Why You Should Use a VPN to Protect Yourself from Malware and Viruses
Whether you’re traveling or simply passing through a country, using a VPN while you’re there is the perfect solution. Not only will it keep your personal information safe and secure, but it will also allow you to access blocked content and applications. In this article, we’ll discuss the various advantages of using a VPN to protect your personal computer and mobile devices from malware and viruses.
Secure And Private
A VPN allows you to connect to another device, such as a server, and use the connection as a secure and private tunnel to send and receive data. Any device that you connect to via VPN becomes invisible to other devices on the same network, as well as the internet at large. This is a vital privacy feature that cannot be overstated.
For instance, let’s say you’re browsing the web on your mobile device and suddenly you see a popup from a social media website asking for your private information (like email and password). Without a VPN, your data could be easily compromised and used for fraudulent purposes.
When you use a VPN, you are encrypting your data as it travels from your device to the server, ensuring that nobody, be it a hacker or corporation, can read it. This is why a VPN is the perfect solution for those who want to ensure their data remains safe and private.
No Device Restrictions
One of the biggest plusses of using a VPN is that it lets you connect to whatever device you want. Most VPNs can be used on any device, including mobile phones and tablets, which means you don’t have to worry about device compatibility issues when connecting to a remote server.
This is particularly useful for mobile users, who might not always have access to a computer. If you’re traveling and want to use a VPN to check your email, you can do so without having to worry about the hotel business class laptop you’re supposed to use or the airport WiFi hotspot.
Many VPNs offer different levels of security and privacy, allowing you to choose the right solution for your needs. If you’re still unsure which VPN to choose, consider this: would you rather rely on the security of a free, open-source app, or the convenience of a premium app?
Full Integration With Email, Chat, And Social Media
Modern browsers and mobile apps make it incredibly easy to stay connected with friends, family, and the internet at large via email, social media, and chats, all of which can be integrated into a single, streamlined interface.
A VPN makes it possible to use these integrated services while traveling, ensuring that your personal information stays secure and private. If you’ve ever traveled abroad and used a VPN, you know how vital this feature can be.
Let’s say you’re using the Chrome web browser and want to check your mail while on the go. Without a VPN, you can’t do this easily, as Chrome doesn’t offer any built-in support for sending and receiving emails remotely. However, with a VPN, you could install the Remote Gmail Chrome extension, which brings Gmail sign-in to your web browser.
This allows you to easily access your Gmail content – including your inbox – while you’re abroad, as all of the associated data stays secure and private. Similarly, if you want to use WhatsApp while you’re traveling, you can easily do so via the VPN. The same goes for other messaging apps, like Facebook Messenger and Telegram.
The ability to access all of your email, chat, and social media accounts from a single location is something that many people take for granted. However, without a VPN, this feature simply doesn’t exist. When you’re abroad, you want to be able to access all of your accounts without having to worry about your personal information being exposed.
Access Blocked Content
A VPN allows you to access content that might be unavailable to you locally, like Netflix content or local sports broadcasts. Using a VPN to stream content is becoming an increasingly popular option for those who want to avoid geographic restrictions.
This is especially useful for those who live in countries where content is heavily censored. For example, let’s say you live in Iran and want to watch Netflix, but the country’s internet censorship prevents you from doing so. You could use a VPN to access blocked content, ensuring that you can enjoy your favorite shows and movies while on the road.
As the world becomes more connected, people are seeking ways to stay informed about current events and engage with those around them, regardless of location. A VPN makes it possible to access news websites and social media accounts that might be blocked or unavailable in your part of the world. This way, you can keep up with the latest news and trends while you travel.
Increased Reliability
Even when you’re not abroad, using a VPN can improve the reliability of your internet connection. Much like a common WiFi hotspot, your device’s internet connection might not be stable or reliable, potentially causing you to lose data while you’re transferring large files or online shopping.
If you’re frequently connecting to WiFi networks while you travel or live abroad, you might notice that your internet connection behaves erratically, dropping frequently and intermittently. When this happens, you might experience slow speeds and even have data allowances depleted. This could be frustrating, particularly if you’re paying for data in another country.
If you connect to a VPN while you’re abroad, you will always have a stable and private connection, ensuring that none of your data is ever exposed and all of your browsing stays secure. Using a VPN will also increase the speed of your internet connection, as there is less chance of it being interrupted by other devices or the occasional WiFi hotspot.
More Locations For Configuration
If you’re regularly connecting to WiFi networks in a foreign country, you’ll notice that some of them are more secure than others. This means that your personal information might be at risk of being compromised. As a result, it’s important to connect to VPNs in countries you’re not familiar with or which you feel might be unsafe.
If you’re connecting to a network in a country you’re not familiar with, it’s best to choose a VPN that has a country-specific server. This ensures that your personal information is only ever sent to and processed in the country you choose. If you reside in Iran and are connecting to a Poland-based server, your personal information won’t be at risk of being viewed by the government or other third parties.
Some VPNs offer additional security by allowing you to create an additional login for added protection. This way, even if someone gets access to your regular login information, they will not necessarily be able to access your personal data. In the event that your regular login information is compromised, you could create a new, secure login and begin again from scratch. This would mean all of your data, including emails, passwords, and files, remain secure.
More Freedom
If you want to use a VPN to your advantage, you have complete control over which servers you connect to. Some VPNs will even allow you to connect to a server in another country, if this is where your internet connection is more stable or offers additional features that you deem important.
For example, let’s say you’re in Hong Kong and want to access your email account via the cloud. You could sign up for the Hong Kong-based server of a VPN and access your email, as all the data stays secure and private. Alternatively, you could sign up for the US-based server of the same VPN, ensuring that your email stays backed up and you can access it from any device.
This option gives you more freedom in terms of location, as you’re not tied down to one country’s internet infrastructure. The ability to connect to a server in another country is also useful for those who want to ensure their personal information remains private, even when they’re traveling.
An Affordable Option
If you’re looking for an affordable VPN option, consider the dedicated IP option, as these provide greater stability and security at an affordable price point.
Dedicated IP VPNs allow you to connect to a specific IP address, rather than relying on the internet connection of a public server. As a result, your data is less likely to be tampered with or compromised. Plus, many dedicated IP VPNs offer great customer service and additional security features that make them more suitable for personal use.
This is a great option for people who want to use a VPN to browse the web privately and securely, as well as for businesses that want to ensure their sensitive data remains secure while abroad.