Getting your computer hacked seems to be inevitable in the 21st century. When so many companies, corporations, and governmental organizations are getting hacked every day, it is easier to find something more secure than starting a business online. But can you really grow as a businessman without those leading technologies in the age of mobile computing? If you’re interested in having your own online platform (no matter whether it is a personal or financial reason for that), but don’t understand a lot of it, you are in trouble. The Internet is not only a place for opportunities. It is also a place for hackers.
You should clearly understand what kind of hacks can happen in real life. No matter how big or small your business is. No matter whether you earn with a blog or not. Protection of your Internet activity is important in general. Today hackers target not only sensitive information owned by corporations and governments. Any kind of sensitive data or idea is important for them if it has its own value. If you have questions like «Why protect my smartphone? Why is antivirus not enough? Why hide my ip and geographical location?», you definitely need to read the information below. Or you and your business risk of being brought to the knees from a cyber perspective.
VPN: Data Privacy or Stolen Ideas?
Refusing of getting a VPN is like throwing away your ideas. First of all, let’s define what a VPN is and why we’ve mentioned it at the very beginning of the article.
A VPN stands for a virtual private network. It is a connection between different networks that exchange encrypted data between a computer and a distant server. In other words, a VPN is a piece of software, which provides an invisible tunnel that serves as a shield to securely exchangeв data online. A VPN encrypts data, making it absolutely unreachable and invisible to other computers out there. The initial nature of a VPN is providing a secure Internet connection for business goals only. It was created to ensure the users that information exchanged between different companies and departments were visible and readable only for them, but no one else on the net.
A VPN protects your data in the way, in which no one else can. No matter how strong or updated your antivirus software is. It doesn’t have as much power on the network as a VPN has. Even if you have the best antivirus and the longest password ever, you still need a virtual private network connection. Especially you need it if doing any kind of job online. It is not only about entrepreneurs who run their business on the laptops. It is about you as a blogger or office manager who are sent a lot on business trips and have to connect to unprotected networks to keep working on the go.
If you have never heard of a VPN, you should know that it is not only a program, which has to be installed on your office PC. It is about protecting every device you own.
Reasons to Get a VPN on All of Your Devices
A digital world is huge. Today, we have more ways to connect to the Internet than having a PC only. We use tablets, laptops, smartphones, and smartwatches to check different aspects of life in the online mode. We work on smartphones and tablets as well. This means connecting through the unsafe and unprotected networks like that one in your favorite coffee shop or airport. You can check this site to read more about the digital world in general if you’re interested in that.
Using a public network is good in terms of convenience. But it is definitely bad from a cybersecurity perspective. When you go online on the public network without having a VPN, you provide access to your personal and financial data to all other people on the same network. Everything from your business correspondence and banking operations to passwords, nicknames, and personal ideas stored on a device becomes available for the strangers on the Net. Do you really want that?
In the 21st century, the notion of a hacker or a cyber criminal has changed a little bit. Due to the development of mobile computing and Internet access, a hacker can be represented not only by a group of hacking experts but also by a beginner who knows the basics of hacking techniques. That’s why protecting your personal ideas and activity online became more important than it has ever been. A VPN makes a lot of things easier both for business travelers and those who stay at the office.
It is not enough having a unique password and an updated software to keep your data safe both at home and at business. A VPN is essential. Even a two-step authentication for your banking system, Facebook, or personal blog platform can’t save your computer from a professional hacker online. It is just not enough. If you want better results, you have to choose a multi-functional approach instead of using one software only. This means that any cybersecurity approach has to be supported by another cybersecurity approach.
For example, if you use a two-step authentication, have different passwords everywhere, and upgrade software on your devices every time it has an update, you should support all of these with a VPN as well. In fact, a VPN is a base for all of the approaches.
Functions of a VPN
Though a VPN is the number one data protection tool online, it is not limited to this particular function only. Through the years, this software has improved a lot. Today, different customers use it for different reasons. A virtual private network serves for:
- Data security by encrypting the traffic.
- Online anonymity by hiding your geographical location and replacing your real IP address with the address of the servers, which you’re connected to.
- Better Internet access. A VPN provides access to previously restricted or blocked platforms and content in your region. Thus, most file sharing sources and entertaining platforms from other regions become available in your current location too.
As you can see, a VPN is a very diverse product. When ordinary users have it for a better Internet experience mainly, you as a blogger or an entrepreneur install it as a tool to prevent your ideas and financial data from being stolen. But in both cases, a VPN can perfectly handle the issue.
One misconception you can see online a lot is about using a VPN on Mac. Many Apple owners are absolutely sure they don’t need a VPN because of the inbuilt antivirus software in their iPhones and MacBooks. Is it true?
No matter whether you’re using a Mac or Windows. Both of them are not impervious to the hacker attacks. When talking about Apple devices, particularly, yes, you can avoid getting an antivirus, but not a VPN. Apple devices have an inbuilt security system inside, which replaces original antivirus software. But it doesn’t replace a VPN. Does that inbuilt security system encrypt the traffic, changing your IP or geographical location? No! It works as an antivirus, which Windows owners install separately on their devices. Yes, Apple security system is powerful and effective, but this doesn’t mean you have to neglect a VPN.
Which One to Get?
The market of cybersecurity tools is overwhelmed. This means you can easily pick a VPN, which perfectly suits your requirements and expectations specifically. There are free, paid, one OS-oriented, and several OS-oriented VPNs. You can choose a VPN with a higher number of servers as well as the lower number of servers, etc.
When looking for a VPN, follow a few rules:
- Define your budget. Are you ready to pay a few dollars each month for a VPN? Do you want a completely free service?
- What OS do you have?
- What number of servers do you need?
Both free and paid VPNs do their job well. Of course, free options are more reliable and convenient. Usually, they don’t save logs and passwords and do not influence your Internet connection. So, if you’re looking for a VPN for business goals, definitely check paid options. Among best paid VPNs on the market are:
- PureVPN
- IPVanish VPN
- ExpressVPN
- CyberGhost VPN
If you’re interested in the list of top VPNs at the moment, check Bestvpnrating.com to get the latest information on this topic.
So, the risk of your computer or smartphone being hacked by a professional hacker is huge. Wherever you go online, make sure it is not a public network and you don’t run a business and do any banking operations on your devices. Or get a VPN and make a laptop and a smartphone your office on the go. Install a virtual private network and connect online wherever you want – in a coffee shop, in a restaurant, in the airport, or while waiting in a queue. The decision is yours.
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