Given the current advancements in technology, individuals’ privacy and security as they browse the internet have become questionable. In some cases, an individual might browse the internet, not knowing that their browsing history or location can be traced. Therefore, this leaves people feeling that their privacy is being violated. Accessing a person’s browsing history or location might be one of the security features that governments use to control criminal activities. Hence, the privacy and security of people’s internet activity will keep on being compromised. The good news is that a person can avoid all these by using a VPN.
What is a VPN
A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a service that allows people to connect to the internet without exposing their information to other parties. Through a VPN, an individual connects to the internet through an encrypted tunnel, which, in turn, ensures the protection and privacy of the individual’s data. In most cases, a VPN is used to secure a connection made through a public WI-FI. The VPN works by hiding the person’s IP address, thus making their browsing activity private. An individual can get more information about VPNs from https://surfshark.com/learn/what-is-vpn. Therefore, if a person cares more about the privacy of their information while using a public WI-FI, the best thing to do is get a VPN to ensure that their data is protected.
Major Benefits of a VPN
- Hide IP address- a VPN works by masking a person’s IP address, thus making their online activity private. Through a VPN, an individual’s location, torrent download history, or other browsing histories cannot be linked to their identity. Hence, if an individual wants to browse without leaving a trace of them online, then a VPN is the best thing to use.
- Protection on public WI-FI- In some cases, using public WI-FI is unavoidable. The good news is that a VPN would protect a person when using public WI-FI to ensure that their information is not exposed to hackers. The VPN works by encrypting a person’s data when using public WI-FI, thus making the data secure.
- Allows access to more Netflix content- most of the Netflix content has been filtered for people in specific countries. However, with a VPN, an individual can access Netflix libraries across different parts of the world without restrictions.
- Unlocking blocked websites- a person might want to access a certain website only to be disappointed after finding out that the website is locked. Well, a VPN presents as the best solution for such a case. An individual can unlock the website by connection to a VPN server located in another country. The current developments in technology, such as censorship and geo-blocking, have resulted in most countries blocking certain websites. All that an individual needs is a VPN, and they can access such websites.
Who can best benefit from a VPN
Every person is bound to benefit from a VPN. However, some people might need it more than others due to the nature of their browsing activities. Here are some of the individuals likely to benefit most from a VPN.
- Security geeks- these are individuals who care a lot about their online privacy. Therefore, regardless of their online activities, they prefer to use VPNs. Such gives them more confidence to participate in online activities without worrying about the privacy of their information.
- Human rights activists- in some countries, freedom of speech might be restricted, and this requires an individual to use a VPN. As a result, they can freely express their views without being traced. A VPN would hide their identity and allow them to communicate to the world without facing any government consequences.
Additionally, mobile users, online gamers, torrenting enthusiasts, travelers, and sports Zealots are some of the individuals who might also benefit a lot from a VPN. All an individual need to do is look for a good VPN that would protect their online activity, and they would be free to do anything they wish.
How VPNs work
The initial step of a VPN is making a DNS request. Such allows an individual to get the IP address of a VPN server. Secrets keys are then built to enable the creation of a secret channel. VPN protocols then help to encrypt the data that will be using the secure channel. Through such simple steps, an individual’s online activity becomes private and secure. No one can trace the activity to the person’s identity.
VPN protocols
There are plenty of VPN protocols in the market that an individual can choose to use. However, one has to research the particular protocol to ensure that it can provide the desired protection. For instance, an OpenVPN is considered secure, fast, and reliable for long-distance connections. As well, PP2P and LT2P protocols are not highly recommended since they are already outdated and might not provide enough privacy. Therefore, to be on the safe side, it is recommended that an individual learn more about the various VPN protocols. As a result, it would be easy for them to choose one that fits their preferences.
