VPNs and Security

Hi. Craig Peterson here with a blink into the dangers and benefits of VPNs.
 
VPNs originally were to connect business networks together over the Internet, saving thousands of dollars per month over leased lines.
 
Today, we’re using VPNs to watch netflix from overseas and to keep your online activity private.
 
And that’s where the problem comes in.
 
VPNs can only keep your information private for part of its journey. Let’s compare a VPN to a trip driving from San Francisco to Seattle, Washington.
 
The first part of your car journey is going to be on side streets before you get to the Golden Gate Bridge. The bridge will take you over the San Francisco Bay and drop you off in Oakland. From there you will be on roads all the way up to Seattle.
 
You can compare your VPN to the Golden Gate Bridge and your Internet Service Provider to the San Francisco Bay. The VPN gets you over the San Francisco Bay safely, but you’re exposed for the rest of your journey. And if someone really wants to monitor you, they’ll just be waiting at the other side of the bridge.
 
Public VPNs, as a rule, just aren’t safe and aren’t going to provide you the privacy you’re looking for.
 
And if you’re a business, be careful about letting home users VPN onto the business network. They will be carrying viruses, malware, and hackers from their homes directly into your previously secured business network.
 
 

Is this VPN for Business or Personal Use?

Initially, VPNs were designed for businesses to create a private network to connect and work securely from their homes. 

VPN technology has now become much more prevalent in individual users.

There are many differences with VPNs for business and individual use, so don’t make the mistake of choosing one without considering this. 

How much are you willing to pay?

A free provider at first, but it’s essential to know that this is not your safest option.

Free VPNs usually come at a different price. 

They either have considerable limitations in their features or are not secure at all.

Many free providers store your logs and sell it third parties or don’t encrypt your traffic at all without warning you about it.

Service providers will say what you want to hear to trick you into buying their product. 

Many times this will be just a false promise that they won’t deliver it to you once you purchase the VPN. 

Never pay for a more extended subscription unless you are already sure of the provider’s quality.

What is the location of the VPN?

Often it’s challenging to find out the location of the VPN.

Many providers often keep this information buried somewhere on the bottom of their website, and others don’t even include it. 

It is usually because the location of the VPN is often not in a privacy-friendly country.

You might’ve heard of the terms Five Eyes, Nine Eyes, or Fourteen Eyes

If not, you are not familiar with these terms, and I recommend you take the time to learn about them as part of your evaluation of any VPN.

It’s good to have this in mind and stay precautious, especially if you value your privacy above everything else.

Have you read the privacy policy?

When considering a VPN you must be very clear on their privacy policy. 

In there, you will find all the information that the provider is keeping on you. Some of your logs can quickly put you in danger.

Usage logs include everything you do when connected to the VPN. The location of the provider is an issue, especially if it is in one of the countries where the government has access.

Never trust a VPN that logs your activities and stores them for a long time.

Why do you want to use a VPN?

Some people get VPNs only intending to secure their devices and themselves from prying eyes. Others want to get it for streaming content.

These are different things that require various features. 

How is there customer support?

Whether you are a beginner or have advanced knowledge on the topic of VPNs, you still require help from a representative of the company. 

Every VPN is different, and you will need assistance at least once. 

You need excellent and reliable customer support. 

If a company does not treat its customers with the proper care and attention, then it’s much better to avoid it.

Let’s say you are experiencing an issue, and you need it fixed immediately, a VPN with 24-hour support is much better that one that’s barely available during the week. 

However, most important is that the person has the proper knowledge of the issue and is helpful.

Conclusion:

Before you start using a VPN, you need to evaluate it properly. 

These are the key features you should keep an eye on. 

  • Buying a VPN is like any other purchase; you need to conduct the proper research, make sure that it fits your needs, and only then buy it.