The security researcher Michael Horowitz argues that the VPN are iOS do not work. Not only that: according to the expert, Apple has been aware of this problem with the iPhone for some time, at least since iOS 13. So much so that it defines the VPN on iOS “a scam”. Although actually one solution seems to already be there.
VPNs on iOS don’t work, according to Horowitz
A VPN is in charge of protecting your encrypted data by sending it to a secure server. This way yours internet or mobile service provider cannot see your data (but only that you use a VPN). And at the same time whoever operates the website or remote server it cannot find out your IP addresses, the place you connect from or your identified data: they only see those of the VPN server.
So it is imperative that when you activate the VPN app (on iOS or any other operating system), this one close all existing connections, not safe. But according to Horowitz, Apple doesn’t allow VPN apps to close all connections.
According to Horowitz, the “data leaves the iOS device out of the VPN tunnel,” allowing connections to be traced. Horowitz says he has it tested with multiple devices and with more than one VPN app. This could mean that the first connections you make after activating the VPN app may not be secure.
ProtonVPN had already identified this problem in the march 2020, on iOS 13.3.1. Explaining that it was not possible for apps to get around this problem. Proton had explained at the end of the year that Apple had not solved the problem, but would provide a “button to close the connections ” app manual, which however no longer seems to have arrived.
In his post Horowitz analyzes the situation and says that Apple has not been cooperative. However, after the post comes out, Apple would report a solution for developers, which would close all possible connections. However, it is off by default and it seems that it has not been communicated directly to the developers, since no app currently uses it.
The situation should therefore recede with the next updates of the VPN apps.