Your sensitive information is more at risk than you think. Whenever you’re researching a paper in a cafe or procrastinating in a library, all your internet traffic is vulnerable to hackers and snoopers. This is why more and more people are using a virtual private networks (VPN). But what is it? And how can you choose the right one?
First things first: what is a VPN?
A VPN is a service that encrypts your internet traffic and protects your online identity. The main purpose of this technology is to help you stay secure and private when browsing the internet.
Why should you use a VPN?
- General privacy and security. Nobody likes to be watched over their shoulder, right? With your IP address hidden and communications encrypted, you can be sure your data stays safe from prying eyes.
- Protect yourself from cybercrime. Hackers are getting creative these days, and it’s really easy to fall into their traps. A VPN service is by far the most reliable method to secure your communications and avoid becoming a victim.
- Safely access websites and services. A VPN helps you securely bypass content restrictions and censorship online. This is especially helpful if you are going on a holiday abroad or live in a country with high internet restrictions. It hides your real IP address so no one can tell which country you are browsing from.
- Shield yourself from DDoS attacks. Not all digital attacks are about money. Denial of service attacks are becoming increasingly common in online gaming communities. So using a VPN can help you avoid the wrath of your vindictive opponents.
- Bypass ISP throttling. It has a direct impact on how fast you can access or download content online.
- Gain control of your online activities. When you use a VPN, your ISP doesn’t have the freedom to control your connection speed or restrict your access to certain websites or services.
How to choose a service?
With all that has been already said, you want to look for a VPN service that is reliable, secure and easy to use. Besides, when choosing a VPN, it is extremely important to take into consideration:
- Whether or not the chosen provider keeps logs of your activities;
- What external support or tracking tools it employs;
- Which country the service is based in and what requirements it has for collecting users’ data;
- How much the service costs and what payment options it offers;
- Whether the service offers extra security tools, such as DNS leak protection, a kill switch or double encryption.
If you are still not sure which provider is the best for protecting your privacy, take your time to browse the web. There are plenty of VPN comparison websites providing objective and in-depth reviews to help you choose. As it happens, NordVPN is an award-winning VPN service trusted by more than 12 million users worldwide. Besides, our service has a strict no-logs policy, confirmed by an industry-first audit.
