Whenever we browse the Internet for our professional or our personal need, we expose ourselves to a plethora of cybercrimes that are always lurking around to exploit any vulnerability with regard to cyber security. Every time we connect to the Internet without implementing proper security measures, we run the risk of becoming victims of hazardous cyber attacks. We rarely keep track of the large number of websites we visit every day and the threat of a cyber attack is omni present. Moreover, data security assumes vital importance when using a publicly accessible Wi-Fi network, as there is the need to prevent people that are on the network from eavesdropping on the user’s internet activity.

To digress a little from the main topic, these websites that we visit, are hosted on the web servers of web hosting companies that provide the server space, services and the technologies that are required to make these websites accessible over the Internet. When one refers to a “Cloud Hosting Company” or to the “Best Windows Hosting Company” or to a “Website Hosting Company”, it is these website hosting service providers that are being addressed. In order to mitigate the risks related to cyber threats when visiting any website and to experience safe browsing, a user must consider the option of private browsing or opt for a VPN (Virtual Private Network).

VPN is the acronym for Virtual Private Network and it encrypts a user’s internet traffic and his online identity. This makes it harder for third-parties to break in and steal the user’s data. A virtual private network (VPN) ensures that the user has online privacy as well as anonymity. This is achieved by creating a private network from a public internet connection. A VPN masks the user’s Internet Protocol (IP) address, so that his online actions become virtually untraceable. The best part is, VPN services establish secure and encrypted connections, which provide more privacy than a secure Wi-Fi hotspot. The encryption and anonymity that is offered by a VPN ensures the safety of a user’s online activities, such as online shopping, sending emails as well as paying bills. VPNs also aid in keeping a user’s web browsing activity anonymous. A VPN is a must-have for those who are concerned about their online security and privacy.

The user’s IP address is masked by a VPN. This is done by redirecting the IP address through a specially configured remote server, which is run by the VPN host. This leads to the VPN server becoming the origin of the user’s data, whenever the user browses the Internet using it. This results in it becoming impossible for the user’s ISP or any other third-parties to view the websites that the user visits or find any information related to whatever the user types. It can be alluded that a VPN acts like a filter ensuring that any data that is being sent and received through it, is rendered unreadable. This makes it useless for anyone who might intercept it.

VPNs function by essentially creating a direct path for data transfer between the user’s local network and an exit node, which is at another location. This location is usually thousands of miles away, which makes it seem as if the user is operating from another place rather than from his actual physical location. VPNs work by using encryption, which muddles the data when the data is sent over a Wi-Fi network. It is encryption that makes the data unreadable.

Additionally, in the absence of a VPN, a user’s internet service provider can become aware of the user’s entire browsing history. A VPN aids in hiding the user’s search history. It makes this possible by enabling the association of the user’s web activity with the VPN server’s IP address and not with that of the user’s. Since the servers of a VPN service provider are globally present, a user’s search activity will appear to originate from any location with the VPN server’s presence. Even the search engines that track the user’s search history associate the relevant information with an IP address that is different from that of the user’s. This is another way in which a VPN ensures the user’s online activities’ privacy.

In a nutshell, a VPN hides a user’s IP address as well as his location, his browsing history along with the location from where he is streaming. A VPN protects the data that is sent and received on a user’s devices from the prying eyes of hackers. To conclude, it ensures one’s freedom and maintains one’s privacy when browsing the Internet and proves to be an essential element that contributes to the safe web browsing experience of a user.