Stop paying for a VPN: Firefox has just created one in your browser

Privacy tools are usually locked behind a monthly subscription, but Mozilla is changing that by delivering protection directly into the browsing experience. With the latest update, Firefox It added a built-in VPN that allows you to hide your digital tracks without needing a separate app or credit card. It’s a big shift for the browser, taking a once-paid feature into the hands of virtually every user.

Keep in mind that free VPNs can be dangerous. If you are not from a trusted provider, They can put your data at risk or Include weaknesses You won’t find it on some of the more popular paid VPN services.

In its post about Firefox 149 updates, Mozilla points out that “free VPNs can sometimes mean unclear arrangements that end up compromising your privacy, but ours are built to Data principles And a commitment to being the most trusted browser in the world.”

In CNET tests, Among the VPN services that offer a free tierthe best free plan on the market is Free Proton VPN service. (It’s the only free VPN currently recommended by CNET.) But Proton VPN’s free service is missing some features found in the company’s premium plan, like the ability to manually choose a server or connect multiple devices at the same time.

For limited or occasional use

It has undergone Mozilla’s comprehensive VPN technology Independent audits from Cure53has successfully solved security issues throughout its history and uses WireGuard, giving it a good security foundation.

The free, browser-based version may give the impression that it offers the same level of comprehensive protection as a standalone VPN. However, it only protects web traffic viewed through Firefox.

“The primary limitation is scale,” said Jacob Calvo, cybersecurity expert and CEO. Direct agentswhich provides technical services to companies and individuals. “(Free Firefox VPN) only protects browser traffic, not apps, system processes, or other network activity. This creates a false sense of ‘total protection’ for less technical users.”

This could make it a useful feature for casual use while browsing the web for those who don’t already have a VPN service. Calvo says the 50GB data limit is generous for a browser-based VPN.

But he said he did not recommend anything that involved “sensitive data, competitive intelligence, or large-scale operations.”

“This is a controlled, limited-use product and not a complete privacy solution,” Calvo said.