by Dave Moore, CISSP, 02/07/2021
Continuing from last week, let’s look more at VPN (Virtual Private Network) services.
One way VPN services deal with security is by using encryption, protecting your information by turning your connection into scrambled gobbledygook. Your data jumps into an encrypted “tunnel” and pops out the other end in a form your intended recipient can understand. That way, even if someone did steal your data, they couldn’t use it because of the encryption. Privacy is also protected, because your information is unreadable.
Privacy and anonymity sometimes work together. VPNs can protect anonymity by hiding your location, by hiding your IP (Internet Protocol) address. You may be in Oklahoma, but to the rest of the Internet, it will look like you are in Tucson, or Seattle, or the Netherlands. Your Internet Service Provider (ISP) will be able to see you’re using a VPN service, and your primary starting IP address, but, along with everyone else, they won’t be able to see your new “VPN” address, or what you’re doing. If you know what you’re doing, there are even ways to further limit what your ISP can see.
All this VPN security, privacy and anonymity comes at a price, and may not be suitable for every situation. VPN services slow things down; the best VPN experience comes when you already have an existing Internet connection that is very fast. Free VPN services can slow things down a lot; paid services, not so much. Fortunately, the paid services don’t cost much, anyway, and are my choice.
Streaming entertainment services like Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime usually will not work at all through a VPN, so be prepared to toggle the VPN service on and off when necessary. Other services won’t work properly, either, like Google Search. If Google detects a VPN, it may throw you into endless verification loops, or, if your VPN shows you as being in France or Germany, all your search results may start showing up in French or German. Parlez-vous francais?
Most home users will not benefit much from a VPN service. If you have strong passwords and protocols on your wireless network, there’s no one in your household you are particularly worried about, and you are not engaged in sketchy activity, a VPN may not be worth the hassle. On the other hand, if you are on the road, connecting to unknown networks in hotels and the like, you absolutely need a VPN service.
There are many good VPN services out there, and a wide variety of prices and plans. I am not fond of Avast SecureLine, or Norton. IPVanish, ExpressVPN, and NordVPN are all good. My favorite VPN service is Tunnelbear. Check it out out tunnelbear.com. The features and prices are just right, and the price is great.
Dave Moore, CISSP, has been fixing computers in Oklahoma since 1984. Founder of the non-profit Internet Safety Group Ltd., he also teaches Internet safety community training workshops. He can be reached at 405-919-9901 or www.internetsafetygroup.com