Formerly used in companies to easily access the company’s intranet remotely and securely, VPNs are increasingly used by individuals.
VPN stands for “Virtual Private Network”. This system provides an inter-network connection that connects 2 remote computers to access the internet, the same as if they were on the same local network. It makes it more complex to identify and locate the user by encrypting the data. However, when users goes on the web, they take the risk of exposing all of their information to other users on the local network, or even to governments who can monitor connections. Consequently, we recommend that you favour an encrypted VPN for use in public places to avoid your traffic being monitored. Especially since this use makes it possible to bypass online advertising and advertising on social networks!
Good to know: using a VPN lets you: (1) circumvent geographical filtering by using the VPN of an IP address of another country and (2) better protect your anonymity on the networks by masking your true IP address.
Why use a VPN?
- To create a secure network by encrypting data according to a specific protocol
- To access foreign sites by bypassing a country’s censorship thanks to the anonymity guaranteed by the acquisition of another IP address
Is it an absolute security?
Despite its promising description, the use of a VPN is not an absolute protection. It is more of a technique that is easy to set up and improves the confidentiality of data exchanged on the web, especially on public networks.
In fact, free VPN services are synonymous in most cases with data limitation or a slow connection. And in the most complex cases, poor-quality encryption, targeted advertising and a breach of confidentiality. Sometimes they can even hide malware. So remember to assign a strong password to your router. And for maximum security, install patches regularly and use security software on all your devices.
How to choose your VPN
There are more than 300 VPN providers today. Their qualities vary, especially depending on your needs. To choose the most suitable, simply compare the VPN based on the security of your information, the speed and stability of the Internet connection, free access, etc. In general, free VPNs are available with a few limits on use. Example: time limit, monthly traffic that requires technical knowledge, etc.
The choice of your VPN will depend on its use. If you want to access Netflix’s U.S. catalogue you will have to look for a powerful VPN, at the risk that it protects your data less. On the other hand, if you travel to a country where the web is censored and where certain uses are forbidden, you can move towards a VPN which does not record your traffic and which will not give your information to the governments … at the risk of slower surfing 😉