The Hidden Dangers: What You're Risking if You Skip Using a VPN
The internet is an indispensable part of modern life, but with its convenience comes security risks from outside actors who want to track your every online move. You may have heard that a virtual private network (VPN) is one way to protect against these risks, but many internet users don’t fully understand the consequences of not using one.
Less Than Half of Americans Use a VPN
According to a recent CNET survey, less than half of Americans report using a VPN. However, spending time online without a VPN leaves your digital life vulnerable to myriad forms of digital prying.
Risks of Not Using a VPN
“It’s no different than driving a car without a seatbelt on,” says Fred Kwong, vice president and chief information security officer at DeVry University. “[A] VPN is just a great way to help you have better cyber hygiene.”
- Your internet provider might be snooping on your activity
- VPNs funnel your activity through an encrypted tunnel so no one, even your ISP, can see what you’re doing while you’re online.
Your Internet Provider Might Be Snooping On Your Activity
“This is honestly a big issue right now,” says Marijus Briedis, chief technology officer at NordVPN. “Your ISP might be tracking your location, the dates and times that you’re connected to the internet and even which websites you’re visiting.”
How VPNs Can Protect You From Your ISP
VPNs funnel your activity through an encrypted tunnel so no one, even your ISP, can see what you’re doing while you’re online. Briedis says some ISPs also hand that information over to governments or sell it to third parties.
ISPs Can Even Be Subpoenaed In Court
Kwong says, which could create a privacy risk.
VPN Can Provide An Additional Layer Of Protection On Public Wi-Fi
Cybercriminals -- or “threat actors” -- can break into your connection on an unsecured public network and collect that data or even pose as a fake public network for the express purpose of stealing your data.
But A VPN Won’t Protect You From Directly Sending Data To Cybercriminals
Kwong says. “If you're redirected to a phishing site and you input your personal information, for example, a VPN can’t protect you here.”
The Primary Concern With Public Wi-Fi
Is that network administrators or ISPs might track your browsing activity and sell your data to third parties.
Why You Should Use A VPN When Traveling To Other States Or Countries
You may have noticed that you can no longer access certain online content when traveling to other states or countries. These geographic restrictions are based on your IP address, which contains information about your general location, and which websites use to determine what content you can access.
How A VPN Can Circumvent Geographic Restrictions
A VPN can bounce your web traffic off a server in a different location, allowing you to bypass geo-restrictions. However, Kwong says this is not always the case.
The Battle Between VPNs And Streaming Services
Streaming services try to block IPs they know belong to VPNs, and the VPNs are constantly acquiring new IP addresses to circumvent those blocks.
When To Use A VPN For Price Hacking
You could use a VPN to “trick” online retailers into thinking you’re buying from somewhere else. However, Tomaschek says he hasn’t had much success in his limited testing with it.
The Best VPN Services Cost Money
But Kwong sees them as a worthwhile investment in your cyber hygiene and the security of your most sensitive information.
Most Free VPNs Pose Risks
Our VPN experts have found that most free VPNs pose risks, including weak encryption, data harvesting, and malware, as well as crowded servers and bandwidth limitations.
Conclusion
Ultimately, VPNs give you an essential extra layer of privacy by encrypting your online traffic and hiding your IP address, giving you more control over your online experience. However, they’re only one piece of the larger cybersecurity puzzle, which should also include services like antivirus and password managers.