Privacy is a basic human right, and there’s no reason it shouldn’t extend to our digital activities.
The restrictions increasingly imposed by various governments are inadvertently causing a surge in cyber security awareness and as a result, the cyber security industry is booming.
Of course, the desire to protect one’s activities on the internet is also caused by the rise in cyber crime.
These privacy concerns are believed to lead to an increase in the cyber security market by at least 8% in 2019.
Nord VPN makes that super easy for you and secures your internet connection at the click of a button.
It also helps you change the location of your internet connection – allowing you to access content that would otherwise be locked, such as streaming services in other countries.
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These concerns are valid and important. Fortunately, all of the above has been causing an increase in consumer awareness of the cyber security products like VPN services.
In this article, we’ll elaborate on what they are and what they can do for you, and we also have a 70% discount for Nord VPN, the lowest cost possible for the service.
What is a VPN anyway?
“VPN” stands for “virtual private network”. When you switch on the VPN connection on your device, rather than being connected to your local network, you’re connected to a private one.
By connecting to a remote server, your traffic (the webpage you visit and your other activities) is routed to that server and your ISP (Internet Service Provider) doesn’t see or store your activity.
This sort of connection is called “peer-to-peer” (P2P). Each computer in this network acts both as a user and a server, and the data transmitted is encrypted and isn’t transferred to the internet provider.
If you sometimes work remotely, chances are that your employer asks you to use a corporate VPN. You’d use special credentials to log onto it.
If the company files are stored on protected servers, a VPN connection is a good way to access them if you’re working from home. All the employees would be using the same VPN and therefore have access to the same files. It’s an additional layer of corporate security, for which the VPNs were originally created.
Such corporate VPNs are usually fashioned by the companies’ very own IT teams or customized by an external provider. With consumers, it’s a bit different. Although one can create their own VPN server it can be quite difficult to set up if you’re relatively new to the cyber security world.
Fortunately, there are many great providers that work on a B2C basis for a fairly reasonable fee, such as NordVPN, which is the one we recommend for most users.
They offer different types of encryption, depending on your needs. The VPN connection masks your location by connecting to a computer (that functions as a server) in another country, thus making it appear that your device is in that country.
That means that your IP address (the ID number assigned to your device when it connects to a network) is changed because your device is connected to a network in the server’s country.
Since your real IP address is obscured in this manner, external parties can’t tell that it’s you.
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Why do I need a VPN?
First, chances are that you’ve already used a VPN connection at least once in your life if you’ve ever worked remotely. Second, even though corporate security was the original reason for VPNs, today they’re mostly used for other things.
The simplest example is streaming of video content – Netflix, Hulu, etc. aren’t available everywhere, and services like NordVPN offer a way to watch your favorite shows without having to be in the US.
If you’re in the US, you may want to watch the Canadian version of Netflix for different shows, for example. Please note, though, that you’d be doing that at your own risk since it’s not usually in line with streaming services’ Ts&Cs.
However, VPNs are about much more than access to your favorite entertainment. Cyber security, higher level of governmental interference in our private lives, and hackers dominating global news stories are probably some of the hottest topics of the last few years.
Unfortunately, the Internet’s very nature makes it vulnerable and by extension, it exposes you. When you’re not using a VPN connection, your IP address is visible to your ISP which makes it possible for the government to track you (whether or not they have laws in place that allow that).
Usage of a VPN can conceal your IP address from such parties and other unwelcome intrusions. If you live in a country that legitimizes censorship, that can be invaluable.
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A VPN also adds an additional security for a WiFi network. If you’re someone who likes working in coffee shops, for instance, you’re potentially exposed to hacking.
Most public places don’t invest in additional Internet security, which makes it easy for hackers to break into that shop’s network and steal any data that passes through.
For that reason, activating a VPN connection when you’re using a public network is vital to your security. If, for instance, you’re a freelancer who gets paid online, your financial data is exposed when you handle payments whilst connected to a public network. A VPN tunnel can help with that.
Freelancers who are digital nomads can also get plenty out of VPN – if they set it up themselves. Not everyone likes memory sticks or Dropbox, so setting up a Windows Remote Desktop Access via a local network can be a secure solution.
This solution doesn’t expose your Desktop to a strange network. Additionally, a lot of clients all over the world use Telegram – a messaging and file-sharing app with encryption that’s unfortunately blocked in some countries. A VPN connection can help you access it and communicate as normal.
If you’re stumped and annoyed by the fact that Facebook seems to show you the ads ten seconds after you Googled something vaguely relevant, VPN is also your friend.
Online businesses monitor your IP address’ activity and can target ads towards you, based on the fact that you’ve visited a specific website. With a VPN connection, you’re borrowing an IP address from a different computer, and it can change every time you log in.
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How do I use a VPN?
Most VPNs are fairly simple to use, even if you’re new to the cyber security game. For starters, you’d need to choose a service. We’re not talking about corporate VPNs here – those are unique to each company. There are several B2C VPN services on the market. NordVPN, Express VPN and a couple of others are clear market leaders, though. This is because their interface is super user-friendly (both for desktop and mobile), they let you stream video content, and have a lot of servers to choose from.
Once you choose your VPN provider and download the program on your device/devices, launch it and choose a server to connect to. Usually those are displayed in a list or a map mode.
Your choice of a server would depend on what you need the VPN for. If you want to stream Netflix USA content, you’d need a US server.
If you want access to a source disabled in your home country, you’d need to choose a server in a country where it’s free to access. And so on.
Most VPNs come with a kill switch – a feature that breaks your connection if you get cut off from the VPN and continues to protect your location. Enabling this feature would add an additional layer of security.
Once you get the hang of the VPN, turning it on would be second nature – not least because most services come with a “launch automatically” feature.
The VPN phenomenon might initially seem daunting and intimidating, but it’s an invaluable tool in this day and age.
Whether you’re doing online shopping on the go, rushing to a WiFi-enabled coffee shop to meet a deadline, or streaming a TV series not yet available where you are, you want to make sure that your activities are protected.
A VPN is a sure way to do that. However, it’s important to note that even the most secure VPNs aren’t foolproof. Please make sure you read the terms and conditions before making a decision as to your VPN provider – especially their privacy policy and information sharing policy.
And always avoid free VPN apps – there’s nothing stopping them from selling your data to advertisers or other third parties.
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