Any time you are browsing the web or connected to the internet for any form of activity, several people may be interested in finding out what you are doing. Hackers are lurking; your internet service provider (ISP) monitors and observes your activity; the government, advertisers, and other third parties may want to obtain your data for different purposes.
Your privacy should be sacrosanct; nobody should access your data without your express knowledge and permission; since people can access your data without your knowledge, you must protect your activities on the internet from prying eyes. It’s no longer news that most purchases today are online; traces of your browsing history while purchasing from any eCommerce store can be visible.
You won’t want to compromise sensitive information such as your credit card details. If you belong to the group of people who believe that private browsing will confer their protection, it’s unfortunate; some modern-day browsers, such as Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge, have in-built features that ensure browsers don’t keep records of browsing activities.
But, you need an internet protocol (IP) address that your ISP provides for browsing. Anyone that has access to your IP can track you and monitor your online activities. The best way to secure sensitive information is through a virtual private network (VPN).
What is a VPN?
A VPN (a virtual private network) encrypts your internet traffic and identity when online; VPNs make it harder for hackers and any other third party to break in and compromise your data. Your IP address is the means for anybody to track and observe your activities online; a VPN hides your IP address and issues another IP address that leads to their servers; it’s almost impossible for anyone to track your online activities without knowing your IP address.
Why is it essential to use a VPN?
Each time you are browsing the web, your ISP provides your connection; through your IP address, the internet service provider can keep track of your browsing activities. The web traffic you generate must pass through your ISP’s servers; your ISP can easily log in to monitor and observe all you do online.
Your ISP may be one of the rogue ones that can hand your browsing history to advertisers for monetary gratifications. Even where you trust your ISP, your browsing history can still find its way to the police, government agencies, or a third party.
“On a bad day,” your ISP can get hacked, compromising your personal and private data. Hacking becomes critical if you constantly use public Wi-Fi networks.
Passwords, personal data, credit card details, and your whole identity are sensitive information hackers crave; they dedicate a lot of time to these nefarious cyber crimes. A VPN will protect you from these cybersecurity issues; your ISP cannot track your browsing history because the VPN will mask your IP address and encrypt your data.
If your data accidentally falls into the wrong hands, the encryption renders it useless and gibberish to such persons. Hackers are creating a global menace; the prediction by Gartner that by 2025, 45% of organizations in the world will be impacted in some way by a supply chain attack is frightening, and we shouldn’t take it with a pinch of salt.
An attack of this magnitude on the supply chain will affect all spheres of the business world – eCommerce, retails, manufacturing, and even consumers. Fortunately, organizations such as Urban VPN, 1Click VPN, Proton VPN, and others are fighting tooth and nail by providing free VPN services to ensure everybody is secure against cyber crimes.
A VPN is essential for your security because you can’t leave the task to your security team alone; according to “Cost of a Data Breach 2022,” a report released by IBM and Ponemon Institute, security teams need an average of 277 to identify and contain a data breach.
How does VPN protect you while browsing the Internet?
Your VPN host has a specially configured remote server; when your VPN redirects your IP address through this server, it masks the IP. Your IP address is hidden from prying eyes, and the VPN server’ address serves as your new IP address and the origin of any information you send and receive.
When browsing the internet, your ISP or a third party cannot track your activities or see websites you visit. A VPN will encrypt your data; if anyone manages to access your data, it will be useless to such an individual.
Some tasks a VPN performs include:
- Encryption of IP address – A VPN keeps your IP address hidden from your ISP and hackers; you can browse the internet, send, and receive information safely.
- Encryption of logs – You don’t leave any trail with a VPN; it encrypts cookies so that no one sees your sensitive information or any content you don’t want people to trace back to you.
- Kill switch – Your VPN connection can experience sudden downtime; an in-built kill switch reduces the chance of data compromise by quitting some preselected programs.
- Multifactor authentication – An unwanted third party should not easily access your connection; a secure VPN must demand verifications from anyone trying to log into your network; the mode of verification can be through a password and sending a code.
Conclusion
Consumers are no longer restricted by borders and shores; a cybersecurity issue that affects an eCommerce store such as Amazon or Walmart can negatively impact millions of people around the globe. Concerted efforts must be made to secure everybody.
Fortunately, free VPNs now abound in the world; financial constraints must never be an excuse you give for not securing your sensitive information.
