Have you factored in VPNs to protect your online privacy? VPNs are now considered essential tools for safeguarding against cyber threats and gaining unrestricted access to the internet. Unfortunately, cyber-attacks and data hacks cause trillions in damages. However, it is important to acknowledge that there are some drawbacks to using VPNs. In this discussion, we will explore the undeniable benefits of VPNs as well as the potential pitfalls that often go unnoticed.
- What VPNs Bring to the Table
There’s no question that VPNs deserve a place in your home or office network. Consider these five standout qualities about VPNs.
- 1. Enhanced Privacy
Your internet service provider (ISP) loses the ability to monitor your online activities. Since all your data passes through the VPN server, your ISP cannot determine which websites you visit or which applications you utilize. Moreover, the encryption ensures that your ISP cannot access the contents of your data, preventing any discrimination against specific types or sources of information. Consequently, this thwarts bandwidth throttling and prevents surveillance by any other entities on your network.
- 2. An Added Level of Security
The encryption provided by a VPN serves a dual purpose of thwarting snoopers and fortifying your connection against potential attacks. Open wi-fi hotspots and public networks are often targeted by hackers, making them susceptible to breaches. By encrypting your data before it leaves your device, a VPN ensures that even if it is intercepted on an unsecure network, it remains indecipherable to the attacker.
Moreover, VPNs offer protection against various types of attacks, including man-in-the-middle attacks and IP address-targeted attacks like DDoS attacks and phishing schemes. Additionally, many VPNs now include advanced features that automatically block malware, ads, and trackers. It’s no wonder that major industries such as the financial and government agencies along with online casinos, heavily favor VPNs with their AI cyber security strategies.
- 3. Work around Censor Blocks
Apart from combating nationwide censorship, VPNs also serve as a means to unblock specific websites in educational institutions and workplaces. By employing a VPN, your web traffic is channeled through a VPN server, making it indistinguishable to censorship systems that you are accessing restricted content. As a result, you can securely and unrestrictedly navigate the open web.
- 4. Unlock Region-Free Streaming
By selecting the desired VPN server location, you have the freedom to determine the path of your connection. This effectively masks your IP address with a local one from that chosen location. Consequently, websites and applications will perceive the VPN server’s location as your own, granting you the ability to overcome location-based restrictions even when traveling abroad.
- 5. Help to Reduce Human Error
Sometimes cyber attacks can happen within, sometimes intentinonally and other times accidentaly. Human error, might mean leaving a security port open, or in the case of remote working, tapping into a port from an unsecure port. A VPN can centralize log in access to help prevent careless mistakes. Conversely, if you have a disgruntled employee, a VPN might help in locking them out to prevent harm.
- Where VPNs Fall Short
While it might seem like VPNs are the perfect answer to your security prayers, they are not perfect. Below we list some things to consider that are not so glamorous concerning VPNs.
- 1. Hinders Internet Speed
There’s no slicing or dicing it, the use of VPNs inevitably leads to a reduction in internet speed to some extent. This is primarily due to the encryption and decryption processes involved in VPN applications. The encryption process adds an additional layer of complexity, resulting in a slight delay in data transmission. This delay is particularly noticeable on devices with limited processing power, such as smart TVs and streaming devices.
Additionally, all of your data must pass through a VPN server, which introduces an extra step in the data’s path and consequently slows down the connection. However, you can minimize this delay by selecting a VPN server that is in close proximity to your location. By opting for a high-speed VPN service, you should be able to avoid significant internet slowdowns, as most premium VPN users do not perceive a significant drop in speed.
- 2. VPNs Can Monitor your Data
By utilizing a VPN, your internet service provider loses the ability to monitor your online activities. However, it is important to note that the VPN provider still retains the capability to access this information.
- 3. It Can Cost
To obtain a dependable VPN, payment is essential. Although there are many free VPNs available, they lack the performance, privacy, and security offered by their paid counterparts. However, numerous VPNs do provide a free trial period, or alternatively, you can choose one of the affordable VPN options that still offer strong security features.
- 4. VPNs Aren’t Impregnable
n order to securely access streaming services or bypass censorship, a significant number of people opt for VPNs. However, it is worth mentioning that connections to and from VPN servers can sometimes be blocked by businesses or governments, resulting in the VPN not fulfilling its intended purpose. Therefore, we only recommend VPNs with proven track records in streaming and bypassing censorship.
- 5. Other Things to Consider
When utilizing a VPN, there are certain inconveniences that can arise while browsing the web or using applications. For example, you may find yourself having to enter your username and password more frequently. Additionally, accessing your online banking account may be restricted.
Moreover, you may encounter a higher number of CAPTCHAs that need to be solved in order to access certain websites. If you attempt to access your bank acount online from an IP address that you haven’t used before, it may not be accessible. It is important to note that the accessibility of printers, security cameras, and other home IoT devices may be affected when the VPN is enabled, although this can vary depending on the specific VPN being used.
