Cybersecurity Essentials: The Importance of Always Enabling a VPN

Michael Michael (175)
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The digital world is amazing. It allows us to communicate with friends, stream our favorite content, and occasionally, even get a little work done.

...people from all walks of life are taking back their privacy and security by always using a VPN.

Unfortunately, we all know that it can also be a dangerous place. In addition to hackers and other cybercriminals, advertisers, large companies like Facebook and Google, and even network administrators are spying on just about everything you do.

Aside from being unbelievably creepy, this also puts you at great risk of a data breach and identity theft. That's why people from all walks of life are taking back their privacy and security by always using a VPN.

Here is what you need to know.

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VPN How it works

Here’s a quick recap for those who aren't in the know. A VPN or virtual private network helps ensure your security in a variety of ways. First, it anonymizes your IP address, so it's much harder for people to track what you do online and for it to come back to you.

Simultaneously, VPNs encrypt your internet connection, preventing anybody from intercepting your data while it is in transit and further improving your overall safety.

We explain this process in even further detail in our NordVPN review and even touch on the differences between VPNs and proxies.

VPN Turned On

While more people than ever are using VPNs, they only enable them at certain times. For instance, they might turn them on while exchanging files, streaming regional content with a VPN, accessing their financial accounts, and then going back to standard internet usage the rest of the time.

The problem with this is that the digital world is full of threats, big and small. You never know when you'll run into problems.

Situations that can happen almost every time you browse the web

You're using the public or somebody else's WiFi Network.

Public WiFi is notoriously unsafe. You don't know how the network or even hackers have managed to implant malware there. The same also goes even for business or a friend's networks. VPNs safeguard your traffic to keep it away from threat actors.

You need to avoid network or country restrictions.

Anyone who has traveled knows just how difficult it can be to access things like Google in China or other popular sites. VPNs make sure you can access the content you want and prevent you from getting into any trouble when you do.

You visit an HTTP site.

We're not going to get too technical. But you may have noticed the small lock icon in your URL bar. That means the site you're visiting is HTTPS or secure. Generally, HTTPS sites are sites while you can't be sure about HTTP as hackers can break into it much easier. HTTP sites are still all over the web, so you need to make sure your traffic is encrypted.

You're doing anything that requires higher security.

People have gotten better about turning the VPNs on for higher security transactions, but you might not realize all the different facets this applies to. For example, online shopping and even logging into your work portal are sensitive and need protection from threats.

When you just want some privacy.

We have taken the wrong approach to privacy in the digital world. If people don't want what they're doing to broadcast to many strangers, they are perceived as odd. Shouldn't we really be pointing the finger at those who are trying to track everything we do? Your privacy shouldn't be a luxury no matter what you're up to.

Are you ready for the good news? There is absolutely no reason why you shouldn't always have a VPN turned on. If you've opted for a high-quality VPN, you'll not only notice no difference in speed, but you may actually see increased performance in certain environments.

Keep yourself safe in the digital world and ensure your VPN is always turned on. You'll thank us later!

Not only that, but VPNs are also the perfect example of a "set it and forget it" technology. Rather than think, "oh should I turn on my VPN when I do X," you can just have it always enabled so you never have to worry. It’s one of the easiest ways to stay safe online.

There are very rare times when you may need to disable it, but this is the exception and not the rule and be sure to use caution when you do as it only takes a second of not being protected for your to become exposed.

Keep yourself safe in the digital world and ensure your VPN is always turned on. You'll thank us later!

Looking for a VPN?

Check out our review of NordVPN to see why we like it, but really there are so many great VPNs out there in addition to NordVPN, like ExpressVPN or CyberGhost—that offer great deals!

Take our brief 101 course to answer some of the most pressing VPN FAQs.
Michael Michael (175)
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The internet is a fantastic place. It’s very much the driving force of our modern world. With it, we can work, socialize, shop, and do so much more. VPNs shift the tide back to our favor.