If you’re an online user for decades, you must know the perils that await those who aren’t careful. Phishing, spam, malware, and other online threats are just the tip of the iceberg.
Not that the internet is a terrible place – in fact, it’s a great place to find information and connect with people. However, its greatness is also what makes it dangerous. Lots of people are taking advantage of the naivete of other users which causes online threats to become more widespread.
You’ve already equipped yourself with the best security tools to prevent viruses and malware from infecting your CPU. You also know how to identify what spam is and how to avoid it. The next step is to take your online protection further by subscribing to a VPN.
In this post, you will learn what a virtual private network is and what the benefits of VPN are in your professional and personal online life.
The benefits of VPN to boost your web security even more
Before we jump to the benefits of VPN, we need to understand what it is and how it works.
VPN stands for virtual private network. The VPN server encrypts your data from the internet service provider (ISP) or WiFi you are connected to. It obfuscates your personally identifiable information, in particular, your IP address and location. What your ISP will see is the information provided by the VPN server, whatever that may be.
So what makes VPN special as opposed to browsing the web without one? Below are the differences and its benefits:
1. Enhanced security
The websites you visit store information about you using their analytics and tracking software. While sites use the data they gather from visitors to make their websites perform better, others may have other ideas with how they plan to use the information. They might sell it to a third-party provider and it leaves you vulnerable for whatever that’s coming your way.
With a VPN, websites won’t be able to gather accurate information about your online activity. They will still consider you as a visitor, but you will be considered as an anonymous user since your real information is encrypted by the VPN you are using. As a result, you can enjoy surfing the web without websites gathering your data and using said information for reasons beyond your control.
2. Unblock websites
Let’s say you’re an expat assigned to China. After days of staying there, you want to catch up with your family and friends back home. You want to use Facebook assuming most of your friends are they. However, upon typing in the URL, you found out that you can’t access the site because of geo-blocking. You can still reach out to them in different ways but you don’t have the option of talking to them on Facebook. Aside from China, there are other countries that censor Facebook and prevents people from using it.
This is where a VPN comes in handy. From the VPN server, it changes your IP address and geolocation in the eyes of the websites you visit. Instead of seeing China’s IP address, the websites will see the IP address from a different country and location. Because of this, you can use Facebook to connect with your network even if you live in a country that blocks Facebook!
Another use case of VPN is with streaming sites. For instance, there is content in US Netflix that you can’t view outside the country. Due to licensing deals of these shows and movies, the number of content available in each country varies. However, if you want all Netflix content at your fingertips then you will have to go to the US and watch there. While that would be expensive, a cheaper alternative is to use a VPN to get American Netflix in your country.
3. Better connectivity
For businesses and organization, having stable lines of communications online is a big part of their operations. Instead of people converging to a single room and spend hours of their day sitting on a chair, they can hold a video conference call. Not only is it more environment-friendly (no need to travel using public transportation or vehicles – just log in and you’re there) but it encourages everyone to be more productive.
Another issue with business and their online connection is file sharing. This rings true if they have large and copious amounts of files shared around with co-workers and employees. A VPN enables you to develop a process conducive to sharing and storing a file in a secure location so you can access everything in a single place. Setting up a VPN for this purpose requires you to hire an IT professional who will set up and maintain the VPN. But if file sharing is vital in the success of your business, then you should shoulder the costs and build your business the right way.
Did the benefits of VPN show you the way?
VPN is useful from a professional and personal standpoint. It helps you forego geo-restrictions and gives full access to all websites and their content. A VPN also creates a safer environment for people to conduct their business so they can focus on growing their revenue instead of worrying about the technical details. More importantly, VPN provides an additional layer of security online so you can prevent hackers from accessing your information.
From the reasons above, the benefits of VPN should convince you to get one for personal and professional use.
