Every week we hear a story about a huge brand or a company getting hacked. That is why security, privacy, and data usage should always be top of mind. If you don’t like the way social media and other sites track you online ( and even offline), you should try a VPN.
Here’s the famous VPN pun:Â
A VPN, John Cena and Flint, Michigan walk into a bar…
Goverment: I can't see you.
Â
There’s some truth in that. A VPN or Virtual Private Network serves as a creating a secure connection to another network. You can use this advantage in various ways: from upsetting hackers to ensuring your browsing security. Browsing security is something everyone has heard of, but nobody cares that much.
Tell me, do you have the latest security updates on all your devices? There you go.
However, there is a sad part to that. Hot local singles will no longer want to see you, since a VPN can block ads as well.
The idea behind a VPN is simple. Your device connects to a server, which can be located in any foreign country. After that, the web traffic goes back and forth through that server. As a result, instead of browsing from your location, you’re using the server’s geographical location.Â
Â
I hope you know that your location is an open secret, as you must have forgotten to uncheck this feature in Google.
Any tech-savvy knows the benefits of a VPN. However, nowadays this service is used in a different way. Initially, it was a way to connect business networks together securely over the internet. So why do you need to use it anytime you hop online? Â
Â
Reason 1. Public Wi-Fi is not the safest place
Have you ever heard of “man-in-the-middle attack”? It is considered as one of the biggest threats with public Wi-Fi.Â
MITM is a general term for when an attacker places himself in a conversation between two parties. His goal is either to eavesdrop or to impersonate one of the parties. Then, he can steal personal data like login credentials or credit card details.Â
However, the world is currently faced with a pandemic of COVID-19. So most public places are either closed or open for takeaways only.
Welcome NordVPN, today`s newsletter sponsor. NordVPN offers high-quality P2P support for smooth surfing. No-logs policy and strong encryption are part of their core service. They're offering a 70% discount to Hacker Nooners. Get yours here.
Reason 2. ISP is watching all your digital moves.
Most people think that nobody is spying on them at home. I’m afraid they are wrong. The chances of hacking are indeed lower, but never underestimate your internet service provider. The ISP has enormous insight into what you are browsing. And you never know who it can sell anonymized client data to.
Another argument in favor of a VPN is that it can help you hide your data from police forces etc. Unfortunately, the problem of corruption is an acute one, especially in some countries. It’s quite easy to bribe somebody for getting you in trouble. They can find some dirt in your search story and ask for a warrant. In this case, your ISP will be forced to share the logs.
Â
Reason 3. Fighting extreme cases of censorship.
In the reality of authoritarian regime, the Internet is often being censored. The freedom of speech is our birthright, and a VPN is on guard of that. It helps you bypass internet censorship and access blocked websites despite media blackouts.
Bottom line, if security is your top priority, using a VPN is a great option. It can help you hide your web tracks and remain invisible from your ISP. Consider it your online invisibility cloak.