Virtual Private Network of popularly known as the VPN is a service that enables you to access the web securely. Primarily it is beneficial in hiding your online activities. The VPN software encrypts the data before any third party could see it. After this, the information is routed to the VPN and from thereon to your specified online destination. Even for the later, the data will be visible as coming from a VPN server. Today VPN has become an essential component of your devices like PCs and smartphones. It is equally important to have a VPN along with the antivirus and firewall. Using a VPN can be considered beneficial in many aspects. But there are specific things about VPN one must be aware of before adopting them.
Some VPNs Contain Severe Bugs
In the recent past, there have been instances reported that some VPNs have security flaws making the user vulnerable to threats. Some of the VPNs were found to have privacy-busting bugs that could leak user identity and location. There were also other bugs reported that could potentially hijack and redirect web traffic to other proxy servers. Hence choosing a reliable service provider makes it all the more important. If still, the problem persists report immediately to the service provider. Even in the past companies have fixed the bugs at the earliest after being notified.
Some VPNs Reveal User Data
There are certain flaws about VPNs that in general many users are oblivious to. One such issue is that some VPNs reveal user data which makes user security vulnerable. Although the VPN provider might promise complete data security, in reality, the scenario might be something else. They may be secretly retaining data about users like their IP address, which in turn could reveal the user location. Such vulnerabilities of the VPN can also allow the malicious third-party agents like attackers to intercept web traffic and redirect them to proxy servers. Some VPNs are also known to add the clause of data storage in their agreements with the user. For instance, there can be a clause like they would store a specific type of information to improve the user experience. For complete anonymity while surfing the internet using VPNs, ensure that you choose service providers who do not track or store data.
Free VPNs Can Cost You Much
There are VPN providers who sell customer data to third parties. These specifically are those who claim to provide VPN services free of cost. Such companies in the facade of rendering free services are collecting customer data. The intention is to sell it to other VPN providers for profit. Using VPN requires you to install software on your systems. With the free VPNs, the software is from an unknown source. Installing the same might make your system vulnerable to potential threats. There is a severe risk to everything from your logs to personal information. Hence it is always advisable to use VPNs from a trusted source with a genuine public security track record.
Conclusion
VPN, in general, are supposed to protect you from all sorts of online security threats. But sometimes not using an appropriate and reputed service provider can get you into trouble. Not choosing a reputable VPN for Windows PC can make your system vulnerable to security threats and personal data loss. Understanding the DNS leak protection, logging policies and encryption protocols of the VPN you choose is critical. Apart from this assessing your VPN needs is also necessary while making a choice. Lastly, ensure that the VPN you pick does not decrease the speed of your internet. With the increasing cyber crimes on the internet, it is crucial to choose VPN wisely.
