The number of VPN users is increasing worldwide. In its early days, VPN was mostly restricted to tech-savvy consumers aware of its benefits. They knew the importance of data privacy and the role that sophisticated encryption and decryption protocols could play.
According to numbers, out of 5 billion internet users globally, around 1.2 billion use VPNs today. A close to 25% penetration of VPN technology among internet users of the world has many driving factors, including the advent of a host of VPN service providers and the initiatives taken by them to make people aware of VPN’s benefits.
However, the availability of a range of service options makes it increasingly difficult for a user to zero in on the best VPN. Here, we will help you choose one. But, to make an informed choice on which provider to go with eventually, one needs to know how VPN works and its crucial features that help it stand out from the rest.
What is VPN?
VPN stands for Virtual Private Network. The primary role of a VPN is to safeguard a network connection for its user, especially when the user is on a public network, vulnerable to hacks, intrusions, and other sorts of potential data breaches. A VPN encrypts the user’s traffic and hides his/her identity.
How Does a VPN Function?
As and when an online user starts with their VPN application, the service creates a secure tunnel between the user and the internet. It is so protected that even the Internet Service Provider (ISP) can not detect it, similar to any other third party involved in the process. The VPN service brings the internet user’s device to its local network and creates a different IP address on its server than the original IP address of the user, eventually making them untraceable.
Since we talked about devices, it is crucial to note that applying a VPN is possible across a range of usability scenarios. For instance, standalone clients can install software or add VPN extensions to their web browsers. Browsers like Opera even come with its native VPN integration. And extensions are available for browsers like Google Chrome and Firefox. However, there have been instances of intruders breaching the security tunnel provided by such browser extensions, and that’s where one needs to make an informed choice by carefully scrutinizing the VPN properties of a VPN extension.
If multiple devices are active on a single internet source through WiFi, it could be the optimal choice to use a router VPN rather than VPNs for individual browsers or systems. There is also the provision for customized VPN solutions to be used at an enterprise level.
Using VPNs at an Enterprise Level
Since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, the traditional workplace setting that we were so used to has changed drastically. The advent of work-from-home options at a massive scale and the latter formation of hybrid models demand a new kind of internet security arrangement. Fortunately, VPN service providers have successfully stood up to these needs.
As the cyber security-in-charge of an enterprise, you can now leverage SSL VPNs that can protect any system operating virtually. All it needs is an HTML-5-capable browser, where the access is guarded with a username and password. There is also the provision for Site-to-Site VPNs that large companies prefer to use.
A site-to-site VPN arrangement is a private network that hides or disguises private intranets, resulting in users accessing secure networks and safely exploring each others’ resources. You can also take advantage of the even more sophisticated solution of Client-to-Server VPNs, where the user’s home PC can be connected to the office network by dialing into the company network from home offices.
Irrespective of the device you are using or the connection pattern you’ve chosen to leverage, selecting the best VPN is about checking cautiously into some of the intrinsic features of the service.
How to Choose the Best VPN
A VPN should do its primary job well. It must effectively and efficiently hide or disguise the user’s IP address. The projection should be not only from potential third-party threats but also from the user’s Internet Service Provider or ISP.
A VPN should leave no traces of a user’s internet activity. These footprints may stem from the user’s internet logs, search history, and cookies. Some VPNs stress less on cookies as potential points of vulnerability. It should not be the case, as the proper encryption of cookies is what prevents third-party users from gaining access to the user’s data.
It must also have robust DNS leak protection and Kill Switch functionalities. A Kill Switch offers protection in cases of sudden interruptions in the service. The Kill Switch feature preempts such imminent downtimes and terminates preselected programs, resulting in lessened scope for any sort of compromise/breach.
While these are inherent qualities of a good VPN must-have, some peripheral features need thorough checking. The distribution of servers is a crucial factor. If the VPN server is located in a faraway land relative to the user’s system, potential lag in the speed may open up new areas of concern. The server should also have its location in a data privacy-friendly country where authorities do not force ISPs to share user data logs.
VPN service providers these days have also introduced the concept of 2FA or two-factor authentication, wherein the user might be required to provide a password first and then confirm the code sent to their mobile.
All the factors above weigh in in your selection of the best VPN possible. Yet, if you find it confusing or cumbersome to select one that fits all these criteria, here is a comprehensive list for you to choose from the best VPN Services available now.
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