How to Disable Brave VPN in Windows?
The Brave browser, known for its strong security and privacy features, has come under scrutiny due to reports of its VPN being installed on users’ devices without their consent. While Brave has garnered a favorable reputation in the tech, cybersecurity, and privacy-focused communities, some recent findings reveal an issue where the browser silently installs files for its VPN service on Windows devices.
If you don’t want to use this Brave VPN service, you can choose to disable it.
Here is how to turn off Brave VPN using Services:
Step 1. Open the Run dialog by pressing the Windows key + R.
Step 2. Type services.msc into the Run dialog and press Enter. This will open the Services app.
Step 3. Find the Brave section within the services manager. Then double click on both Brave VPN Service and Brave VPN Wireguard Service and set their startup type to Disabled.
You can see it is not difficult to turn off Brave VPN on your Windows computer.
Will Brave address this issue?
Although the decision to surreptitiously install VPN service packages by Brave raises concerns, the manner in which this installation is carried out suggests it may not be malicious. The company appears to be implementing this feature with user intentions in mind.
Let’s delve into the specifics of the VPN installation. The VPN services are set to a manual startup, implying they will only activate when the user opts to purchase Brave’s Firewall and VPN service, which is priced at $9.99 per month, or manually enables the service.
Brian Clifton, the VP of Engineering at Brave, provided more insights into the situation in a GitHub post. This update introducing the VPN services installation was released on April 4th of this year. It installs two services: the Brave VPN Wireguard Service and the Brave VPN Service. Regrettably, neither of these services is explained to users during the Brave browser download process, and no consent is obtained.
Brave has already acknowledged the issue and committed to resolving it.
Is it safe to install the Brave browser?
Fortunately, this situation seems to be an oversight by the Brave team or possibly a decision made by the VPN team, rather than a security and privacy-focused team member. While these installations may be relatively harmless, they highlight the potential risks associated with any software installation.
It’s essential to remember that there are no specific security regulations requiring companies to disclose what they install on your PC. Consequently, malicious actors could exploit trusted programs by adding malware or ransomware to them, potentially compromising your computer. Always practice caution by verifying the file’s authenticity through known good file hashes when downloading software. For example, you can download and install Brave from Microsoft Store.
Rescue Your Missing Files
In this part, we will introduce a professional data restore tool: MiniTool Power Data Recovery.
This is the best free data recovery software that can help you recover all kinds of files from storage devices like hard drives, SSDs, removable disk drives, and more.
MiniTool Power Data Recovery FreeClick to Download100%Clean & Safe
Bottom Line
Want to disable Brave VPN if you find Brave installs it on your device? You can find an easy method in this post. You can also find other related information here.