The Internet is a very dangerous place for users who don’t know how to protect themselves. Despite tons of available Internet security tools and software, users are still vulnerable to identity theft and sensitive information is being stolen. Apparently, the extreme popularity of smartphones and social media has also added threat. But thanks to VPN (Virtual Private Network), many Internet users are now safe online even when they are in a public Wi-Fi area such as hotels, train stations, and coffee shops.
To avoid spam and hacks, there are tons of anti-spyware and firewall to choose from. But to avoid identity theft, Internet users are strongly being advised to use strong passwords and to change it at least every two months. Passwords should also be different for different sites. Remember those passwords instead of saving them online or on your computer. Private information (including home address and contact numbers) should not also be shared on blogs and in social media sites such as Facebook.
There are many reports about stolen credit card PINs on online shopping sites. To reduce such incidents, huge sites use HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol over Secure Socket Layer) or also known as HTTP Secure. You can see them in the site’s URL. Facebook and Twitter are two great examples. There are also many smartphone security apps to choose from. But because hackers are also getting smarter, passwords and other personal details can still be stolen. This is when a VPN comes in to help.
Once you get a VPN service, you will be provided with a temporary IP address to hide your real one. Your geo-location will also be hidden, which means you can also have access on restricted sites in strict countries such as China and UAE. Therefore, you can browse the Internet anonymously. But more importantly, your web traffic is highly encrypted. This means that only authorized parties can intercept the information you shared online. And yes, using VPNs is very much legal in every part of the world.
This is also why many business owners allow their staff and employees to access their data even if they are in a remote area. VPNs also work well on any operating software including Apple’s iOS and Android. Different VPN service providers offer different security protocols such as PPTP, L2TP, and OpenVPN. Each of them has their own way of securing online data, advantages, and disadvantages. To help you save money, know what you need so you won’t pay for the service that you won’t be using.
And yes, it’s better if you get a premium VPN instead of the free ones. Free VPNs can save you money, but don’t expect a high quality output for a service that you did not pay for. Instead, expect to see tons of ridiculous ads because this is how they make money to support their service. On the other hand, paid VPNs offer faster and more secured Internet connection. Most of them immediately provide a new VPN IP address once the first one is blocked. You can also expect an excellent customer service from them.