VPN services are essential for any internet user, especially those who work remotely due to the current pandemic. Accessing geo-restricted internet content, increased privacy, and cybersecurity on the web are only a few benefits of VPNs.
Here is what you should consider when deciding if VPN services are what you need, but also what you should have in mind when choosing the right VPN provider for your needs.
What Is a VPN Exactly?
What VPN stands for is a Virtual Private Network. VPN services are designed to protect your privacy while enabling you safe browsing and web anonymity.
The way a VPN works is based on camouflaging your IP address. Your IP reveals your physical location, and if certain streaming services or content is banned by the government in your country, a VPN lets you bypass that restriction.
Namely, a VPN provider gives you a new internet address that makes it seem as if you’re in another country. Therefore, you can access the world wide web, regardless of geo-restrictions – and your activity can’t be traced back to you.
Access a Whole New WorldÂ
Most of us can access more than 1.5 billion websites on the web. That might seem abundant, but, in reality, it translates to the fact that you can’t access more than 0.004 % of the entire internet.
The rest of it is a deep and dark web of the internet that can’t be accessed without a VPN service.
Many people also use VPNs to get discounts that are geo-restricted (e.g., cheaper flights or hotel bookings), unblock streaming services that are unavailable in their country, or to keep their communication private.
Streaming services such as Netflix, Spotify, BBC iPlayer, are often blocked in different countries, so VPNs can help you bypass the country’s restrictions.
What’s more, American Netflix and French Netflix might not offer the same TV shows and films. VPNs can aid one to access different foreign content.
VPN and CybersecurityÂ
If you work from home, you might be worried about internet security, and who can blame you? The number of cybercrimes has been on the rise since the start of the pandemic, meaning that pretty much anyone can be the target of a cyberattack.
VPN providers can protect you from both viruses and hackers. Providing tight security protocols and encryption at military-grade level, you can be sure your information and data will indeed remain your own.
If their services are in any way endangered, they automatically disconnect your device from the internet until they get back up and running.
When it comes to cybersecurity and VPNs, it’s important to note that not all VPNs are secure. Different VPN service providers enable various levels of security, and sometimes you need additional tools to secure your data.
Many free VPNs are potentially harmful as a lot of them contain malware, and they can even steal your data and sell it to the highest bidder.
The best VPNs may not be free; they come at a small cost for the service they provide.
Privacy on The InternetÂ
Using a VPN allows you to be anonymous and browse or download content within your private network that separates you from the public web. VPNs, in a nutshell, encrypt your online data keeping it confidential.
The best VPN providers prioritize keeping their client’s browsing history and personal data safe. Most people use VPNs to get access to streaming platforms that are banned or inaccessible in their country and rely on VPNs to protect them.
You can’t be tracked using a VPN, and even though some websites can detect your activity, they can’t see what you are doing.
Who Needs a VPN?Â
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) can track our activity and sell your data to advertising companies. Therefore, anyone can benefit from VPN service with growing concerns about our privacy and increasing screen times since the start of the pandemic.
Moreover, home-based workers need a VPN as are more likely to be a target of attacks since hackers might try to acquire sensitive information about the company via its employees.
Besides a higher level of access, consider a VPN when traveling to access geo-restricted apps and content or need to use notoriously unsafe public Wi-Fi.
ConclusionÂ
As mentioned, there are many ways in which a VPN can protect you, and cybersecurity is only a minor part of it.
The number of people who use VPNs to protect their data and hide activity increases every day since the service reduces our anxieties concerning privacy and cybersecurity.