People often ask me if they should get a VPN (Virtual Private Network). Though there are some benefits, improvements in security over the years have made VPNs not as necessary as they used to be. Let's take a closer look to see what a VPN actually does, and why a typical user may or may not want one. What a VPN Does A VPN usually comes in the form of a commercial product sold to consumers, such as Mullvad, Cisco AnyConnect, NordVPN, and Mozilla VPN. When you're on the internet, the VPN will route your browser traffic through an encrypted tunnel to a remote server owned by the VPN company. That server will then route your data off to the public internet as usual. Any data coming back to you from a website will also be routed through the VPN company's server and back to you. (See diagram) Encryption is Good...Isn't it? It sure is, and for years experts advised that people should get a VPN in order to safely browse the internet. This was especially true when on a public wifi network, such as one at a coffee shop, airport, or hotel. However, this was in the days when most websites themselves were unencrypted. Nowadays, the vast majority of sites ARE encrypted. (You can tell if a website is encrypted if its address begins with "https." (Unencrypted sites begin with "http." Also, look for the lock symbol next to the web address in your browser's address bar.) While having a VPN can add an extra layer of security when using public wifi, now that most websites are secure, there's less of a need to pay for extra encryption while on a trusted network–especially at home on your private, secure wifi. What About Hiding From Advertisers? A bonus feature of using a VPN is that when your data gets routed through the VPN's server, the website you visit and your internet service provider (Xfinity, AT&T, etc.) do not see your IP address (your location on the internet). They only see the IP address of the VPN company. This is convenient if you don't trust your internet service provider and don't want them to know your browsing history, should they ever feel like selling that data to advertisers. When you use a VPN, you may be hiding your IP address from your internet service provider, but unfortunately, you're now giving it to the VPN company. Unscrupulous VPNs have been known to sell users' data. That's why it would be important to choose a VPN with a solid reputation. Note: Apple products have a feature called Private Relay. This acts as a sort of VPN, but uses a two-step method of privacy. When you browse the internet, the first leg goes to Apple, who knows your IP address, but not where you're going. Apple then passes you along to a trusted third party they've partnered with. This entity knows where you're going, but not your IP address (who you are). What a VPN Doesn't Do While using a VPN can hide your IP address from advertisers and make it a little harder for them to target you, it does not prevent them from identifying you through other means. Called a "digital fingerprint," sites can figure out individual users from our operating system, browser type, screen resolution, device model name, and so on. It's a multibillion dollar industry that has many ways to figure out how to put which ads in front of the right consumers. In addition, a VPN won't protect you from malware. It also won't stop phishing attempts when you visit a bogus website or get a scam email. You can still fall victim to hacking while using a virtual private network. More Important Steps to Take For most users, a VPN is just one tool to help with privacy and security–should they feel like paying for one. There are, however, more effective steps you can take to protect yourself online.
If you're unsure of whether you'd be able to identify a nonsecure website, you could always add a VPN as a "better safe than sorry" expense. There are also other reasons to use a VPN that I haven't gone into here because they involve circumstances outside of typical consumer use. In sum, paying for a VPN can be helpful in certain less likely situations, but there are more important ways to keep safe. If you would like more information, or help with a security checkup, please feel free to contact me.
1 Comment
Mom
1/24/2024 12:59:01 pm
Love you!
Reply
Leave a Reply. |