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In times gone by, “cybersecurity” sounded to many like something from a work of science fiction, so far-flung was it from the day-to-day experience of the average user. Now, in the post-digital era, the term has taken on a much more tangible meaning.
With instances of cybercrime increasing with each passing year and cybercriminals continually devising new ways to access and exploit our data, cybersecurity is no longer merely a concern for large organizations, but also for individuals. As such, users the world over have sought a solution to help them protect themselves whenever they go online. The Virtual Private Network, or VPN, has emerged as that solution.
But what exactly are VPNs? And how can empower strong cybersecurity?
A brief primer on VPNs
VPNs are applications designed specifically to help Internet users enhance their online privacy and security. They work by giving access to a selection of servers in a variety of locations around the world. When users choose to connect to one of these servers, their internet traffic is diverted through it and routed via a secure tunnel before they access the public Internet.
VPNs are available in multiple forms, most commonly desktop clients, browser extensions, and mobile applications. While desktop clients and mobile applications affect all of the traffic from a particular device, browser extensions merely affect traffic transmitted via web browser applications. Additionally, VPNs are available either as free or paid services, with options at different price points offering different benefits and features, including larger server selections, split tunneling, anti-malware functionality, and more.
How VPNs improve cybersecurity
While VPNs have considerable utility and a wide variety of use cases, their main cybersecurity benefits lie in two key areas: anonymity and data protection.
Anonymity
When a typical Internet user connects to the Internet, their IP address is visible by default. This address is a unique sequence of numbers that identifies a device on a network. Its purpose is to enable websites and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to recognize and locate specific users when they provide their services, but IP addresses can be exploited for nefarious purposes.
Hackers routinely utilize IP tracking to perform reconnaissance, allowing them to identify and target certain users when they mount cyberattacks. For this reason, online anonymity is a vital component of what constitutes effective cybersecurity for the modern user, and VPNs have an important role to play in facilitating that anonymity.
As we’ve mentioned, VPNs allow users to reroute their connections via remote servers. This means that when someone utilizes a VPN to connect to the Internet, their IP address is masked by that of their VPN server, thus concealing their identity and location. This means they can help users to insulate themselves against IP tracking and stay protected against cyber-attacks.
Data Protection
At a time when e-commerce is booming and online transactions are more common than they have ever been, there is more incentive for cybercriminals to seek out and exploit user data for their own benefit. The risk factor for the average user is elevated considerably.
At the crux of all this lies the issue of network security, or rather, insecurity. The harsh reality is that when users connect to the Internet there is always a risk that their traffic can be intercepted and their data exploited. Of course, the risk is much greater on public Wi-Fi networks that lack authentication, but there is also a risk on private networks, as cyber criminals are becoming increasingly adept at bypassing network security measures. As such, users need a way to safeguard their data at the transmission level to ensure they stay as protected as possible, and this is where VPNs come in.
VPNs offer a distinct advantage in terms of data security because they apply robust encryption algorithms to user traffic during data transmission. This means user data is rendered indecipherable to any parties who might seek to intercept and exploit it. By offering this protection, VPN encryption gives the average user the ability to protect their data comprehensively, even if the security of their network is compromised or sub-optimal.
A final word on VPNs
At a time when digital crime is more pervasive than ever before, cybersecurity is no longer just a buzzword, but a key consideration of modern life. With the online activity of the average user increasing, having an accessible form of protection is essential, and VPNs have emerged as a convenient solution to fill that niche. By providing a means of browsing anonymously and establishing secure data transmission, VPNs have a major role to play in facilitating safer, more private browsing experiences for users, both now and in the years to come.
