Virtual Private Network

A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a software product riding on any hardware that is used to protect network connection using real time encryption when using public networks. VPNs encrypt your internet traffic data and disguise your online identity. This makes it difficult for third parties to track your online activities and hinder them from stealing your data. The encryption takes place in real time.

Functioning of a VPN

A VPN hides a user IP address via a public network by letting the network redirect itself through a specially on a configured remote server run by a VPN host. The VPN server becomes the source of your data while surfing online using a VPN service. This completely hides your Internet Service Provider (ISP) and all other third party trackers from tracking your website visits data that you send and receive online information and activities. This blocks the Man in the Middle attacker from getting their hands on your data and renders it useless.

benefits of VPN connection

A VPN connection disguises your data traffic online and protects it from external access preventing hackers and cyber criminals from deciphering the data. The encrypted connection helps ensure that sensitive data is safely transmitted. It prevents unauthorized people from eavesdropping on the traffic and allows the user to securely work remotely. VPN technology is widely used in corporate environments.

1. Secure encryption: An encryption key is used to read data over a public network to hasten time that would be taken by a computer to decipher the code in the event of brute force attack. The VPN is used to hide users online activities on public networks.
2. Disguising your whereabouts: A VPN is traditionally a software riding on a server hardware that works as a proxy server over internet.
   Since acting as your proxies on the internet and while the demographic location data streaming over internet comes from a server in another region or country, your actual location cannot be determined.
   Most of VPN services do not store logs of user activities while some providers on the other hand may record your behavior, but do not pass this information on to third parties.
   This ensure that any potential data record of your user behavior remains permanently hidden.
3. Access to inaccessible (blocked) location content:Regional web content may be blocked from access from another area and therefore, such content may be inaccessible from unauthorized, restricted areas of access or IP addresses. Website content and services data providers can restrict content access to their customers accessible in only from your country or certain regions or from certain parts of the world. Local servers use IP addresses and other standards within the country to determine user’s location. This means that you cannot access content at home while traveling, and you cannot access international content from home. With VPN location spoofing, you can switch to a server to another country and effectively “change” your location.
4. Secure data transfer: If you work remotely, your remote office may need to access important files on your company’s network. Security concerns must be addressed in accessing various kind of information via secure connection. A VPN connection is often required to gain access to the remote network. VPN services connect to private servers and use encryption methods to reduce the risk of data leakage. Check on your antivirus software as most of them offer premium VPN services subscriptions. An employee can finally work outside the office and still securely connect to the corporate network with a laptop, PC, smartphones or a tablets through a VPN.

   Different manufacturers such as Karspersky, Norton, Avast manufacture and distribute online antivirus software that have an effective VPN to securely connect on public networks. You may also come across many free VPNs while browsing over internet on Search Engines. However, be careful and don’t put your Microsoft windows (MS) computer or Laptop on threats by installing free VPNs without an effective antivirus as you cannot trust all of them. They can be injected with a virus or a spam that purposely target to infect your computer or network with viruses and spams. Protect your computers or networks and all other computing devices by using a trusted - commercial VPN acquired from trusted sources. Good sources are ones from an antivirus manufacturer company or as recommended by other trusted software manufacturing and distributing companies such as Google, Cisco, Cloud flare, Microsoft, Apple or any of their trusted VPNs.

Uses of VPN connection

Avoid Data Tracking without Consent. Your Internet Services Provider (ISP) usually sets up your connection when you connect to the internet and assigns you a dynamic or static IP address. Your network traffic is routed through your ISP's servers, which can log, collect and display everything you do online.

Avoid Hacking from Cyber Criminals. While your ISP may seem trustworthy, it may share your browsing history or analytical data with advertisers or other third parties knowingly or unknowingly by hackers. This is one of the biggest threats to a free web prone to falling victim to hacking or attacks by cyber criminals. If you become such a victim cyber-attack and hacking in cyber-crimes, your personal and private data can be compromised.

Protection from Public Wi-fi. This is especially important if you travel regularly and often connect to public Wi-Fi networks. You cannot just trust such a network as you never know who might be monitoring your internet traffic and what they might steal from you. Theft may be from passwords, personal data, payment information from Credit Cards or any other data compromises.

What should a good VPN do?

These are features of a comprehensive VPN solution that equally ensure that the VPN is protected against compromise.

1. Encryption of your user IP address: The primary job of a VPN is to hide your IP address from your ISP and other third parties. VPNs allows you to send and receive information online without the risk of anyone but you and the VPN provider seeing it.
2. Encryption of data transmission protocols: A VPN should also prevent you from leaving traces, for example, in the form of your internet history, search history and cookies. The encryption of cookies is especially important because it prevents third parties from gaining access to confidential information such as personal data, financial information and other content on websites.
3. Kill switch in case of sudden downtimes: If your VPN connection is suddenly interrupted, your secure connection will also be interrupted. A good VPN can detect this sudden downtime and terminate preselected programs, reducing the likelihood that data is compromised.
4. Use of two-factor authentication: By using a variety of authentication methods, a strong VPN checks everyone who tries to log in. For example, you might be prompted to enter a password, after which a code is sent to your mobile device. This makes it difficult for uninvited third parties to access your secure connection.

Types of VPNs

Remote access

A remote access VPN securely connects a device outside the corporate office. These devices are known as endpoints and may be laptops, tablets, or smartphones. Advances in VPN technology have allowed security checks to be conducted on endpoints to make sure they meet a certain posture before connecting. Think of remote access as computer to network.

Site-to-site

A site-to-site VPN connects the corporate office to branch offices over the Internet. Site-to-site VPNs are used when distance makes it impractical to have direct network connections between these offices. Dedicated equipment is used to establish and maintain a connection. Think of site-to-site access as network to network.