So whether you’re online on your phone, tablet, or desktop computer, stop doing it! It is unpleasant. Also, you don’t need to be connected, all naked like that. Cover your assets and use a nifty little tool known as VPN.
A VPN, or virtual private network, keeps your computer’s IP address and its physical location private. Increasingly, people use a VPN to create a private route for their computers and mobile devices to use when they access the Internet. It is a great way to keep your browsing private and attack-proof.
When you use a VPN, your data is securely encrypted as it travels wherever it is needed. This means that your data is protected when it passes from you to the VPN server and then to its final destination (a website or the server of whatever application you are using). In this way, websites, and anyone else, such as advertisers or attackers, only see the IP address of the VPN and not theirs. Also, your ISP (Internet Service Provider like AT&T and Comcast) only sees you visiting the VPN and cannot accompany you and spy on where you are going or what you are doing.
A VPN is essential for personal security and privacy when:
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Use public WiFi
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It’s on someone else’s net or leash
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Work from home and have to use apps without end-to-end encryption (like Facebook rooms)
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You need to make a transaction on a site using “HTTP” instead of “HTTPS”
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You want more privacy when visiting websites
You should never use public WiFi, or someone else’s WiFi, without one. Why? A VPN protects your data, including instant messages, emails, downloads, uploads, login information, what sites you visit, what apps you use, and even your physical location. A VPN is also a handy way to protect your identity if you want to leave a comment or browse in secret without the website you are visiting knowing your location.
A good VPN encrypts your internet traffic, preventing people from intercepting your connection. Although if a VPN offers “military grade” encryption, be suspicious – this is a BS marketing claim. Many companies use the same encryption standards as the US government, so almost anyone can make the “military grade” statement, and that doesn’t mean they have the same security protections as the military.
Now that everyone works from home, adding the use of VPN to our security routines is more than a good idea. A VPN is an excellent layer of security to add to video calls, especially in applications that do not have end-to-end encryption, such as Facebook (Messenger) Rooms, Houseparty, Discord and BlueJeans.
NordVPN
Oh, and in case you were wondering, yes, they are perfectly legal and actually quite normal for commercial use. In companies, VPNs are generally used to connect employees who are not in the workplace to a computer at work. They connect remote employees to central job servers.
Many companies have VPNs so that workers can access files and other resources securely over the Internet when they are not in the office. However, VPNs are currently restricted in some countries, such as the United Arab Emirates, Russia, and China.
Outside of corporate use, VPNs are increasingly being used by people who just want to make their Internet use more secure from attackers or nosy, harmful companies. VPN usage came even closer to the mainstream in March 2017, when the current administration and the FCC teamed up to remove consumer privacy protections from ISPs. These changes made ISPs free to track you and sell your data to third parties, and ushered in the rise of VPN usage and awareness.
What VPN do they protect you from:
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ISPs track and sell the data they collect about your Internet activity
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Website advertisers spy on you (also use a good ad blocker)
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Hackers on public WiFi
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Applications and companies that spy on your connection
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Generalized surveillance and interception of internet communication
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Anyone who wants to identify their IP address or location
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Companies and applications that want your connection data
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It crawls trying to intercept your connection
What VPN doesn’t protect you from:
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They don’t stop malware or ransomware; a VPN only protects your data, not your devices
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Doesn’t make you 100% anonymous online
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It won’t speed up your connection
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It will not prevent people from knowing that you are using a VPN
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VPNs will not bypass VPN blocks; if a bank or public wifi prohibits VPN traffic, you’re out of luck
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It will not (generally) allow you to watch Netflix from another country
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Keeping it safe when the VPN you are using has incorrect data or security practices
How to choose a secure VPN
Not just any old VPN will work for your cell phone, tablet, or desktop computer. Selecting a secure, reliable and secure VPN is essential. There are plenty of shady VPN apps that want to take advantage of everyone’s privacy and surveillance fears – VPNs that promise to protect your privacy but are really worth nothing. Then there are the VPNs that come from apparently reputable companies that end up misconfigured (for their part). Some bad VPNs will actually take your data and sell it, or avoid liability for any bad practice that gets caught doing it. How to lie about the locations of your servers.
So how do you choose a good one? Fortunately for us, there are plenty of VPN nerds who have done a lot of preliminary work evaluating security and best practices. A recommended VPN assessment resource is Restore Privacy; They keep an updated list of the best. If you want to catch up and get nervous, you can find a very comprehensive table of VPN comparisons on That One’s privacy site. Another good place to use for VPN research is “What VPN services keep you anonymous? ” Send.
Tunnelbear
In general, you’ll want to avoid free ones – this is a typical indicator that something bleak is underway. However, the exception to the “always pay for your security products” rule here is that your internet service provider can offer a truly secure one for free. For example, California-based ISP Sonic offers all of its customers a free OpenVPN app as well as the Cloudflare security service.
In general, what you want to search for is a reputable VPN – use Google and see if there are any search problems. You’ll want to look for the ones with no known data leaks, are performing well, have quality apps for all of your devices, that support the OpenVPN protocol and encryption standards, and ideally have a money-back guarantee.
The VPN services we recommend include Tunnelbear, Perfect Privacy, ProtonVPN, MozillaVPN (Firefox’s private network), NordVPN, FoxyProxy, and BlackVPN.
If I had to choose just two, I’d go with Perfect Privacy and Tunnelbear, there’s no question about it. Perfect Privacy has an incredible amount of features, but I love that they have no logs, you can choose from fast VPN servers around the world, it is easy to use and also has advanced configuration options, and I think they have the best reputation for security over all other VPN companies. Tunnelbear has a similar stellar reputation and is incredibly easy to use, ideal for when you want superior security and don’t need to go crazy with your connection setup.
Buy Tunnelbear starting at $ 3.33 / month
Buy Perfect Privacy from $ 9 / month
Buy Firefox Private Network from $ 5 / month
Buy NordVPN from $ 3.49 / mo
Buy FoxyProxy from $ 7.49 / month
Buy BlackVPN from $ 50 / year
How to use a VPN
Once you have decided on the VPN that’s right for you, follow the setup instructions (they are minimal, if any), click to activate it and forget about it while using the Internet safely. Many VPNs have the option to log in and password when you turn it on, if you want that extra layer of security. Some VPNs offer users a selection at startup, where you can choose the physical location of the server you use to connect to the Internet. So if you want websites to think you’re in a different city or country, that’s a pretty typical option you can expect to find.
Once downloaded, a VPN is easy to use: just turn it on before connecting (before opening your email, opening a browser window, etc.), and you’re all set. In a public WiFi environment like a coffee shop or airport, you will first need to log into WiFi and then open your VPN before making another move.
And that is! Go find a VPN, install it on your devices, use it when you’re away (or even when you’re at home), and Bob is your uncle! Okay, I really don’t know what that saying means. But I do know the path of privacy and security, and I hope you don’t wait to get going with a VPN. It may not seem like it today, but your data is still yours and worth protecting.
