Russian researcher claims state-backed MAX app secretly records users and monitors VPNs | Tech Radar
Overview
News, deals, reviews, guides and more on the newest computing gadgets
Start exploring exclusive deals, expert advice and more
Details
Unlock and manage exclusive Techradar member rewards.
Unlock instant access to exclusive member features.
Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.
Russian researcher claims state-backed MAX app secretly records users and monitors VPNs
MAX rejects the allegations as "fake," but a Russian digital rights group has corroborated some of the claims
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Photo Illustration by Samuel Boivin/Nur Photo via Getty Images)
Security researcher suggests Russia's MAX app includes surveillance features
MAX rejects allegations, deeming the analysis "a fake"
RKS Global confirms most claims, saying that "none are outright false"
A user on the Russian security forum Habr has claimed that Russia's state-backed messaging service, MAX, includes invasive tools to spy on users' activities.
The researcher claims to have reverse-engineered the application's APK and found at least 15 security issues.
The analysis alleges the app can take screenshots of conversations, secretly record audio, create fake chats, and erase messages directly. MAX was also allegedly found to bypass Google Play to force updates, share address book details with its servers, and detect if users have a virtual private network (VPN) enabled.
Russia's state-backed MAX app may know if you are using a VPN to bypass censorship
Major Russian Android apps know who's using a VPN, digital rights group warns
'Switch to MAX, by any means necessary' — Inside Russia’s great internet crackdown
The press team at MAX was quick to reject all allegations, directly reaching out to the author of the post and calling the analysis "fake." The company added: "MAX does not monitor users, does not collect their personal data and does not dare to have the technical possibility of listening to calls," insisting that "all user data is securely protected."
These findings follow similar claims regarding the app's ability to monitor VPN usage, which were first shared by another user on Habr in March. In April, the Russian digital rights group RKS Global also found that MAX was among 30 Android apps detecting active VPN connections.
Developed by VK — the Russian tech giant behind the Mail.ru email service and VKontakte — the messaging app is deeply integrated with government services. It first launched in March 2025 and, since September 2025, has been mandatory to pre-install on every new smartphone and tablet sold in Russia.
Last year, other security researchers found the application to have "an enormous surveillance potential." More recently, the US-based hosting infrastructure giant Cloudflare labeled MAX as "spyware," though the label was removed 24 hours later, according to independent Russian news outlet Meduza.
While Tech Radar could not independently verify these claims, we asked experts at RKS Global for their assessment. A spokesperson told us that of the 25 technical claims contained in the Habr post, "14 are fully confirmed in the code, six are partially confirmed, five we could not verify statically, and none was outright false."
RKS Global found that MAX's alleged ability to take screenshots of conversations was the "weakest" of the claims. "We did not find code that captures a screenshot of the user’s screen and sends it home," the group's spokesperson told Tech Radar.
Experts did confirm, however, that MAX can record users' chats, erase messages, and detect VPN usage. They also partially confirmed the allegation that the app can create fake chats, but only on the Ru Store build — Russia's state-backed alternative app market.
Yandex's analytics tool found in 16 of the most downloaded free VPN apps in Russia — here's what it means for your privacy
Russia's major internet services instructed on how to detect VPNs
Russia's major internet services instructed on how to detect VPNs
Overall, RKS Global points out that the Habr post does overstate some of the allegations. "Where the article was wrong, it was on naming/specifics (obfuscated class names that drift between builds), not on substance," they say.
It is worth noting that RKS Global's experts carried out a static analysis only. This means they decompiled the APKs to read the underlying code, but did not run the binary on a rooted device or capture live network traffic.
"The five unverified claims (call-recording privacy default, Tamtam Spam URI push handler, Location Request silent push behaviour, six IP checkers, sensor fingerprinting inside My Tracker) require a dynamic test on a controlled handset," the group's spokesperson told us.
As the Kremlin keeps pushing for MAX to become an essential app in citizens' everyday lives, security experts are sharing recommendations on how to mitigate potential risks.
Treat MAX as a non-private channel. Unlike Whats App or Signal, MAX has no end-to-end encryption by default. This means that every message, contact, and group-call audio stream is theoretically in scope for server-side access. "Anything you would not say into a phone call to a state-run carrier should not be said in MAX," RKS Global warns.
Keep app permissions to the bare minimum. RKS Global strongly advises against granting Contacts, Microphone, Camera, or Phone permissions unless absolutely needed, and recommends revoking them immediately after use.
Avoid the Ru Store-distributed build. RKS Global's findings suggest that the Google Play distribution may be slightly safer and that the Ru Store build has a materially larger attack surface.
Assume that using a VPN isn't a protection. Experts warn that a standard VPN will not protect your privacy on this app as you might expect. This is because MAX allegedly has the ability to detect VPN use, disable features when a VPN is active, and use external IP-checker services to uncover a user’s real exit IP..
Avoid sharing sensitive information. For private conversations, RKS Global suggests using an end-to-end encrypted alternative—like Signal or a self-hosted Matrix client—while treating MAX exactly as you would a state-monitored phone line.
Follow Tech Radar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!
Chiara is a multimedia journalist committed to covering stories to help promote the rights and denounce the abuses of the digital side of life – wherever cybersecurity, markets, and politics tangle up. She believes an open, uncensored, and private internet is a basic human need and wants to use her knowledge of VPNs to help readers take back control. She writes news, interviews, and analysis on data privacy, online censorship, digital rights, tech policies, and security software, with a special focus on VPNs, for Tech Radar and Tech Radar Pro. Got a story, tip-off, or something tech-interesting to say? Reach out to chiara.castro@futurenet.com
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
1 Proton joins the backlash against Canada's surveillance bill
2 Google TV could get Wii-style pointy controls, like LG's divisive Magic Remote
3 Git Hub confirms breach — thousands of internal repositories hit
4 Buying the Naiklulu's $270 Core M3 laptop is a very bad idea
5 With Synth ID, Google is cleaning up the AI mess it helped make, but Omni power makes it clear we'll never get ahead of generative AI fiction
Tech Radar is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.
© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.
Key Takeaways
- News, deals, reviews, guides and more on the newest computing gadgets
- Start exploring exclusive deals, expert advice and more
- Unlock and manage exclusive Techradar member rewards
- Unlock instant access to exclusive member features
- Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards
