A VPN or Virtual Private Network is a program used to apply extra security and added privacy to your public network connections. Even though most VPN software is used by large corporations to protect their sensitive information, it can be used by the general public when attempting to look at private or personal data. Today we will talk about the beneficial properties of having a secure connection.

Identity Theft

The possibility of having your identity stolen in today’s society is more common than you think. Technology is becoming increasingly more popular, and with that in mind, it is also easier to use. What this ends up doing is creating a source for common hackers and low tier frauds.

By having a solid VPN, you can encrypt the traffic of information running between your computer, the source, and back. This means that your everyday common hacker can no longer easily browse through your private information and possibly even use credit card numbers attached to accounts.

Traveling: Country Restrictions

Believe it or not but a good majority of online entertainment is blocked in many countries. A good example would be popular streaming sites such as Netflix, Hulu, and Pandora. They have country censorships and can be refused service. This can go for standard websites as well, certain websites can be restricted due to country censorships and local ISP’s prohibiting them. A VPN service can allow access to such sites anywhere in the world, because the service will assign you a new IP address. This will make it appear to servers that you are logging in from a country that does not have the blockade.

Some Phone applications that you might use on a day-to-day basis could also be blocked. For example, your navigation application wasn’t working right when you were thinking about setting up a day for the family, or your favorite hotel planner application started to fail right when you landed in Thailand. Geographic restrictions are very common nowadays and have many different reasons behind them. These are only minor distractions that can be taken care of with the use of a single program.

Torrents

Using P2P torrents for file sharing isn’t illegal if used properly. Anything that has to do with file sharing can be very tricky and can pass malware or other malicious data if done wrong. Keeping all the personal information on your computer encrypted and safe from the hands of potential thieves is extremely important.

Public Wi-Fi

Free public Wi-Fi networks are as common as ever and are available on every block in most populated zones. When you connect to such networks you are allowing yourself to fall into the hands of intruders. You wouldn’t believe the kind of information one can pull through a public connection like the ones found at your local café or library. Having so many users on one solid network can basically allow access to the majority of your private data without you even noticing. The guy across from you sipping on his coffee could be smiling because he just accessed your bank information. Close the majority of users out by using a VPN and don’t ever give others the chance to even think about tunneling their way into your system without notice.

The possibilities with virtual private networks are endless and can be useful even to beginners of the online world. Protect yourself and private information by cutting invasions off with an encrypted and safe traffic network. The internet can be a beautiful if taken seriously at the same time.

If you are serious about protecting your privacy, visit the Comparitech website for a list of best VPNs for public Wi-Fi hotspots.