on Windows without user consent

tech.hindustantimes.com:

Ever since its initial release in 2016, Brave browser has made a name for itself for being privacy-centric and keeping its users' data protected. However, a report has now forced many to question its approach to transparency. The report claims that ever since the start of 2022, the browser has been silently installing two VPN services to users' Windows devices. These downloads would happen in the background and automatically, without the knowledge of users. This new development has raised concerns about the reliability of the Brave browser.

The report comes from Ghacks who found a post on Privacy Guides that the browser “installs its VPN Service without user consent and regardless of whether the VPN is used or has been used in the past”. However, do not fear. These two software are not malware. In fact, these are an extra paid feature on the platform when you want to buy a VPN + Firewall. It was also found that both the services remained dormant on the device till a user paid for it and activated it. However, the big problem is that it has been downloaded without user consent having been obtained.

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The company's VP of engineering made a post on GitHub once the issue was raised by several users giving a detailed explanation of why the browser behaved in such a way and adding that the “ideal situation would be to move these services to be installed when VPN is first USED (post-purchase) and not at install time.”.

The post also mentioned that this issue would be fixed in an upcoming update and after that, it would not be auto-installed in devices. The update will also remove the service registrations during the upgrade so that users who already have the apps installed on their devices