The entire point of a VPN is privacy. A cracked version often replaces the secure connection with a "man-in-the-middle" server. This means the person who cracked the software can see your passwords, credit card details, and browsing history.

Proton VPN relies on . Unlike an offline photo editor or a game, a VPN requires a handshake with the provider's physical servers.

Most crack files (like .exe or .dll replacements) are bundled with Trojans or ransomware. Once you run the installer, you could be giving a hacker full access to your files or locking your computer until you pay a fee.

Even on the free tier, your data is protected by Swiss privacy laws.