Malwarebytes: Difference between revisions
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===Privacy VPN (''2020'')=== | ===Privacy VPN (''2020'')=== | ||
In April of 2020, Malwarebytes Labs introduced their Privacy VPN, emphasizing the importance of using a VPN that respects user privacy:<ref>{{Cite web |date=23 Apr 2020 |title=Introducing Malwarebytes Privacy |url=https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/malwarebytes-news/2020/04/introducing-malwarebytes-privacy |url-status=live |access-date=15 Mar 2025 |website=[[Malwarebytes Labs]] |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251226070823/https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/malwarebytes-news/2020/04/introducing-malwarebytes-privacy |archive-date=26 Dec 2025}}</ref><blockquote>One important note we consistently emphasize is that it’s important to choose a VPN that does what it promises and doesn’t abuse your data. To make that choice a little easier, we’ve developed our own VPN that Malwarebytes users can trust to protect your data and privacy every time you go online.</blockquote> | In April of 2020, Malwarebytes Labs introduced their Privacy VPN, emphasizing the importance of using a VPN that respects user privacy:<ref>{{Cite web |date=23 Apr 2020 |title=Introducing Malwarebytes Privacy |url=https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/malwarebytes-news/2020/04/introducing-malwarebytes-privacy |url-status=live |access-date=15 Mar 2025 |website=[[Malwarebytes Labs]] |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251226070823/https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/malwarebytes-news/2020/04/introducing-malwarebytes-privacy |archive-date=26 Dec 2025}}</ref><blockquote>One important note we consistently emphasize is that it’s important to choose a VPN that does what it promises and doesn’t abuse your data. To make that choice a little easier, we’ve developed our own VPN that Malwarebytes users can trust to protect your data and privacy every time you go online.</blockquote> | ||
However, Malwarebytes VPN used to be based on Mullvad VPN until June 2025 and various open source tools,<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Voisin |first=Julien |date=10 Oct 2021 |title=Malwarebytes' privacy VPN is Mullvad in a shady trenchcoat |url=https://dustri.org/b/malwarebytes-privacy-vpn-is-mullvad-in-a-shady-trenchcoat.html |url-status=live | However, Malwarebytes VPN used to be based on Mullvad VPN until June 2025 and various open source tools,<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Voisin |first=Julien |date=10 Oct 2021 |title=Malwarebytes' privacy VPN is Mullvad in a shady trenchcoat |url=https://dustri.org/b/malwarebytes-privacy-vpn-is-mullvad-in-a-shady-trenchcoat.html |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251208201116/https://dustri.org/b/malwarebytes-privacy-vpn-is-mullvad-in-a-shady-trenchcoat.html |archive-date=8 Dec 2025 |access-date=15 Mar 2025 |website=[[Artificial truth]]}}</ref> and nothing is properly disclosed on the official website. On Mullvad site, Malwarebytes is mentioned as partner<ref>{{Cite web |title=Partnerships and Resellers |url=https://mullvad.net/en/help/partnerships-and-resellers |url-status=live |access-date=15 Mar 2025 |website=[[Mullvad]] |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260127023400/https://mullvad.net/en/help/partnerships-and-resellers |archive-date=27 Jan 2026}}</ref>. The software is based on open source code, used without contributing back: | ||
*<code>7z. | *<code>7z.dll</code>, licensed under [https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/GNU_Lesser_General_Public_License LGPL] and {{Wplink|BSD licenses|BSD}}. | ||
*<code>wintun. | *<code>wintun.dll</code>, version 0.13, from the [https://www.wintun.net/ Wintun project]. | ||
These are the embedded dependencies: | These are the embedded dependencies: | ||
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*Information about the use of the software or services ("Log Data") | *Information about the use of the software or services ("Log Data") | ||
The '''Functional Data''' section of the privacy policy states:<blockquote>We collect data that is necessary for the functionality of the software or for our performance of providing the software to you. For example, we may need to collect system processes and behaviors in order to perform system rollback and recovery operations.</blockquote>Malwarebytes website also contains ads, trackers and third-party cookies.<ref>{{Cite web |title=malwarebytes.com — Blacklight Search Results |url=https://themarkup.org/blacklight?url=malwarebytes.com&device=mobile&location=us&force=false |website=The Markup |access-date=13 Jul 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250708182543/https://themarkup.org/blacklight?url=malwarebytes.com&device=mobile&location=us&force=false |archive-date=8 Jul 2025}}</ref> Also, on each webpage, a seemingly harmless GIF file (<code><nowiki>https://genesis.malwarebytes.com/api/v1/wai.gif</nowiki></code>) is being loaded. The GIF returns JSON data, which is possibly being used for [[Device fingerprint|fingerprinting]].<ref name=":0" /> | The '''Functional Data''' section of the privacy policy states:<blockquote>We collect data that is necessary for the functionality of the software or for our performance of providing the software to you. For example, we may need to collect system processes and behaviors in order to perform system rollback and recovery operations.</blockquote>Malwarebytes website also contains ads, trackers and third-party [[Web cookie|cookies]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=malwarebytes.com — Blacklight Search Results |url=https://themarkup.org/blacklight?url=malwarebytes.com&device=mobile&location=us&force=false |website=The Markup |access-date=13 Jul 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250708182543/https://themarkup.org/blacklight?url=malwarebytes.com&device=mobile&location=us&force=false |archive-date=8 Jul 2025}}</ref> Also, on each webpage, a seemingly harmless GIF file (<code><nowiki>https://genesis.malwarebytes.com/api/v1/wai.gif</nowiki></code>) is being loaded. The GIF returns JSON data, which is possibly being used for [[Device fingerprint|fingerprinting]].<ref name=":0" /> | ||
==See also== | ==See also== | ||