Data privacy is a challenge and being able to keep your data in your own hands rather than the wrong ones is an ever-growing problem.
A VPN (Virtual Private Network) is a service that extends a private network across a public network so that you can access the internet safely and privately.
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Statistics have shown that the number of VPN’s used has grown substantially since 2016, however, not for the original reason they were created. They were originally created to allow employees to work from home by connecting business networks securely over the internet. Today, modern VPN services combine ease with security and are used for such things as accessing region-restricted websites, shielding your browsing activity and keeping that privacy you want when abuses of personal data are so common.
Before we delve into all you need to know about VPN’s, it’s important to talk about IP addresses because after all, IP addresses give you access to the internet in the first place. The IP part stands for ‘Internet Protocol’ and the address part stands for a unique number given to identify your computer or device on the internet. Almost like your home address, IP addresses standardize computer addresses and are responsible for how information is distributed, sent and returned. These addresses are standardized due to the fact there could be endless address names used, resulting in confusion and chaos.
Any device that accesses the internet is assigned an IP address from their ISP (Internet Service Provider), this means your name, location and web activity is attached to it and readily available to hackers. Not only this but if ISP’s were required too, they could hand over your important data, for example if the police needed it for an investigation. The fact that ISP’s have this information of yours may or may not bother you, but even if you aren’t doing anything illegal there is still a chance of your data being shared such as for marketing purposes.
Luckily for us all, there is a way that we can take back control of our data and the privacy of it and that is with VPN’s!
Your data is known through your ISP knowing your IP address, so by changing your IP address you are able to mask your identity on the Internet and keep that data private. A VPN works by encrypting your data through a tunnel that runs between you and the VPN server, acting as a gateway to the internet and so no one can see it. There are many different encryption techniques VPN servers can use, with certain techniques being used more than others due to security and safety worries. Some techniques involves only encrypting your data once whereas some encrypt your data multiple times to add that extra layer of security.
If you are browsing on a light-hearted, fun website then there’s no problem to your data being seen, but when it comes to your online banking and business email this may be a different story. Therefore, if you are worried about your data privacy or are using an unsecure public Wi-Fi connection, VPN’s will help eliminate these worries and are an effective way of protecting your data and ensuring its safe.
But what do you look for when choosing a VPN?
It goes without saying, VPN servers have in mind the same goal, to create a secure service that encrypts customer’s data. However, different VPN servers vary, making it difficult to choose the correct one for you.
It is a competitive market so an important thing you should look at is the company’s privacy policies and by doing this you are able to see their strengths and weaknesses almost straight away. For example if a company were to outline that they have a ‘no-log’ policy. This means that they do not collect or ‘log’ any of your information even including the time and duration of your sessions.
In addition to this, VPN servers vary in the security features they offer and you should research to see features that could be beneficial or important to you. Below I have outlined some of the different features VPN servers can provide.
Malware Blocker- This is a popular option and essentially blocks malware.
Killswitch- This is when your VPN automatically shuts down connections if you lose connectivity. When you lose connectivity your data will no longer be protected so it is helpful to have this feature. It has shown to be particularly effective and useful when using public Wi-Fi.
Obfuscation- This is when a VPN service masks the activities and makes it look more regular. It is handy for some countries as they monitor activities that look like they are coming from a VPN.
Speed is also another factor to think about. I’m sure we can all agree that there is nothing worse than a page taking ages to load. Do your research and find a VPN that has lots of local servers and check what speed they are guaranteeing.
Granted, there is a lot to take in when thinking about VPN’s and what they do. However, we are living in a time where we are connected to the Internet more than ever. Using a VPN will help you take back your privacy and feel confident that your information is staying private.
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