Firefox's built-in VPN outage in Iran — Mozilla blames suspected abuse by third-party apps

FireFox's free built-in VPN experienced a temporary outage in Iran, attributed to suspected abuse by third-party apps. The service, which is free and widely used in Iran due to its convenience, went offline for some users in the country. Mozilla disabled the internal VPN service for users in Iran to investigate the suspected issue.

The outage was reported on social media platforms and online forums, causing concern among users who rely on VPNs to bypass state filtering. The free VPN service, which had a monthly data allowance, was restored shortly after the issue was identified. Despite the disruption, Mozilla has since lifted the data cap for the free VPN and announced an unlimited data offer through January 2027.

In Iran, where VPNs are often blocked, users have alternative options such as Proton VPN Free, Windscribe Free, and others. The incident highlights the vulnerability of internet access in Iran and the ongoing challenges faced by users in accessing a free and open internet.