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  3. Google has known about a bug that breaks VPN apps for 7 months, leaving users exposed with no warning or error, just a VPN app that stopped working in the background.

Google has known about a bug that breaks VPN apps for 7 months, leaving users exposed with no warning or error, just a VPN app that stopped working in the background.

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  • protonprivacy@mastodon.socialP protonprivacy@mastodon.social

    The bug corrupts Android's network stack at the system level after a VPN update, causing users to blame their VPN provider.

    Restarting the app doesn't help, with the only fix being a full device reboot or VPN app reinstall, something which most users never figure out.

    This affects several VPN providers on Android 16, and only Google has the access to diagnose it properly.

    After 7 months of waiting, we're now asking publicly: Google, when are you fixing this?

    funnymonkey@freeradical.zoneF This user is from outside of this forum
    funnymonkey@freeradical.zoneF This user is from outside of this forum
    funnymonkey@freeradical.zone
    wrote last edited by
    #19

    @protonprivacy @mullvadnet

    Making sure I'm reading this correctly:

    If you're running Android (or an Android variant) and your VPN app updates, the only way to stop this issue is to:

    1. Reboot your phone after the VPN update

    OR

    2. Keep the phone on, delete the VPN app, and reinstall the app

    Am I correct in reading that one or the other approaches will fix this?

    IE, restarting your phone after an update eliminates the need to delete and reinstall the app?

    (and thank you, and Google wtaf)

    danamcfarland@mastodon.socialD 1 Reply Last reply
    0
    • protonprivacy@mastodon.socialP protonprivacy@mastodon.social

      @semitones https://discuss.grapheneos.org/d/21033-second-donation-to-grapheneos-by-the-proton-foundation

      rusty__shackleford@mastodon.socialR This user is from outside of this forum
      rusty__shackleford@mastodon.socialR This user is from outside of this forum
      rusty__shackleford@mastodon.social
      wrote last edited by
      #20

      @protonprivacy @semitones

      Or we could stop the grift & circle jerk. Release your source code so we can make secure email a real standard. Stop releasing to the play store entirely & teach people to install their own apps safely.

      Start initiatives to teach children about public private keys, identity verification, trust, & best practices.

      Be a man proton.

      Or are the normie dollars making you salivate? With fascism on their doorstep, you do have more customers, better bank on their ignorance…

      itseperkele@expressional.socialI 1 Reply Last reply
      0
      • funnymonkey@freeradical.zoneF funnymonkey@freeradical.zone

        @protonprivacy @mullvadnet

        Making sure I'm reading this correctly:

        If you're running Android (or an Android variant) and your VPN app updates, the only way to stop this issue is to:

        1. Reboot your phone after the VPN update

        OR

        2. Keep the phone on, delete the VPN app, and reinstall the app

        Am I correct in reading that one or the other approaches will fix this?

        IE, restarting your phone after an update eliminates the need to delete and reinstall the app?

        (and thank you, and Google wtaf)

        danamcfarland@mastodon.socialD This user is from outside of this forum
        danamcfarland@mastodon.socialD This user is from outside of this forum
        danamcfarland@mastodon.social
        wrote last edited by
        #21

        @funnymonkey @protonprivacy @mullvadnet can confirm that the second worked for my Samsung phone, and not the first. Yes, wtaf.

        1 Reply Last reply
        0
        • protonprivacy@mastodon.socialP protonprivacy@mastodon.social

          Issue Tracker Links:

          Google Issue Tracker

          favicon

          (issuetracker.google.com)

          Google Issue Tracker

          favicon

          (issuetracker.google.com)

          hnapel@mastodon.socialH This user is from outside of this forum
          hnapel@mastodon.socialH This user is from outside of this forum
          hnapel@mastodon.social
          wrote last edited by
          #22

          @protonprivacy

          MF J6 on a raft, this is why I see ads where I didn't expect them as VPN (Wireguard) is connected to a router using PiHole DNS.

          1 Reply Last reply
          0
          • rusty__shackleford@mastodon.socialR rusty__shackleford@mastodon.social

            @protonprivacy @semitones

            Or we could stop the grift & circle jerk. Release your source code so we can make secure email a real standard. Stop releasing to the play store entirely & teach people to install their own apps safely.

            Start initiatives to teach children about public private keys, identity verification, trust, & best practices.

            Be a man proton.

            Or are the normie dollars making you salivate? With fascism on their doorstep, you do have more customers, better bank on their ignorance…

            itseperkele@expressional.socialI This user is from outside of this forum
            itseperkele@expressional.socialI This user is from outside of this forum
            itseperkele@expressional.social
            wrote last edited by
            #23

            @rusty__shackleford @protonprivacy @semitones
            Proton: "hey google is ignoring this issue, lets make them fix it"

            You: "you are not 1000% perfect, Proton! Man up! Greedy fucks!"

            rusty__shackleford@mastodon.socialR oldoldcojote@climatejustice.socialO 2 Replies Last reply
            0
            • protonprivacy@mastodon.socialP protonprivacy@mastodon.social

              Google has known about a bug that breaks VPN apps for 7 months, leaving users exposed with no warning or error, just a VPN app that stopped working in the background.

              If you're using ANY VPN on Android, you can help us by getting Google's attention to fix it.

              We first reported this bug to Google in September 2025.

              Others like @mullvadnet and Wireguard reported it even earlier, in August.

              Google's response? "I don't see anything unusual."

              Here's what's actually happening ⤵️

              babaq@mastodonczech.czB This user is from outside of this forum
              babaq@mastodonczech.czB This user is from outside of this forum
              babaq@mastodonczech.cz
              wrote last edited by
              #24

              @protonprivacy and why didn't you inform your users and paying customers? because I don't recall any email from Proton on this topic...

              1 Reply Last reply
              0
              • itseperkele@expressional.socialI itseperkele@expressional.social

                @rusty__shackleford @protonprivacy @semitones
                Proton: "hey google is ignoring this issue, lets make them fix it"

                You: "you are not 1000% perfect, Proton! Man up! Greedy fucks!"

                rusty__shackleford@mastodon.socialR This user is from outside of this forum
                rusty__shackleford@mastodon.socialR This user is from outside of this forum
                rusty__shackleford@mastodon.social
                wrote last edited by
                #25

                @ItsePerkele @protonprivacy @semitones

                Me: Fuck google

                Me: Fuck proton too

                itseperkele@expressional.socialI 1 Reply Last reply
                0
                • rusty__shackleford@mastodon.socialR rusty__shackleford@mastodon.social

                  @ItsePerkele @protonprivacy @semitones

                  Me: Fuck google

                  Me: Fuck proton too

                  itseperkele@expressional.socialI This user is from outside of this forum
                  itseperkele@expressional.socialI This user is from outside of this forum
                  itseperkele@expressional.social
                  wrote last edited by
                  #26

                  @rusty__shackleford @protonprivacy @semitones

                  Dont let perfection be the enemy of good.

                  Or something like that.

                  rusty__shackleford@mastodon.socialR 1 Reply Last reply
                  0
                  • itseperkele@expressional.socialI itseperkele@expressional.social

                    @rusty__shackleford @protonprivacy @semitones

                    Dont let perfection be the enemy of good.

                    Or something like that.

                    rusty__shackleford@mastodon.socialR This user is from outside of this forum
                    rusty__shackleford@mastodon.socialR This user is from outside of this forum
                    rusty__shackleford@mastodon.social
                    wrote last edited by
                    #27

                    @ItsePerkele @protonprivacy @semitones

                    Or, and this is a wild concept... we can hold everyone accountable. Crazy, I know.

                    itseperkele@expressional.socialI 1 Reply Last reply
                    0
                    • georgelenzer@mastodon.socialG This user is from outside of this forum
                      georgelenzer@mastodon.socialG This user is from outside of this forum
                      georgelenzer@mastodon.social
                      wrote last edited by
                      #28

                      @rusty__shackleford ...but they don't and never will. The best options we have are making things very simple to use, and secure by default. No knowledge needed.

                      rusty__shackleford@mastodon.socialR 1 Reply Last reply
                      0
                      • georgelenzer@mastodon.socialG georgelenzer@mastodon.social

                        @rusty__shackleford ...but they don't and never will. The best options we have are making things very simple to use, and secure by default. No knowledge needed.

                        rusty__shackleford@mastodon.socialR This user is from outside of this forum
                        rusty__shackleford@mastodon.socialR This user is from outside of this forum
                        rusty__shackleford@mastodon.social
                        wrote last edited by
                        #29

                        @georgelenzer

                        *spoon feeds people

                        You: I wish people knew how to do more

                        *creates tools to remove friction

                        You: It seems like people don't want to learn

                        *makes algorithms reinforcing bias & ignorance

                        You: People seem so tribalistic in this post truth age

                        *refuses to teach because of "human nature"

                        You: This is a realistic view

                        How's that clown makeup look?

                        If someone is incompetent, they shouldn't use it. It isn't our job to make it accessible for those who are ignorant. Teach & Learn.

                        1 Reply Last reply
                        0
                        • rusty__shackleford@mastodon.socialR rusty__shackleford@mastodon.social

                          @ItsePerkele @protonprivacy @semitones

                          Or, and this is a wild concept... we can hold everyone accountable. Crazy, I know.

                          itseperkele@expressional.socialI This user is from outside of this forum
                          itseperkele@expressional.socialI This user is from outside of this forum
                          itseperkele@expressional.social
                          wrote last edited by
                          #30

                          @rusty__shackleford @protonprivacy @semitones

                          Sure. But cant do everything at once.

                          rusty__shackleford@mastodon.socialR 1 Reply Last reply
                          0
                          • protonprivacy@mastodon.socialP protonprivacy@mastodon.social

                            Google has known about a bug that breaks VPN apps for 7 months, leaving users exposed with no warning or error, just a VPN app that stopped working in the background.

                            If you're using ANY VPN on Android, you can help us by getting Google's attention to fix it.

                            We first reported this bug to Google in September 2025.

                            Others like @mullvadnet and Wireguard reported it even earlier, in August.

                            Google's response? "I don't see anything unusual."

                            Here's what's actually happening ⤵️

                            wpeckham@social.linux.pizzaW This user is from outside of this forum
                            wpeckham@social.linux.pizzaW This user is from outside of this forum
                            wpeckham@social.linux.pizza
                            wrote last edited by
                            #31

                            @protonprivacy @mullvadnet I had decided long ago not to use VPNs on Android because it didn't actually help. Connecting to the onion network and using Tor tools does kind of help but only solves half of the problem. far better to work from Linux instead of Android where you have the option but in my case that means not using the cell phone for that particular traffic or anything that requires real security.

                            1 Reply Last reply
                            0
                            • itseperkele@expressional.socialI itseperkele@expressional.social

                              @rusty__shackleford @protonprivacy @semitones

                              Sure. But cant do everything at once.

                              rusty__shackleford@mastodon.socialR This user is from outside of this forum
                              rusty__shackleford@mastodon.socialR This user is from outside of this forum
                              rusty__shackleford@mastodon.social
                              wrote last edited by
                              #32

                              @ItsePerkele @protonprivacy @semitones

                              Skill issue
                              ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

                              itseperkele@expressional.socialI 1 Reply Last reply
                              0
                              • semitones@tiny.tilde.websiteS semitones@tiny.tilde.website

                                @protonprivacy Will Proton ever create / sponsor a cell phone OS to be a true google replacement?

                                wpeckham@social.linux.pizzaW This user is from outside of this forum
                                wpeckham@social.linux.pizzaW This user is from outside of this forum
                                wpeckham@social.linux.pizza
                                wrote last edited by
                                #33

                                @semitones @protonprivacy To be a true Google replacement, all of the vendors would have to write their drivers so that they could be incorporated into either Android or this new probably Linux-based phone operating system. We already have solutions that work for one or two or twelve different models or vendors, but all of the rest of the cell phone ecosystem is currently out of reach. I propose an alternative, a version of Android that belongs to the community, but will use the vendor's drivers and can replace Google Android with the community android. Google will, of course, attempt to make that technically impossible and illegal if they can, because that's what monopolies do.

                                semitones@tiny.tilde.websiteS 1 Reply Last reply
                                0
                                • protonprivacy@mastodon.socialP protonprivacy@mastodon.social

                                  Google has known about a bug that breaks VPN apps for 7 months, leaving users exposed with no warning or error, just a VPN app that stopped working in the background.

                                  If you're using ANY VPN on Android, you can help us by getting Google's attention to fix it.

                                  We first reported this bug to Google in September 2025.

                                  Others like @mullvadnet and Wireguard reported it even earlier, in August.

                                  Google's response? "I don't see anything unusual."

                                  Here's what's actually happening ⤵️

                                  oldoldcojote@climatejustice.socialO This user is from outside of this forum
                                  oldoldcojote@climatejustice.socialO This user is from outside of this forum
                                  oldoldcojote@climatejustice.social
                                  wrote last edited by
                                  #34

                                  @protonprivacy @mullvadnet

                                  We need an android alternative we the people own.

                                  1 Reply Last reply
                                  0
                                  • wpeckham@social.linux.pizzaW wpeckham@social.linux.pizza

                                    @semitones @protonprivacy To be a true Google replacement, all of the vendors would have to write their drivers so that they could be incorporated into either Android or this new probably Linux-based phone operating system. We already have solutions that work for one or two or twelve different models or vendors, but all of the rest of the cell phone ecosystem is currently out of reach. I propose an alternative, a version of Android that belongs to the community, but will use the vendor's drivers and can replace Google Android with the community android. Google will, of course, attempt to make that technically impossible and illegal if they can, because that's what monopolies do.

                                    semitones@tiny.tilde.websiteS This user is from outside of this forum
                                    semitones@tiny.tilde.websiteS This user is from outside of this forum
                                    semitones@tiny.tilde.website
                                    wrote last edited by
                                    #35

                                    @wpeckham @protonprivacy that would have to be a fork of android AOSP, right? To keep google from making breaking changes?

                                    1 Reply Last reply
                                    0
                                    • itseperkele@expressional.socialI itseperkele@expressional.social

                                      @rusty__shackleford @protonprivacy @semitones
                                      Proton: "hey google is ignoring this issue, lets make them fix it"

                                      You: "you are not 1000% perfect, Proton! Man up! Greedy fucks!"

                                      oldoldcojote@climatejustice.socialO This user is from outside of this forum
                                      oldoldcojote@climatejustice.socialO This user is from outside of this forum
                                      oldoldcojote@climatejustice.social
                                      wrote last edited by
                                      #36

                                      @ItsePerkele @rusty__shackleford @protonprivacy @semitones

                                      Rudeness aside. There is a compelling reason to ditch google as fast as possible. Security and personal control. We need to rapidly shift the center from a market focus on helpless users who want to be fed and diapered to people that want to own their own lives before we get lobbied and legislated out of existence.

                                      itseperkele@expressional.socialI 1 Reply Last reply
                                      0
                                      • protonprivacy@mastodon.socialP protonprivacy@mastodon.social

                                        Google has known about a bug that breaks VPN apps for 7 months, leaving users exposed with no warning or error, just a VPN app that stopped working in the background.

                                        If you're using ANY VPN on Android, you can help us by getting Google's attention to fix it.

                                        We first reported this bug to Google in September 2025.

                                        Others like @mullvadnet and Wireguard reported it even earlier, in August.

                                        Google's response? "I don't see anything unusual."

                                        Here's what's actually happening ⤵️

                                        bebop@defcon.socialB This user is from outside of this forum
                                        bebop@defcon.socialB This user is from outside of this forum
                                        bebop@defcon.social
                                        wrote last edited by
                                        #37

                                        @protonprivacy @mullvadnet does anyone know if this is an issue on @GrapheneOS as well or if its been patched there.

                                        1 Reply Last reply
                                        0
                                        • rusty__shackleford@mastodon.socialR rusty__shackleford@mastodon.social

                                          @ItsePerkele @protonprivacy @semitones

                                          Skill issue
                                          ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

                                          itseperkele@expressional.socialI This user is from outside of this forum
                                          itseperkele@expressional.socialI This user is from outside of this forum
                                          itseperkele@expressional.social
                                          wrote last edited by
                                          #38

                                          @rusty__shackleford @protonprivacy @semitones
                                          Since you have the skills, I look forward to your open source VPN, email service etc.

                                          I also look forward to your initiatives that teach children about public private keys, identity verification, trust, & best practices.

                                          rusty__shackleford@mastodon.socialR 1 Reply Last reply
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