Why You Need a VPN, and How to Choose the Right One

VPNs are no longer for techies only. You’ve likely seen their ads on YouTube, heard them on podcasts, or even caught them during the Super Bowl, offering anonymity and unlocking regionally restricted content. But do they really deliver? 

While VPNs can help protect your privacy, it’s important to understand how they work before deciding if they’re the right solution for you. We will dissect the fundamentals, investigate their advantages, and assist you in selecting the ideal VPN for your requirements.

Virtual private network – aka VPN – technology has a long history. Businesses have used VPNs for years to give staff members access to digital resources from anywhere. From the customer standpoint, though, the technology is somewhat new.

When you turn on a VPN, it sets up a private, protected pathway between your device and a server in another location. All of your internet activity passes through this tunnel to the server, which then routes it to the public internet.

Every piece of data returning to your device travels the same path: from the internet, to the VPN server, across the encrypted tunnel, back to your device.

You don’t have to rely on commercial VPNs; it’s possible to DIY one if you want. You can set up one using Outline, or even assembling one from spare PC parts if you have the technical know-how. 

Although managing and hosting your own VPN server can be challenging and comes with more security risks than using a VPN provider, the setup process is relatively simple. While self-hosting can be simpler, it is usually best suited for individuals with more tech-savvy skills. 

VPNs can remove local restrictions. This means that connecting to a VPN can let you view material offered on streaming services from abroad. Many users also utilize it to hide their internet activity from the government and internet service providers.

Online casino players, for example, often use VPNs to prevent their financial information from getting leaked online. When playing in online casinos for real money, they connect to VPN servers to keep their activities hidden. 

It can also guard consumers from public Wi-Fi security concerns. We frequently have to access public Wi-Fi in places like airports and restaurants. Still, we have to be vigilant when utilizing these networks since hacking efforts abound there. Using a VPN can greatly reduce this risk. 

A VPN runs your data through a server after encrypting it. Although it is not totally impossible, tracking you online becomes quite challenging. No VPN ensures total anonymity, but it will greatly increase your online privacy.

Your ISP is practically aware of everything you do online; the frightening thing is that they are legally allowed to share this data with third parties in certain cases. The FTC published a study in 2021 revealing precisely how much your ISP is aware of your online activity—and it’s rather a lot.

A VPN can help conceal much of this data from your ISP if the idea of a company you’re already paying benefiting from your data feels unsettling. 

Between your device and trackers, a VPN serves as a firewall. Tracking your activity online becomes more difficult for advertising and other stakeholders. Your gadget usually uses the IP address your ISP assigned. However, when you use a VPN, your actual IP address is hidden; anyone viewing will only see the IP address of the VPN server.

VPNs cannot totally obscure your online activity, as was already noted. A VPN by itself might not be able to prevent tools like website trackers and cookies trying to identify you and follow your actions online. Having said that, certain top VPNs could provide sophisticated defense against such risks. 

Sites and advertisers can track you using distinctive traits such as your screen size and browser version. Combining these apparently innocuous data pieces produces a special ‘fingerprint’ that can be exploited to monitor you. Ad and tracker blockers—like the Privacy Badger from the EFF—help to stop this.

Some VPNs offer protection against malicious files. They provide basic safeguards against known malicious websites and files. However, more and more VPN providers are integrating dedicated antivirus tools. 

For example, Surfshark One pairs antivirus with VPN protection, and NordVPN’s top-tier plan includes a threat protection feature. UltraAV, which became widely recognized after it replaced Kaspersky’s protection services, focuses equally on both VPN and antivirus security.

VPNs don’t offer complete protection against online threats, but they do provide a valuable layer of privacy and security. But it still offers a fair amount of privacy and safety to internet users. So, internet users should consider using a VPN when browsing online. 

• Phishing, smishing, vishing: cosa sono e come non farsi fregare

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