The internet is one of the greatest inventions of our century. One of the marvels it made possible was access to information. What used to be secrets known only by scribes, librarians and monks of ancient citadels across the globe became accessible to any random person with a browser and a source of Wi-Fi connection.
However, every tool, no matter how helpful it is, can also be used to cause harm. While the internet has given us access to a lot of helpful information, it has also opened us up to individuals and organizations with mischievous intentions. It has been used by hackers to attack people or their source of livelihood and governments have also used it as a tool to suppress information. In a bid to combat this harmful use of the internet, a new invention called VPN was made.
What Is VPN?
VPN stands for Virtual Private Network. Its purpose is to create a cover for your tracks on the internet so you remain untraceable as you go about your online activities. Every browser has a unique identifier called an IP (Internet Protocol) address which serves as a digital destination address. This address is a contact point for information that you receive from servers. Unfortunately, since this address is available to the public, individuals and organizations can use it to monitor, track or access your information online.
To prevent this, VPN works by rechanneling your connection through other secured sources that are private. This way, your IP address is shielded and your interaction online can’t be traced back to you. This invention that was kickstarted by corporations to keep in-house communication away from the glare of the public has been adopted to serve other helpful purposes.
Common Uses of VPN
1. Avoid Censorship
It is a usual case to witness a government stifle their citizens because they don’t want some information to reach them or certain information to get out to the international society. In such scenarios, they compel Internet Service Providers to cut off their services in such a location. VPN has been used to maneuver this censorship by rerouting your data and communication through these privately owned servers so your source of connection is not seen as coming from your location but from the location your VPN provider has given you. This makes it possible to access the internet and communicate with the outside world.
2. Protection
You are at risk of cybercrimes when you go about surfing the internet. Your personal devices can be hacked which can see malicious agents make away with your personal details such as Social Security numbers, IDs or bank details. VPN protects you from these threats with a protection mechanism called encryption. This makes your data immune to any efforts at hijacking them. It should be noted this point can’t be overemphasized as fraudulent activities leading to huge losses have been perpetrated through these loopholes.
A VPN is an essential tool in your cybersecurity arsenal, and there are a wide variety of providers like LifeLock that offer advanced protection services through their partnership with Norton 360, alongside quality VPN services that you can choose from.
3. Avoid Restrictions
There are several institutions and platforms that limit the internet traffic that can access their website according to location. In some cases, corporations show different prices or different services to a certain group of people either due to their personal IP address or because of the location such IP address is beaming from. A VPN allows you to override these restrictions and gives you an equal chance to access these services like everyone else.
Your Internet Experience Just Got Safer
Having a VPN service provider is no longer an issue of digital sophistication, but a matter of necessity with the current trend of government and corporations spying on our everyday activities. With the quality and variety of VPNs available on the internet now, you can absolutely protect your IP address from hackers and get around internet restrictions with ease.