The abbreviation " VPN " has slowly become established among average Internet users, which is certainly good, but the problem is that people have started to see VPN as the ultimate solution to all problems.
The abbreviation "VPN" has slowly become established among average Internet users, which is certainly good, but the problem is that people have started to see VPN as the ultimate solution to all problems.
In this article, I will try to explain why VPN is not the ultimate solution, what it can and cannot protect you from, and why you should definitely use it.
What a VPN can protect you from
The basic principle of VPN operation is the following: you connect to a VPN server located somewhere and from that moment all your internet traffic goes only and exclusively through that server. If you want to visit a site, your request is sent to that VPN server, and it communicates with the site. So, it serves is an intermediary in the communication between you and the rest of the Internet.
From the point of view of a site, it was visited by a VPN server - not you! The site doesn't know who you are, it doesn't see you from that VPN server, it only knows about that VPN and that's it.
On the other hand, you have your internet provider (to whom you pay for the internet) and he would otherwise see everything you do online. But since you've connected to a VPN, your ISP only sees that you're communicating From the provider's point of view, you are not visiting the site, you are visiting the VPN. Also, the provider does not see that you are using a torrent, it only sees that you are visiting a VPN.
With all that, a VPN server can be found in any country. This further means that you can present yourself on the Internet as if you came from another country through a VPN. This is handy if some content is blocked in your state.
As you can see, VPN can protect you from being spied on by sites you visit, your ISP, and the government.
If you don't want the site owner to know where you're visiting from, it can also hide your location.
Some VPN services still offer added protections such as blocking ads and accessing malicious sites, which certainly comes as a nice bonus.
From which the VPN cannot protect you
A VPN cannot protect you if a potential malicious person does not want or need to follow you over an IP address (which the VPN hides, at least the good ones).
For example, it can attack you via spam emails. In that case, you have to be careful because VPN does not help in this case.
Furthermore, we have various viruses and keyloggers that VPN also cannot stop. For something like that, you need to have good anti-virus and be careful about what you click and what you open on your computer, but also on the Internet.
A VPN also cannot protect you from online tracking that does NOT rely on an IP address. For example, you have companies that follow you through your uniqueness digital fingerprint - which I wrote about in detail here.
When it comes to tracking, I can also follow you on social media. When you leave the site and do not log out, you can be tracked while visiting other sites and a VPN does not help.
Do you use a VPN then?
Absolutely! It can't protect you from everything, but it will contribute a lot. If nothing else, your ISP will not have an insight into which sites you visit and what you do online.
It can certainly be useful if you want to visit a site from another country in case your country is blocked.
If you want to try a premium VPN but don't pay, a warm recommendation for THIS.
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