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Your devices might be more at risk than you think. Cybercrime is on the rise, and with these digital threats reaching unprecedented levels, it’s more important than ever before to ensure that your device is safe and secure from the threats that it could face online.
We all use the internet, and we often need to connect to unsecured networks to gain access to the internet. But doing so could put your device at risk. Many internet users don’t take cybercrime seriously, but the reality is that you can’t afford to ignore it. The potential consequences you might face after a cyberattack have the potential to be devastating.
From identity theft to fraud, you can’t afford to avoid using cybersecurity tools on your devices in the modern world. One of the most essential tools that you can use to ensure your safety and privacy online is a VPN such as NordVPN. You might be wondering what a VPN is and why it’s so important to have one installed on your device, so keep reading to find out!
What is a VPN?
You may have heard of a virtual private network in the past, but perhaps you’re unsure of what exactly it’s used for. It’s most often used to unblock new movies and series on entertainment platforms like Netflix, but that’s one of the advantages of using a VPN. VPNs are primarily cybersecurity tools, and they can be used to keep your device secure as you browse the internet, here’s how.
VPNs are used to encrypt your internet connection. By doing so, no one will be able to see what you are doing on your device. You can mask your internet traffic and online activity from anyone, even your internet service provider and the government! This makes a VPN the ultimate tool for privacy and security.
But why is this such a helpful feature? When we travel, we often need to use public WiFi hotspots such as the ones found in hotels, airports, and restaurants. While these hotspots might be convenient and affordable, they often also use unsecured networks. Unsecured networks are a hotbed for criminal activity, and skilled hackers can use these networks to listen in on any other devices on the same network. Doing so will allow them to eavesdrop on devices as they send and receive data through the internet — thus allowing them to steal important data such as personal information, login credentials, and even banking details.
VPNs also allow you to spoof your device’s physical location — this is the feature that has made VPNs so incredibly popular in recent years! By using a VPN, you can connect to a secure global server in another country or city around the world. Once you’re connected, your real IP address (the unique string of numbers used to identify your device on the internet) will be masked, and your device will adopt the IP address of the server that you are connected to.
While your device is connected to a VPN server in another country, websites will be tricked into thinking that you are accessing them from elsewhere. For example, if you’re in South Africa, you can connect to a global server in the UK. While you might still physically be in South Africa, your device will access the internet as if it was in the UK — we’re going to cover the advantages of this shortly.
The Best VPN on the Market
So, what is the best VPN that you can install on your device? While there’s no concrete answer to this question, there is one golden rule you need to follow when choosing a VPN, and there is a method you can use to determine which VPN might be best for you.
Firstly, the most important rule you need to follow when choosing a VPN is to always use a premium VPN. While it might be tempting to choose a free VPN, you will likely encounter some drawbacks to having one installed on your device. The disadvantages of using a free VPN as opposed to a premium one include slower connection speeds, more ads, less security, fewer global servers to choose from, and daily data limits.
When it comes to choosing the perfect VPN there is no hard and fast rule. Instead, you need to determine what your needs and preferences are for a VPN. For example, some VPNs have faster connection speeds whereas others might offer better encryption or unblocking capabilities. Moreover, if you’re using your VPN to find new titles on Netflix from other countries, you’ll need to determine if your VPN works with Netflix because not all of them do.
Other Advantages of Using a VPN
Aside from encrypting your connection and keeping your device secure and private, a VPN can offer you several important benefits that you may find useful in our modern society. Most people use VPNs for their location-changing abilities rather than their encryption technology, and here’s why.
VPNs will allow you to bypass geo-blocking restrictions. Internet users often spend time on Netflix. YouTube and sports live streaming platforms will be familiar with geo-blocking. If you’re outside the licensed region and you try to access content on a specific website, you’ll simply be met with an error message stating: “this content is not available in your region”. By using a VPN, you can set your device’s location to a supported region and access the content from anywhere in the world.
You may also encounter internet censorship, especially when you’re a frequent flyer. Internet censorship has been employed by several countries around the world, and some of the more strict governments can even prevent internet users from accessing foreign news websites, social media platforms, and Google services from within their borders. Using a VPN will allow you to bypass this censorship and access the internet as normal.
Finally, a VPN can help you to find discounts on flights and hotel stays. Travel websites will often discriminate against internet users visiting the site from “richer” countries such as the United States (remember, they use your IP address to pinpoint your physical location). They can often push their prices up to increase their profits. “Poorer” countries have lower prices as the platform tries to drive more sales. Changing your location will allow you to find the best price for your flights and accommodation no matter where you are booking from.
