AI Chatbots and Privacy: Lessons from the Urban VPN Case
AI Chatbot Security and privacy are becoming a critical issue for those who use AI tools in their daily work. AI chatbots are increasingly integrated into marketing, customer support, and automation workflows, but recent events show that the security risks are far from theoretical.
Researchers at Koi Security have discovered that eight extensions for Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge were able to intercept and capture users' conversations with AI chatbot The most notable case involves Urban VPN Proxy, a free VPN with millions of downloads, which had an AI chat exfiltration feature integrated into its code that could not be disabled.
AI Chatbots Under Observation: What Researchers Discovered
According to the analysis published on the official Koi Security blog, the research team used a dedicated tool to inspect the behavior of Urban VPN Proxy. It turned out that the extension can access conversations with several AI chatbot: ChatGPT, Copilot, Claude, Gemini, DeepSeek, Perplexity, Grok and Meta AI.
This feature is built directly into the extension's code and there's no option to disable it. The free VPN Urban VPN Proxy is very popular in the Google Chrome store, with over 6 million downloads, making the issue particularly relevant in terms of scale and potential impact on business users.
According to Koi Security, chat exfiltration was introduced in early July with version 5 of the extension. Urban VPN Proxy effectively accesses conversations even when it's apparently not running, a behavior that further increases the privacy risk.
How Extensions Access Conversations with AI Chatbots
The mechanism identified by the researchers is technically simple but very effective. The extension continuously monitors the open tabs in the browser and, when the user accesses the web version of one of the AI chatbot listed, injects a JavaScript code into the page.
This script intercepts both user-entered prompts and the AI chatbot's responses, creating a complete log of the conversations. All this data is then sent to remote servers controlled by the developer. In practice, every interaction with the AI chatbot can be visible to third parties without the user's knowledge.
The Urban VPN Proxy extension page in the Chrome Web Store describes a feature called AI Protection. When the user enters personal data, such as email addresses, phone numbers, or other sensitive information into the prompt, the extension displays a warning about the risk of sharing.
At the same time, however, Urban VPN Proxy sends the same data to the servers of the developer, Urban Cyber Security, based in Delaware. This raises significant concerns not only about privacy, but also about the transparency of the information provided to users, especially those who use the services on a daily basis. AI chatbot in the corporate environment.
Other extensions involved and privacy implications
Koi Security has highlighted that the same code for monitoring conversations with AI chatbot It's also present in the Microsoft Edge version of the extension. Furthermore, the offending code has been found in three other extensions from the same developer for Chrome and Edge.
The additional extensions listed are: 1ClickVPN Proxy, Urban Browser Guard, and Urban Ad Blocker. Adding all supported variants and browsers, the total comes to eight extensions potentially capable of collecting conversations with AI chatbots. This significantly expands the attack surface and the number of affected users.
The Urban VPN Proxy page in the Chrome Web Store states that the extension only analyzes browsing history and that the data is not sold to third parties. However, there is no explicit reference to AI conversation collection or prompt content analysis.
Chat collection occurs even when the VPN is disconnected or when the AI Protection feature is disabled. In practice, the user may believe they are protected or not being monitored, while the extension continues to intercept interactions with users. AI chatbot. For this reason, Koi Security recommends that frequent users of AI chatbots immediately uninstall all listed extensions.
The Urban VPN case is part of a broader picture of risks related to online privacy and the use of non-transparent browser extensions. Organizations such as the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) and authorities such as the Guarantor for the protection of personal data (Privacy Guarantor) have been stressing for years the importance of carefully evaluating the permissions granted to extensions, especially when handling sensitive data.
AI Chatbots and Privacy: Best Practices for Businesses and Professionals
For companies, professionals and marketing teams who use it daily AI chatbot, This episode highlights the need to define clear digital security policies. It's not enough to choose the best AI chatbot in terms of functionality: it's essential to control the entire technological context in which it's used, starting with the browser and the extensions installed.
A first rule is to limit the extensions available on corporate browsers to a minimum and verify the reliability of the developers. It's helpful to consult the official privacy policies and security sections on sites like Chrome Web Store Help to better understand what data may be collected.
A second rule is to avoid entering highly sensitive data into email prompts. AI chatbot, especially if you use shared workstations or personal devices not managed by corporate IT. Where possible, it's best to use official tools and certified integrations, such as verified APIs and business platforms that adopt advanced security standards.
AI Chatbots: Impact on Marketing and Business
The Urban VPN episode shows how the security of AI chatbot isn't just a technical issue, but a truly strategic factor for marketing and business. Digital marketing teams use AI chatbots to generate content, analyze data, segment audiences, and create personalized campaigns: any information leak can compromise a company's competitiveness.
If the prompts include product launch strategies, campaign budgets, customer behavior insights, or internal data, their interception by malicious extensions poses a direct risk to competitive advantage. Furthermore, sudden shutdowns or compliance issues can slow down workflows and create friction in the customer experience.
From a customer experience perspective, the AI chatbot They are often used to automate customer support and one-to-one communication. If conversations are not adequately protected, there is a risk of exposing customers' personal data, with potential legal and reputational consequences. In regulated markets, such as the European one subject to the GDPR, superficial security management can result in significant fines.
On the other hand, the informed use of AI chatbots, integrated into a secure ecosystem of tools, offers significant opportunities. Response automation, advanced segmentation, and personalized campaigns via direct channels like WhatsApp and email can dramatically improve the effectiveness of digital marketing initiatives and customer retention.
For this reason, many companies are adopting omnichannel automation solutions that integrate AI chatbot with certified messaging platforms, official APIs, and consent management systems. The goal is to combine speed and customization with strict compliance with data privacy and security.
How SendApp Can Help with Chatbot AI and Privacy
In light of what emerged from the Urban VPN case, it is clear that using AI chatbot Professional communication requires a reliable and compliant communications platform. SendApp was created specifically to help companies and professionals integrate automation, AI, and messaging into a single, secure environment.
With SendApp Official, businesses can use the official WhatsApp APIs to orchestrate automated campaigns, notifications and conversations, connecting their AI chatbot to a direct and certified channel. Using official APIs reduces the risk associated with unauthorized tools and offers greater control over data flows.
For the daily management of customer conversations, SendApp Agent It helps organize the work of support and sales teams by centralizing chats and integrating AI-based automations. This allows AI chatbots to be used as the first line of response, maintaining human oversight and reducing the risk of uncontrolled tool use.
For those who need to scale automation, SendApp Cloud offers a cloud infrastructure designed to integrate AI, complex workflows, and multi-channel campaigns. Companies can connect their AI chatbot to advanced automation scenarios, maintaining control over where data is stored and how consent is managed.
When combined with other solutions in the suite, such as SendApp Desktop, businesses can build a secure communications ecosystem that reduces reliance on third-party and non-transparent browser extensions. This significantly reduces the risk of incidents similar to the one with Urban VPN.
For companies that want to make the most of the potential of AI chatbot While maintaining a high level of security, SendApp offers dedicated consulting on WhatsApp Business, automation, and AI integration. You can request a demo or free trial directly from the official SendApp website at sendapp.live and start designing a truly confident and results-oriented conversational strategy.
