Nowadays, cybersecurity is a reality we must deal with regularly rather than just a trending issue. And with time, each aspect of our lives is getting digitized, making security and privacy protection more critical. However, we can use a VPN to protect our privacy and personal information from hackers. A VPN can be accessed on various platforms, including a VPN desktop app, a VPN android app, and a VPN iOS app.
What Is a Virtual Private Network (VPN)?
A virtual private network, or VPN, establishes a virtual, encrypted connection between two networks. All external internet traffic is diverted through this private network to protect your data while keeping your identity safe. Every time you use the internet to browse, you send data over a public network, making it vulnerable to interceptions. However, your data is protected from tracking by using a VPN android app or desktop version to make it appear as though your traffic is coming from that virtual private network server.
What to Consider Before Choosing a VPN
Why Use a VPN?
If you have some downtime while waiting for your train and want to pass it by reading the news or browsing social media, you might ask yourself, “why use a VPN?”
Eventually, you sign up for free Wi-Fi and continue. So far, so good, but the terrible thing is that you can’t trust a public network as you can’t tell if it’s legitimate, being monitored, or if someone has hacked it and is ready to steal your personal information. So, here are some advantages of using a VPN, just in case you are curious about how VPN works.
Allows Access to Restricted Websites
By using a VPN, you can change your IP address in addition to encrypting your signal. This means you can safely route your web traffic through a foreign country to access restricted websites.
Protect Your Personal Information
If you are using a public network, it is relatively easy for hackers to break into your device and steal your personal information, making it a huge risk for you. However, if you are using a VPN, you can surf any website you choose because no one will be able to intercept or steal the information.
Allow You to Surf the Internet Without Any Limitations
A VPN can significantly help you avoid the limitations of private networks. A VPN allows you to browse websites like personal mail and social media accounts without notifying the network administrator. However, remember that even though a VPN can help you bypass restricted networks, breaking their regulations is not advised.
Hide Your Online Activities
It’s no secret that search engines like Google and Bing tailor our experience and present relevant ads based on our online activities. However, if you don’t want Google to track what you do online, you can use a VPN to keep your searches private. Personal privacy is, after all, a fundamental right, and using a VPN can help you ensure that it is being sustained.
What to Consider Before Choosing a VPN
You must be careful while choosing a VPN and take into account a few recommendations that are listed below.
- Privacy
You should first check the privacy policy to ensure a VPN matches your requirements, given that you are using it to protect your browsing activities. It is crucial to check for a no-log policy, implying they never store or trace your internet activities.
- Protocol
You can use a variety of VPN protocols. However, TCP is the most popular one on the internet. Depending on what you are doing, you want to pick a VPN service that allows you to select from various protocols.
- Location & Bandwidth
Depending on your internet usage, you can be subject to data limits from some VPN providers. Check to see if you will have full bandwidth. Moreover, check whether your VPN service has a server in the country from which you want an IP address.
- Cost
Although free VPN services are available, you can guess that they don’t provide the same level of quality and security as premium ones. Regarding your privacy, you shouldn’t make any compromises; therefore, opt for the one that gives all you need rather than the least expensive.
Conclusion
So, the first thing you need to do is to ask yourself, “why do I need a VPN?” VPNs are undoubtedly a practical tool that you should employ to protect your privacy. Most free VPNs keep records of your online activities, display contextual adverts, have bandwidth restrictions, and don’t have servers in specific countries. So, set your expectations, do your homework, and pay the due price if you are genuinely concerned about protecting your privacy.
