What is a VPN?

A VPN, or "Virtual Private Network," allows for the creation of a secure network connection when using public networks. VPN programs encrypt your internet traffic and hide your online identity. This makes it difficult for third parties to track your online activities and steal your data. The encryption occurs in real-time.

How does a VPN work?
A VPN masks your IP address by redirecting it through a remote server that is managed by the VPN host. So when you browse the internet with a VPN, the VPN server becomes the source of your data. This means that your Internet Service Provider (ISP) and third parties cannot see which websites you visit or the data you send and receive online. The VPN acts like a filter that turns all your data into "gibberish." Even if someone were to get hold of your data, it would be useless.

What are the benefits of a VPN connection?
A VPN connection hides your online data traffic and protects it from external access. Unencrypted data can be viewed by anyone who has network access and wants to see it. With a VPN, hackers and cybercriminals cannot decrypt this data.

Secure encryption: To read the data, you need an encryption key. Without one, it would take millions of years for a computer to decipher the code in the event of a brute force attack. With a VPN, your online activities are hidden even on public networks.
Hiding your location: VPN servers essentially act as your proxies on the internet. Since the demographic location data comes from a server in another country, your actual location cannot be determined. Additionally, most VPN services do not store logs of your activities. Some providers do keep logs but do not pass this information on to third parties. This means that any potential records of your user behavior remain confidential.
Access to regional content: Accessing region-specific web content is not always possible from anywhere. Services and websites often have content that can only be accessed from certain parts of the world. Standard connections use local servers in the country to determine your location. This means that you cannot access content from your home country while traveling, nor can you access international content from your home. With location spoofing through a VPN, you can switch to a server in another country and "change" your location effectively.
Secure data transfer: If you work remotely, you may need to access important data on your company's network. For security reasons, this type of data requires a secure connection. Typically, a VPN connection is required to connect to the network. VPN services connect to private servers and use encryption methods to reduce the risk of data leakage.

What is the role of a good VPN?
You should be able to trust your VPN for one or more tasks. The VPN application itself must also be protected against vulnerabilities. A comprehensive VPN solution is expected to have the following features:

Encryption of your IP address: The primary job of a VPN is to hide your IP address from your ISP and other third parties. This allows you to send and receive information online without the risk of anyone besides you and the VPN provider seeing it.
Encryption of protocols: A VPN should also prevent you from leaving traces such as your browsing history, search history, and cookies. Encrypting cookies is especially important because it prevents third parties from gaining access to your personal information, financial data, and other content on websites.
Kill Switch: If your VPN connection suddenly drops, your secure connection is also interrupted. A good VPN can detect such sudden downtime and terminate preselected programs, reducing the risk of data being compromised.
Two-factor authentication: A strong VPN checks everyone who tries to log in by using various authentication methods. For example, you may be asked to enter a password, and then a code is sent to your mobile device. This makes it difficult for unauthorized third parties to access your secure connection.