Open Source Tool Released to Detect VPN Leaks
A new open source toolkit for detecting vulnerabilities and leaks when using VPNs is now available for download on GitHub. Released this week by ExpressVPN under the MIT License, this toolkit is the first public product designed for automated VPN security testing.
The main purpose of these tools is to perform automated regression testing of ExpressVPN’s own software. However, they can also be used to test other VPNs that may not provide adequate user protection. The toolkit is primarily written in Python and is freely available on GitHub.
What Types of Leaks Can Be Detected?
The toolkit can identify a wide range of leaks, including:
- IP address exposure when using WebRTC
- Internet activity leaks when switching from wireless to wired connections
- Unencrypted data leaks if the VPN software crashes or fails to connect to a server
Why Is This Important?
According to a study by Propeller Insights commissioned by ExpressVPN in November of this year, one-third of respondents use VPNs to enhance their cybersecurity, particularly to protect themselves from data interception on Wi-Fi networks. Additionally, 25% use VPNs to hide their online activity from internet service providers, and 15% use them to guard against government surveillance.
About the MIT License
The MIT License is a permissive open source software license developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). It allows programmers to use the licensed code in proprietary software, provided that the license text is included with the software. According to the Free Software Foundation, this license is sometimes more accurately called the X11 License, as MIT has used several different licenses in the past.