With the ongoing tech revolution comes continuous news of hacked users, mass data collection, and online tracking reported by mainstream news outlets.
This is the reason Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) are becoming a necessity as computer users conduct more and more of their day-to-day lives online.
What Is A Virtual Private Network?
A VPN is a group of computers or networks linked together over an Internet connection. All the information sent or received over the Internet is automatically encrypted when connected to a VPN.
Typically, VPN services offer the highest forms of encryption to protect said data, providing peace of mind for anyone conducting personal or business-related tasks where sensitive information may be present.
As the technology has evolved, VPN applications have become very easy to install and operate. Many of the popular personal-use VPN software developers have made it as simple as installing the app and turning the VPN service on.
Premium VPN services even allow users to choose to mask their IP address, making it appear as though you are accessing the Internet from an entirely different country, which can be quite useful if you do not like your web activity tracked by ad-targeting websites like Facebook or YouTube or your Internet Service Provider.
Who Most Commonly Uses VPNs?
Many different individuals and organizations use VPNs for varying reasons, but the need for a strong layer of security is the fundamental purpose for everyone.
From a business standpoint, VPNs can be easily set up and maintained so that employees can securely access company resources and tools from anywhere on any network or Internet connection without the fear of having sensitive information intercepted.
Further, this encompasses all aspects of a business’ need for security of payroll information, employee and customer information, scheduling, and any other confidential company documentation.
The population of personal VPN users has expanded dramatically in the past year. VPNs are the perfect solution for frequent travelers and those who value their privacy, which has become increasingly difficult to maintain.
Why Should You Use a VPN?
Most of us consider ourselves law-abiding “digizens,” using networks for entertainment, communication and knowledge – but other net users may not be so nice or trustworthy.
A VPN can protect you by concealing your web activities from those with prying eyes under layers of encryption that makes all of your web traffic nearly impossible to intercept or track.
This is especially relevant if you are a frequent user of public Wi-Fi networks, such as your favorite lunch spot or coffee shop. The act of accessing vital information on your devices through a public network is easier than most realize.
Given this, I highly recommend the use of a VPN for your daily Internet use, whether it is personal or professional.
Joining the privatized world of VPNs is an easy and extremely beneficial process.
VPN providers are generally friendly and typically on hand to help should a problem arise.
If you are just getting started with VPNs, consider acquainting yourself more in-depth through a Google search of the top VPN applications and their different features.