Did you know that your computer has been affected by spyware at some point or another?
According to statistics, 90% of people in the United States have had their computers infected with a spying virus, and the sad truth is that most of them don’t know how to remove it or protect themselves from it.
This sounds like a real problem, so the question arises - what programs can safeguard your computer from malware?
In today’s article, we will take a look at VPNs and what they can do to protect you from spying.
How Does a VPN Work?
Before we go over VPNs’ capacities to ensure your online privacy, we need to understand how it works.
In layman's terms, this program encrypts your online activity. You see, when you browse the web, your identifiable data, such as browsing history, downloads, login information, etc., can get into anyone’s hands, especially if you’re using open Wi-Fi hotspots.
VPNs use private networks, meaning that no one, including hackers and even advertisers, can get through to steal and use your data.
Sounds like VPNs are something that could protect you from spying, but let’s not jump to conclusions and investigate its capabilities and limitations to form an objective opinion.
VPNs’ Capacities and Limitations
Like with any other software or program, VPNs aren’t born equal, and the quality of this service will depend on the price, which affects the range of features.
For instance,
- No activity log (you don’t want a hacker to go through your online activity like a fashion journal)
- High speed
- Reliable encryption
- A considerable number of servers covering several dozens of countries
- Availability on all operational systems
- Support of several devices simultaneously
- 24/7 customer service
Besides, we don’t need to remind you that free cheese is only in a mousetrap, so avoid free VPNs as they don’t offer good protection.
From this list of VPN capacities, we can deduce that if it has reliable encryption (AES-256 is recommended) and doesn’t run an activity log, this service can protect you from spyware.
But is it really so?
Yes and no.
On a general note, if you turn on the VPN, it will conceal your real IP address. Besides, only the service provider will see your IP, and they generally don’t disclose this information to anyone.
However, pay attention to the word generally. Some of the services are obliged to share private user data with the government - this prerequisite depends on the laws of a given country. So, if the VPN protects you from hackers, it most likely won’t protect you from officials spying on you.
Apart from that, you need to remember that VPN services are not antivirus programs. Thus, if you accidentally download spyware or other malware that can steal personal information, the VPN alone won’t guard you against the consequences. That’s why you need to pair your VPN with a good antivirus for maximum online protection.
So, we have our question answered - a VPN can protect you from spying, but you should be aware of its limitations. Now, let’s see how you can use it to ensure online security.
How to Use a VPN to Protect Yourself from Spying?
VPNs aren’t omnipotent - they can secure your online activity from hacker and DDoS attacks and fake Wi-Fi hotspots but won’t be able to safeguard you from malware, phishing, and accidentally downloading infected files (i.e., human error). Besides, it’s a common misconception that VPNs are private - in reality, many of them share your information with government officials.
Nevertheless, these services are still effective against spying, and here’s how you can improve their performance to secure your online presence:
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Don’t connect to overloaded servers. Aside from snail-like speed, these servers can have a blind spot from which the users’ private data can start leaking. Thus, check the server’s load before connecting.
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Go for VPNs with split tunneling. This feature allows you to encrypt the traffic coming from specific apps through the VPN, while others (not so important ones) will have a regular connection to the internet. This option is great if you want to safeguard sensitive data (e.g., from work).
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Change your passwords regularly. This recommendation is not directly connected to the VPN, but it will help protect your personal data and prevent leakage.
Also, just a reminder - don’t download suspicious files or open emails from unknown senders. This common-sense rule will ensure maximum protection of your device and the sensitive information it stores.
Over to You
So, to conclude - a VPN can protect you from spyware, but there are a few rules you need to follow:
- Choose the one with reliable encryption (AES-256) and no activity log.
- Don’t download random files from the internet.
- Opt for a VPN with split tunneling.
- Don’t connect to overloaded servers.