VPNs are excellent tools for stopping people from seeing what you are doing online. In some cases, a VPN can allow you to connect to an intranet at your workplace or bypass filters. However, like any tool, a VPN has limitations into what it can and cannot protect. This wikiHow aims to discuss marketing tactics used by VPN companies that can be potentially misleading.
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Section 3 of 6:
Does a VPN protect my data?
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Yes, if the connection is unencrypted. An attacker can see data being sent through an unencrypted connection, such as if the site is old or poorly designed. This would mean that an attacker would be able to steal banking details, passwords, and other personal information sent in plaintext. A VPN adds a layer of encryption between your computer and the VPN's servers that thwarts eavesdroppers.
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Somewhat, if the connection is encrypted. In an encrypted connection, an attacker would only be able to see the sites that are being connected to. They will not be able to see what is being sent to the website or what is being received by your computer. In these cases, a VPN will only stop them from using metadata to target ads to you.
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No, in the case of man-in-the-middle attacks. A man-in-the-middle attack works by having all your encrypted traffic be forwarded to an attacker and then to whatever sites you are connecting to, switching encryption keys on the fly. In these cases, your device will be able to detect whether someone is attempting a man-in-the-middle attack by warning you that the encryption keys are not signed. Most VPNs, except for some really good VPNs, do not provide adequate protection against man-in-the-middle attacks.Advertisement
Section 5 of 6:
What are the best uses for a VPN?
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Bypassing filters and region locks. Since a VPN masks your IP address, a website can be fooled into providing another region's content to you. For example, you can watch content region locked to Japan in the United States or play games region locked to the United Kingdom in Canada. You can also bypass filters in countries that block a lot of websites, including China, Saudi Arabia, and Iran.
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Connecting to a corporate network. A VPN set up at a company or university can be used to access documents only available on a corporate network. For example, a video game publisher or film creator may have all of its assets stored only on its corporate servers to minimize the risks of leaks and NDA violations. Or a school or university needs to make sure that only you can access digitized documents in its library.Advertisement
Section 6 of 6:
Should I get a VPN?
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Yes, if you want a layer of privacy added to your browsing. If you want to stop your ISP or workplace from seeing what you are doing, a VPN can provide a layer of obfuscation. Note it may do little to stop governments from spying on you.
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Yes, if you need to bypass region locks. A VPN's ability to spoof location data means that you can easily fool services like Netflix and Spotify that restrict content to a specific region. It can also bypass restrictions set by your ISP or your country.EXPERT TIPTechnology SpecialistBrandon Phipps is a Technology Specialist based in Bakersfield, CA. He is the owner of Second Star Technologies and specializes in Managed IT Services for small and mid-sized businesses in Bakersfield, CA. With over 23 years of experience, he offers expert cloud computing, cybersecurity, and network management solutions. Brandon is a committed community member and coach who leads and innovates in tech and sports coaching. His dedication to local businesses and communities is evident in his hands-on, tailored approach to IT solutions.
Use a VPN to access location-based websites that are limited in your current region. Just disconnect from your current location and select another location compatible with the website you want to access. Your VPN will allow you to browse the internet as if you were physically present in the chosen location provided by your VPN client.
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No, if you just want your content to be more secure. All your Internet traffic aside from metadata is already encrypted. Using a VPN to encrypt your traffic further is pointless and a potential waste of money. A lot of services also block IP addresses that belong to VPNs to avoid block/ban evasion and spam.Advertisement
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