The United Kingdom has one of the highest rates of Internet users, at 97%. If you consider the number of businesses who use computers and individuals who have mobile phones, we spend a lot, if not most, of our time online. The Internet has opened the door to finding information on almost any topic, staying up-to-date with current events and in touch with friends or family. So with the amount of time spent on the Internet, the subject of cybersecurity has become more prevalent. Cyber threats and data breaches affect companies and individuals alike.
For businesses, there can be a hefty price tag associated with cybercrime. Moreover, business operations can be affected for a period of time, decreasing turnovers. While for individuals, fraud and identity theft can have devastating impacts. VPNs have become a form of digital security to mitigate the effects of cybercrime. Let’s take a look at how they work, and why you should consider using one on your devices.
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How Do VPNs Work?
A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a network service that codes your connection when using the Internet. The data becomes scrambled which makes it unreadable to a hacker should they try to intercept it.
The data is then tunnelled through a secure server, while the encryption stops unauthorised parties from accessing the information. At the same time, VPNs hide your IP address so that your actual location as well as your browsing activity cannot be traced back to you. The Internet traffic is routed through a server in a different location, so when you access the Internet, your location will show as elsewhere. For transacting and communicating online, it offers peace of mind that your activities are private and secure. According to a Forbes report on VPN trends for this year, they are frequently being used more for personal use compared to business use. They are typically used on computers and laptops, but the use on mobile phones is not too far behind.
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Why Should You Use A VPN?
VPNs have been designed with cybersecurity in mind, and offer protection against cyber threats. If you aren’t already using a VPN, here are a few reasons why you should consider doing so:
Online Privacy Is Protected
When you visit a website, it is common for trackers to monitor your online activity through cookies. By using a VPN, your IP address is hidden. This makes it harder for trackers to gather personal information about you and what you look for on the Internet.
This browsing data is often collected and sold to third party companies who will then have access to your private information, often without you knowing. VPNs prevent your Internet Service Provider (ISP) from collecting this, and your data remains private.
Secures Your Connection On Public Wi-Fi Networks
Using public Wi-Fi networks can be incredibly risky, as it exposes your information for hackers to find. They typically intercept the data transmitted between the public network and your device, and access your information from there. However, when your data becomes encrypted using a VPN, cybercriminals can’t hack into it even if you are connected to a public network.
Reduced Geographic Restrictions
Aside from the digital security aspect, VPNs can also be used to access content that could be unavailable in your region. By setting your geographical location to a different country altogether, you can access sites and content for streaming. The question that often arises here is whether this is legal or not. It is completely legal to use a VPN to access restricted content, especially in the United Kingdom.
Security When Working Remotely
Some companies have chosen to be fully-remote, and it’s not uncommon to have teams spread out around the world. For these businesses, secure communication and the protection of their data has to be a top priority. Using a VPN, employees can access sensitive company information online without it being accessed by unauthorised parties outside of the business.
Should You Pay For A VPN Subscription?
Some VPN service providers offer free usage, while others have paid subscriptions. Free VPNs may seem like an attractive option, but they do have major limitations. A Top10VPN study revealed that almost 90% of free VPN software share your data to other parties. This is how the ‘free’ providers end up making their money. Free VPNs are also known to have slower speeds and a limited bandwidth compared to paid subscriptions. Paid service providers also offer strict no-log policies, which means that your data is always kept confidential.
