The Internet has become an integral part of our daily lives. From work to entertainment, everything is now online. Learn what a VPN provides and why it plays a key role in protecting our digital identity. Read the post below and discover why, in a world where data breaches and online surveillance are the order of the day, it’s worth using.
What is a VPN and why is it important?
The history of VPNs dates back to the 1990s, when large companies began using the technology to provide their employees with secure and private access to corporate resources outside the office and to enable file sharing between different offices. Much has changed since then. Nowadays, we can’t imagine life without the Internet, and many users are concerned about their privacy and security online. That’s why VPNs are becoming increasingly popular. What is it?
VPN, or Virtual Private Network, is a service that creates a secure and private connection to the Internet. A virtual private network allows users to send and receive data in a way that is protected from potential threats from the public Internet. What exactly does a VPN do? It creates a digital tunnel through which all user data is transmitted, protecting it from espionage, hackers and other online threats. In addition, the data is encrypted before being sent over the public Internet. This means that even if someone tried to intercept your data as it was being transmitted, they would not be able to read it because of the advanced encryption.
Advantages of using a VPN
Whether you’re a business looking to secure your data or an ordinary user who values your online privacy, using a virtual private network is essential. Here are some key benefits:
- Privacy: When using a VPN, your online activity is private. The sites you visit and the data you enter are hidden from your ISP or potential attackers.
- Security: A VPN protects against various types of digital attacks, during which an attacker attempts to intercept and modify transmitted data.
- Access to blocked content: By changing your virtual location to another country using a VPN, you can access content blocked in your country.
- Avoiding censorship: In some countries, governments block access to certain sites and services. A VPN allows you to bypass these roadblocks.
- Protection on public Wi-Fi networks: public Wi-Fi networks are vulnerable to attacks. By using them with VPN enabled, you are assured that your data is safe.
- Financial savings: Using a VPN can lead to financial savings, especially for those who travel frequently.
- Performance enhancement: In some cases, using a VPN can increase the speed of your Internet connection.
- Security when using VoIP: VoIP services such as Skype or WhatsApp are often the target of attacks. VPN provides an extra layer of protection by encrypting your voice calls.
- Protection against DDoS attacks: For online gamers, DDoS attacks can be a real problem. Some VPNs offer protection against this type of attack.
- Support for remote workers: Nowadays, many people work remotely. The VPN allows them to securely access company resources from anywhere in the world.
What does a VPN protect against?
A VPN is a tool that is designed primarily to protect users’ privacy and security online. Protects against:
- Unauthorized access to your data: The VPN creates an encrypted tunnel that protects your data from potential intruders trying to access your information.
- Online tracking: By hiding your IP address and encrypting your data, a VPN makes it harder for websites, advertisers or others to track your online activities.
- Man-in-the-middle attacks: These attacks involve intercepting communications between two parties. A VPN ensures that even if an attacker intercepts your data, they won’t be able to read or modify it.
- Insecure Wi-Fi networks: Public Wi-Fi networks, such as those in cafes or airports, are often vulnerable to attacks. A VPN protects your data from potential threats on these networks.
- Internet Service Provider (ISP) level attacks: Some providers may track your online activity and sell this information to advertisers. A VPN prevents this by encrypting your Internet traffic.
- Tracking by sites that use cookies: While cookies can be useful, some sites use them to invasively track users. A VPN can help protect against this type of tracking.
- DDoS attacks: For online gamers, DDoS attacks can be a real problem. Some VPNs offer protection against such attacks, ensuring smooth gameplay.
How does a VPN work?
Knowing what a VPN is and what it protects against, you can move on to how it works. This process takes place in several steps. The foundation of a VPN is the process of creating a connection, which begins with installing VPN software on a particular device. Then, after entering the appropriate login information, the device establishes a secure connection to the VPN server. In the next step, all Internet traffic is routed through this server, creating a digital tunnel that protects data from potential online threats. All transmitted and received data is also encrypted to ensure secure transmission.
Knowing what a VPN is and what it protects against, you can move on to how it works. This process takes place in several steps:
- Software installation: The foundation of a VPN is the process of creating a connection, which begins with installing the VPN software on a particular device.
- Authentication: after entering the appropriate login information, the device establishes a secure connection to the VPN server. Many VPN providers use advanced authentication methods, such as two-factor authentication, to ensure that only authorized individuals can establish a connection.
- Tunnel creation: In the next step, all Internet traffic is routed through this server, creating a digital tunnel. This tunnel acts as a protective barrier that isolates your data from the rest of the Internet.
- Encryption: all transmitted and received data is encrypted to ensure secure transmission. Encryption is the process of converting readable data into a string of characters that can only be read with the appropriate key.
- IP address change: When your data leaves a VPN server, it is assigned to that server’s IP address. This means that your real IP is hidden, and websites and other online services only see the IP address of the VPN server.
- Disconnection: When the session ends, the connection to the VPN server is disconnected and your device returns to using a normal Internet connection.
With these steps, the VPN provides privacy, security and freedom online, protecting users from many online threats.
Summary
A VPN has become almost mandatory for many Internet users. In a world where data breaches and online surveillance are the order of the day, a VPN acts as a guardian of our digital identity. If you want to learn more about protecting your business from cyber threats, check out our cyber security services. Among other things, we offer penetration tests, including external network penetration tests. With them, you will comprehensively secure your business!
