Internet Privacy: How Using a VPN Can Protect Your Data

security and privacy on the Internet are very important issues that concern from ordinary users to large companies. Nobody wants to have their private data viewed or, worse, stolen.

Various types of information are valuable for those who wish to browse the Internet as safely and anonymously as possible, and you have to keep in mind that several things happen to your data once you use any online service:

• Your data is being collected all the time. As you move from site to site, application to application, or program to program, information about your behaviors is being sent across the web;
• Understand the value of your information. Not every hacker or malware (malicious computer program, similar to a virus) chooses a target group, but many seek specifically valuable information. Some people are wanted for their status, while others may have security clearances or high income;
• You need to protect yourself. There are a variety of tools available to protect data and personal privacy. It is important to choose the right tools for your needs. Your Internet behavior, the value of your information and privacy preferences will come into play during the decision;
• Learn and practice internet safety. If you're not taking steps to protect yourself from invasions of privacy, no tool or program can help. It is vital that you practice Internet security basics such as strong passwords and beware of offers, offers or promotions that appear to be scams.

But does that mean that to browse the Internet, just use a program that offers virtual protection, such as an anti-virus, and be careful with the services you use?

Unfortunately, that alone is not enough. And to meet this demand for security on the global network that the use of VPNs (Virtual Private Network, “Virtual Private Network”, in Portuguese) is becoming more and more common. But what is a VPN and how can it protect you?

Understanding the VPN

VPN it is a controlled private network that connects you to the Internet as a whole. Your connection to the server VPN it is encrypted, and if you browse the wider internet through this smaller, secure network, it will be difficult for anyone to spy on what you are doing from the outside.

As VPNs they also take your ISP (Internet Service Provider) out of the loop of your browsing habits because they only see endless logs of connection to the VPN server.

VPN is already old, but its widespread use for data protection only started to increase in the last decades due to the scandals of information leakage by large companies.

Also, as we mentioned, many websites and services collect your information (so-called “data mining”) in order to pass it on to other companies that perform an analysis of your data and generate personally targeted advertisements. O Google, for example, does this all the time when you search for something in the service.

Many think that just browsing using incognito tabs or tabs – tools that almost all browsers offer – is enough to protect themselves. However, this functionality just doesn't record your data in your browser history, websites and your ISP still record your browsing history. Therefore, a VPN is the guarantee that your browsing will be completely anonymous.

There are more aggressive ways to hide your browsing and more effective ways to achieve anonymity to protect your data. The most obvious option is to use the incognito browser Tor. But try to use Tor for all navigation and communication is difficult and complicated. It's not impossible, but it's probably not the easy, comprehensive solution you're looking for on a day-to-day basis to protect against the prying eyes of an ISP.

Privacy and security factors

As VPNs may protect you from your big Internet company, but they are also in a position to potentially do the very things you were worried about – they can access and track all your online activities and movements. Therefore, in order for a VPN is more private than an ISP, the company that offers the VPN needs to be trusted.

A solid indicator of confidence? Check if the VPN keeps records of user activity. Many VPNs privacy concerns are intentionally very early on their no-recording policies because they want to make it clear to law enforcement groups around the world that even if they are served with a warrant or subpoena, they will not have the ability to produce records. from clients.

It's worth looking specifically at a company's Terms of Service to see what's written about logging and scenarios where they would (or wouldn't) disclose user information.

It's frustrating to recognize, but it's crucial to understand that even these trust factors aren't foolproof. A company could misrepresent its logging practices or could accidentally store data without realizing it for longer than it means.

In addition, research shows that scams are common among VPNs, Especially VPNs mobile phones, and that some services just don't offer any of the features they say they do.

A simple way to improve your chances of getting a VPN safe and well-intentioned is to pay for one. VPNs free services aren't inherently bad, but all services need to make money somehow. A free trial is one thing, but a completely free service may not have the resources to really deliver all the security it claims.

And even if you've done as much research as possible and checked reputation against independent reviews, there can still be flaws in how companies configure their VPN services, which could cause data leaks that are simply beyond your control.

Choosing the Best VPN Service

Well, after knowing all the details behind the concept and operation of a VPN, you need to know how to choose the best service that will offer you an interesting value for money. One option in the Brazilian market is the NordVPN, a simple yet sophisticated service that can be configured on up to 6 different devices, whether they are running Windows, Linux, MacOS, iOS or even Android.

O NordVPN ensures that while your connection is protected from intruders, it will remain stable, offering the same speed and bandwidth availability.

The service lets you choose from over 5000 servers from over 60 different countries. This allows the connection load to be optimally balanced without hampering your Internet experience.

Furthermore, the NordVPN offers a wide range of different plans for the user to choose from. The values ​​work in a way that you pay less by contracting the service of VPN longer.

Therefore, you can choose to 3 years of service by $2,99 ​​per month; 2 years by $3,99 ​​per month; 1 year by US$ 6,99; or 1 month by US$ 11,95. There are several options for you to decide which plan best suits your digital needs.

Unfortunately, services that offer VPNs There are loads on the Internet, so choosing one that is reliable and doesn't just become an unnecessary cost that won't protect your browsing and data properly is not a simple task.

The best option is always to choose services that have good reviews, have a strong name and are trusted brands. That is, nothing to go looking for a VPN right in the first search result of the Google face.