Although most of us do not technically know what VPN is, we have an idea of what it does. Sometimes we use it to access blocked content, sometimes to do our work remotely by establishing a secure connection with our workplace.
Internet traffic is monitored by government agencies in every country in the world. It is observed that people tend to use VPNs to protect their online privacy. (The issue of trust in VPN companies may be the subject of a separate article)
The prohibition of access to resources due to the oppressive and prohibitive attitudes of some countries and the fact that users turn to VPN in order to overcome these prohibitions, VPN usage has increased significantly.
The purpose of this article will be to cover what you need to know about what a VPN is and its benefits, theoretically and practically.
What is VPN?
A VPN is a type of technology used to establish a secure network connection when using public networks, thereby enhancing user security and privacy. A VPN conceals the actual IP address of the user and "tunnels" traffic between the user's device and the remote server. VPNs encrypt internet traffic and conceal users' online identities. In other words, all data transmitted between your device and the VPN server is encrypted, making it more difficult for third parties to monitor your online activities and pilfer sensitive information. It prevents unauthorized individuals from eavesdropping on traffic and enables the user to conduct remote work.
VPNs conceal your internet protocol (IP) address, making your onlineactivities practically anonymous. Most importantly, VPN servicesprovide private and encrypted connections that provide more privacythan even a protected Wi-Fi hotspot.
When you use a commercial VPN service, you connect to a VPN provider's server over an encrypted connection. Since your data is encrypted, your Internet service provider(ISP) is unaware of any activity . Because your VPN provider may observe your Internet activities, VPNs should always be viewed as protecting your confidential info rather than offering anonymity.
The History of VPNs
In 1996, a Microsoft employee (according to most sources, Gurdeep Singh-Pall) began developing the Peer to Peer Tunneling Protocol (PPTP) - the industry's first VPN Protocol. The specification was published in 1999.
Various forms of VPN technology have evolved throughout the years. VPNs are classified into two types: corporate VPNs and personal VPNs, each with its own set of protocols (L2TP/IPsec, OpenVPN, PPTP, and SSTP). There are many forms of encryption that are used to safeguard users (hashing, symmetric, asymmetric). As a result, VPN technology is rather varied.
VPN technology was initially developed by large corporations and organizations for their own purposes; it was never intended for average Internet consumers. Companies required a secure and private method to enable communication and file-sharing between offices and to enable remote access to important files by employees without the risk of unauthorized users obtaining sensitive data.
Consequently, VPNs came into action. They gave personnel access to a private business network, enabling them to view company information from anywhere in the world as if they were in the office.
As time progressed, more robust encryption standards were implemented to further protect business communications.
VPNs were not used exclusively by businesses for very long. People quickly realized that even the typical online user could benefit from what a VPN provides.
In 2005, third-party VPN service providers began offering this technology to consumers.
The evolution of the Internet has resulted in astounding new advancements but has exposed Internet users to Internet censorship, terrorist threats, data harvesting, and unwanted advertisem*nts. All of this contributed to the growth of the juvenile VPN market, as more and more people realized that VPNs were one of the only ways to secure their online privacy.
VPN history timeline is given below:
1996 - PPTP and IPSec: The history of VPNs begins when PPTP (Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol) and IPSec (Internet Protocol Security) protocols. In 1996, Microsoft's Gurdeep Singh-Pall created PPTP (Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol), a mechanism for establishing virtual private networks. Singh-Pall accomplished this to guarantee that consumers have a secure Internet connection and can operate productively and safely from home. This is a turning point that sets the basis for the growth of VPN.
PPTP was conceived by a consortium of corporations, the most notable of which was Microsoft. Its primary objective was to protect remote connections to work and residential computers.
PPTP is no longer extensively used by VPN providers today. It is very quick, but extremely dangerous. It can be decrypted by the NSA and is susceptible to bit-flipping and dictionary attacks. Additionally, firewalls can readily obstruct PPTP traffic.
IPSec began as a DARPA project in the early 1970s and evolved into an NSA-backed project between 1986 and 1991 with the objective of developing Internet security protocols.
The protocol was eventually dubbed IPSec after undergoing numerous name modifications and being developed by a number of corporations. Similar to PPTP, its purpose was to enable computers to communicate securely over the web.
Overall, IPSec is quite secure, but we recently discovered that the protocol has a significant vulnerability. The positive news is that only IPSec VPN connections that use IKEv1 instead of IKEv2 are vulnerable.
Still, few service providers offer IPSec-only connections. Typically, it is paired with L2TP and IKEv2.
1998 - IKE: IKE (Internet Key Exchange, also known as IKEv1) is a protocol used by IPSec to establish a security association - essentially exchanging encryption keys between two devices to ensure secure communication.
Today, VPN providers do not offer IKEv1 connections by themselves, not even IKEv1/IPSec connections because IKEv1 is less secure than its successor.
2000 - L2TP: L2TP (Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol) is a VPN protocol that enables ISPs deliver their services. It derives from two distinct protocols: Cisco's L2F (Layer 2 Forwarding) and Microsoft's PPTP. The protocol attempted to resolve the TCP meltdown problem by utilizing a UDP port as well. While this improved stability, there was still a major issue: the L2TP tunnel offered no encryption.
Consequently, L2TP has always been (and continues to be) coupled with IPSec. Therefore, VPN providers will only offer L2TP/IPSec connections, not L2TP connections. You receive double encapsulation, like a PPTP connection and then an IPSec connection, so the security is quite good.
2001 - OpenVPN: James Yonan created OpenVPN and published it under the GNU General Public License (GPL). Since this was the first open-source VPN protocol, we can confidently call it a turning point in VPN history. Additionally, OpenVPN enabled partners to authenticate each other with Pre-shared keys, Usernames and passwords , and digital certificates.
OpenVPN provided a high level of security by combining TLS and SSL. It underwent security audits, with positive outcomes. A single audit revealed two vulnerabilities, but they were swiftly resolved.
Almost all VPN service providers now offer OpenVPN connections, but you can also set up your own server.
2005 - IKEv2: IKEv1 was officially upgraded to IKEv2 in 2005. This addressed IKEv1's security flaws and added additional functionality, most notably MOBIKE (IKEv2 Mobility and Multihoming Protocol), which made the VPN connection more resistant to network changes. Essentially, this meant that your VPN connection would not be interrupted if you switched from WiFi to mobile data on the fly.
Additionally, IKEv2 introduced enhanced DoS protection. And despite being closed-source, it has open-source implementations, such as OpenIKEv2 and Openswan.
2008 - SSTP: Microsoft created SSTP (Secure Socket Tunneling Protocol) and introduced it with Windows Server 2008 and Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1). While it continued to encrypt data transmissions with PPTP, it ensured their security by appending an SSTP header that employs SSL encryption.
While SSTP is secure, dependable, and adaptable, its closed-source nature causes some to question its efficacy. Additionally, Microsoft is a participant in the PRISM surveillance program.
2014 - SoftEther and Chameleon: SoftEther began as research for the master's thesis of Daiyuu Nobori at the University of Tsukuba. However, it was quickly adopted as a successful VPN protocol implementation. It rapidly gained popularity as a result of being open-source, providing advanced security, and delivering faster speeds than OpenVPN and PPTP. SoftEther was not merely a protocol. It was capable of supporting additional protocols (SSTP, L2TP/IPSec, IPSec, and OpenVPN).
As the only protocol on this list that was developed by a VPN provider (VyprVPN) and is exclusive to them, Chameleon is quite distinctive. Despite this, it is not available for examination.
It is the only protocol that employs a form of obfuscation, meaning that it conceals VPN traffic in addition to ordinary traffic. Thus, your ISP or government will be unaware that you are using a VPN. This is extremely useful in jurisdictions where VPN usage can result in legal complications or in nations where VPN connections are typically throttled or blocked.
2019 - WireGuard: WireGuard, written by Jason A. Donefield, is the most recent VPN protocol. According to the protocol's documentation, it intends to surpass OpenVPN and IPSec in terms of efficacy. WireGuard, like OpenVPN, was released under GPL.
WireGuard is cross-platform compatible, despite running within the Linux kernel. In addition, it is easier to use than OpenVPN or SoftEther because its code is relatively straightforward (3,700 lines).
WireGuard strives to provide only the most advanced and effective security measures, such as, ChaCha20 encryption, Poly1305 message authentication, Curve25519 for ECDH (elliptic curve Diffie-Hellman) key agreement, 1.5-RTT (1.5 Round Trip Time) handshake that offers PFS, BLAKE2s hashing (much faster than the typical SHA-3 utilized by the majority of protocols).
Figure 1. Google trends for VPN
Encryption is continuously growing and improving as more and more tech firms employ encryption to protect their consumers' privacy and security.
Developing VPN technologies reached the highest points in the history of VPN use in 2020-2021 due to the Covid 19 epidemic and access restrictions by some states. We can easily see this in the Google Trends query.
How Does a VPN Work?
A VPN conceals your IP address by routing it through a specially configured distant server hosted by a VPN host. This implies that if you use a VPN to access the web, the VPN server becomes the source of your data. This means that your Internet Service Provider (ISP) and other third parties will not be able to see the websites you visit or the data you transmit and receive online. A VPN acts as a filter, converting all of your data into "gibberish." Even if someone were to obtain your data, it would be worthless.
Figure 2. * What is VPN (Virtual Private Network)*
What Are VPNs Used For?
VPNs can be utilized for a variety of purposes. A VPN safeguards your personal information and online privacy by concealing your IP address, online activity, and communications. A VPN bypasses your ISP rather than forwarding your internet connection to a remote server. With servers located around the globe, users can "relocate" themselves and access the internet from virtually any location. VPN encryption provides an additional layer of security, especially for businesses that utilize remote access frequently. It can be a helpful tool for travel, gaming, and streaming by providing a secure remote connection.
VPNs are used for the following reasons:
To Change your location: Using a VPN alters your IP address, which is the unique number that identifies you and your location on the internet. With a new IP address, you may browse the internet as if you were in the European Union, USA, Canada, Japan, or almost any other country where the VPN service has servers.
To Protect your privacy: Using a VPN to change your IP address protects your identity from websites, applications, and services that seek to monitor you. Thanks to a layer of strong encryption, good VPNs also prevent your internet provider, cell carrier, and anybody else who may be listening from seeing your activities.
To Increase your security: Using a VPN protects you from a variety of security vulnerabilities, such as packet sniffing, rogue Wi-Fi networks, and man-in-the-middle assaults. Travelers, remote workers, and other on-the-go professionals utilize a VPN whenever they connect to an insecure network, such as free public Wi-Fi.
To Unblock websites: If you live in a country where access to Google, Wikipedia, YouTube, and other sites and services are restricted, utilizing a VPN will allow you to restore access to the free internet. A VPN can also be used to circumvent firewalls on school or business networks.
To Access Company/Home Network Remotely: Business travelers frequently use VPNs to access their business network, including all local network resources, while they are on the road. Local resources need not be directly exposed to the Internet, which increases security.
Additionally, you can configure your own VPN to access your home network while traveling. This allows you to access a Windows Remote Desktop over the Internet, utilize local file shares, and play games over the Internet as if you were on the same LAN.
To Download Files: Many individuals utilize VPN connections to obtain files via BitTorrent. If your ISP is throttling BitTorrent and making it exceedingly sluggish, you can use BitTorrent over a VPN to increase download speeds. The same holds true for other categories of traffic that your ISP could potentially interfere with (unless they interfere with VPN traffic itself).
Figure 3. What is VPN Used for
What is Secure Remote Access?
Secure remote access refers to any security strategy, solution, method, or procedure that exists to prevent unauthorized access to your network, its resources, or any confidential or sensitive data. In essence, safe remote access is a combination of security measures rather than a single technology, such as a VPN. VPNs, the most widespread and well-known type of secure remote access, generally connect to a private network resource over an encrypted tunnel over the public Internet.
VPN tunnels can be remote — in which individual users connect to a private network over the Internet — or site to site — in which whole networks are linked via the Internet
Can VPNs Be Used for Network Optimization?
VPN optimization should not be overlooked while optimizing the network. It is inevitable to use a VPN to increase security while optimizing. Corporate companies communicate with site-to-site connections between two locations. Due to different packet processing overheads such as encryption and the addition of extra network protocol header(s) (such as IPv4/IPv6, IPSec, and so on), VPN networks may reduce network performance.These connections will of course have a load on the network, but optimizing an unsecured network will not be possible. A quick answer for the question, we can say that VPN optimization is a necessity for network optimization.You can find more information about network optimization
What Are The Benefits of a VPN Connection?
Because the necessity to transport encrypted data through a network is so important in today's world, VPN technology has grown in strength and is being more widely used in both the private and business worlds.
In this section, we'll go over some of the most important VPN advantages:
Security: VPNs provide several benefits for increasing our online safety and privacy when surfing the internet, not simply from hackers, governments, and telephone operators per DNS Leakage. We could, however, go without a VPN if you browse the web from any region. However, connecting to a public WiFi network using a Virtual Private Network is preferable. Your genuine IP address will be protected while concealing your true location, and your data will be encrypted to protect it from possible intruders.
Privacy: It should be explained what kind of a benefit VPN has in terms of privacy.
VPN gives an opportunity for being anonymous on the internet by simply masking your IP address, location, and search history, you can prevent websites, internet browsers, cable companies, internet service providers (ISPs), and others from tracking you by using VPNDepending on who you ask, anonymity is either one of the Internet's greatest tenets or one of its major issues. However, once your identity is out, someone or something will come along to abuse you and your data. Furthermore, there are some online behaviors that we just do not want to be linked to usYou may use a VPN to access web applications and websites while being completely anonymous. As a result, a VPN is significantly superior to incognito modes and web proxies, which do not entirely secure your identity or data.note
If you use a VPN to hide your identity, you should use it for the correct purposes.
Geographic Blocking: A VPN, by altering your IP address, makes it appear to content providers that you are surfing in another region, allowing you to access content that may not be available in your present location. You should read the terms of service to understand what your streaming service allows and to be aware of any country-specific fines.
How Do VPNs Enhance Network Security?
A virtual private network (VPN) is a network security service that enables users to connect to the Internet as if they were on a private network. VPNs establish a secure connection over an insecure Internet infrastructure by using encryption. A VPN creates a virtual tunnel across your network so that data can travel from Point A to Point B securely. Network managers provide employees with tunnel access so that they can access private network and the public internet securely via a VPN connection.
VPNs are one method for protecting corporate data and managing user access. VPNs protect data while users interact with applications and websites over the Internet, and they can conceal specific resources. They are frequently employed for access control. How VPNs improve your network security is explained below:
VPN Access Control Enhances Network Security: Access control, like encryption, is a crucial component of network security. Using authentication and authorization, access control and management determines who has access to what. Moreover, as more organizations migrate their data storage and applications to the cloud, the demand for access control increases because it offers more reliable access security than single sign-on (SSO).
Administrators reduce the risk of internal and external data intrusions by restricting employee access to the data and applications they need to perform their tasks. This is accomplished by configuring multiple VPNs that connect to distinct resources. Then, administrators can designate individuals to a VPN based on employee requirements and access control system policies.
How does a Virtual Private Network restrict unauthorized access? By evaluating and validating the credentials required of authorized users. The access control system then grants the user's credentials and IP address-related access and actions.
The general norm for access and security should be to only grant individuals access to what they require. The lesser your margin of error, the fewer individuals you have with access to diverse resources. A VPN provides network administrators with this capability.
VPN Encryption Enhances Network Protection: Encryption scrambles information so that only authorized parties can access it. If intercepted, it will be useless to hackers, fraudsters, and other malicious actors. Even if cybercriminals intercept your information, it is secure within the VPN tunnel.
Let's suppose an authorized employee is working from a coffee shop, shared workstation, hotel, or airport and has access to your business-grade VPN. Free VPN services are not equivalent to business- or enterprise-grade VPNs. The employee can establish an encrypted connection between their device and your VPN using a VPN client installed on their device of choice and a public wifi network. This device, along with all others that connect to your VPN, will establish encryption keys on both endpoints of the network connection. These keys will then be used to encode and decode the shared information.
The VPN protects the employee's data once they have established an encrypted VPN connection using the coffee shop's wifi as a gateway and a VPN client. Even if cybercriminals gain access to the cafe network, your employee and their data are protected within the VPN tunnel.
VPN Prevents DNS Hijacking: To protect networks and consumers from hazardous content, content filters block it. Modern filters hosted in the cloud are efficient and effective.
The most apparent application of content filtering is the removal of objectionable or NSFW (not secure for work) material. Additionally, it protects against Domain Name System (DNS) hijacking attempts, such as cache poisoning, MiTM, malware, router exploitation, or rogue DNS.
By securing DNS servers, routers,and blocking access to known phishing sites, an enterprise-grade VPN service helps prevent each of these DNS hijacking scenarios.
VPN Safeguards Mobile Devices: Numerous businesses have BYOD (bring your own device) policies. This allows employees to utilize their preferred operating system(s), be it Apple iOS, Microsoft Windows, Android, or Linux. By 2022, the BYOD market is expected to be worth $366.95 billion, up from $94.15 billion in 2014. Allowing employees to use their own personal devices instead of company-issued devices is convenient and cost-effective. The inability to sufficiently secure online activity on BYOD devices is a potential disadvantage.
In order for the billions of devices used by employees for work to access corporate networks, VPN technologies are essential. With VPNs, network administrators can restrict device access. With a remote access VPN client, employees can connect to public wifi while keeping confidential and/or personal data hidden from the ISP (internet service provider).
Is VPN Legal?
If you're wondering if a VPN to hide your identity, circumvent bans, and protect your privacy online is legal, there's a simple answer: Yes, it is. However, this answer may differ in different countries.
The laws of countries regarding the use of VPNs may vary. These laws apply not only to those living in these countries, but also to those who travel to these countries in some cases.
Currently, only a few nations restrict or outright prohibit VPNs. Belarus, China, Iraq, North Korea, Oman, Russia, and the United Arab Emirates are just a few examples. Others implement internet censorship regulations, making the use of a VPN hazardous. Depending on the jurisdiction, governments may penalize both the citizen and the VPN service provider for using an unlicensed VPN. VPNs are permitted in some jurisdictions for usage by banks and businesses. In general, governments defend these actions by citing the need to prevent terrorist or criminal activities.
What Kind of VPNs Are There?
A VPN is helpful for enhancing your online privacy, security, and autonomy, but have you ever wondered how many different varieties of VPN there are? Let's explore the many VPN kinds to determine which one best meets your requirements.
SSL VPN: In the simplest terms, we can say that SSL is a service that hides your real IP address and allows you to connect to the internet through a different IP address. Since the VPN tunnel encrypts all the data you send and receive, it can also be used as a security system that does not allow third parties to see what you are doing.
Figure 4. SSL VPN
SSL VPN is abbreviation of "Secure Sockets Layer Based Virtual Private Network". In addition to remote access to corporate networks and facilitating information sharing, it is aimed to increase efficiency by reducing the cost in terms of use of resources. It is easy to manage, much faster to access and extremely secure.
SSL VPN has the following conveniences:
- All networks connected by VPN work as if they were on the same network.
- A network architecture is created that is fast and has only installation costs.
- No license fee is paid for the user or the software.
- No additional hardware is required.
- An SSL-certified encrypted communication is provided between institutions, branches and regions.
- A centrally manageable network structure is provided between the center and other locations.
- A data transmission environment that is secured with SSL technology is created without changing the local network infrastructure or IP addresses in the networks.
Site-to-Site VPN: Site-to-site VPNs operate in a different way; their primary purpose is to allow numerous users in different fixed locations to access each other's resources.
Figure 5. Site-to-Site VPN
Here's how it works: you work in the California branch of a large corporation, and you're presently interacting with colleagues from the İstanbul office. Your local area networks (LANs) are both connected to the same wide area network (WAN) thanks to the site-to-site VPN you're utilizing – in other words, you may safely transfer information and resources amongst each other.
Client-to-Server VPN: In this type of VPN, the user connects to the internet through the VPN provider, not through his own internet provider. When a connection is created in this way, the VPN encrypts the existing internet traffic instead of creating a VPN tunnel.
This is a growing type of VPN that is especially beneficial for suppliers of insecuree public Wi-Fi. It prevents unauthorized access to and compromise of the network connection by encrypting data all the way to the provider.
It prohibits ISPs from seeing any data that has been left unencrypted (for whatever reason) and circumvents any limitations placed on the user's internet access (for example, if the country's government imposes an online curfew).
How Do You Setup a VPN on Your Windows Computer?
In this section you will be able to set up a VPN on a Windows 10 PC.You may connect to a virtual private network (VPN) on your Windows 10 PC for business or personal use.
Figure 6. VPN on a Windows 10 PC
You must have a VPN profile on your PC before you can connect to a VPN. You may either establish your personal VPN profile or set up a work account to obtain a VPN profile from your organization.
Select the Start button, then select Settings > Network & Internet > VPN > Add a VPN connection.
In Add a VPN connection, do the following:
- For a VPN provider, choose Windows (built-in).
- In the Connection name box, enter a name you'll recognize (for example, My Personal VPN). This is the VPN connection name you'll look for when connecting.
- In the Server name or address box, enter the address for the VPN server.
- For VPN type, choose the type of VPN connection you want to create. You’ll need to know which kind of VPN connection your company or VPN service uses.
- For Type of sign-in info, choose the type of sign-in info (or credentials) to use. This might be a username and password, one-time password, certificate, or a smart card if you’re connecting to a VPN for work. Enter your username and password in the respective boxes (if required).
Select Save.
If you need to edit the VPN connection info or specify additional settings, such as proxy settings, choose the VPN connection and then select Advanced options.
When you have a VPN profile, you may connect to VPN by following the next steps:
On the far right of the taskbar, select the Network icon .
Select the VPN connection you want to use, then do either of the following depending on what happens when you select the VPN connection:
- If the Connect button displays under the VPN connection, select Connect.
- If the VPN section in Settings opens, select the VPN connection there, then select Connect.
If you're prompted, enter your username and password or other sign-in info.
When connected, the VPN connection name will display Connected underneath it. To see if you’re connected to the VPN while you’re doing things on your PC, select the Network icon on the far right of the taskbar, then see if the VPN connection says Connected.
Figure 7. Connect VPN on a Windows 10 PC
How Do You Install a VPN on Your Mobile?
It's time to set up the VPN on your phone after you've chosen a provider. This can be accomplished in a few different ways.
The first and most basic option is to buy and download a VPN app from the Apple or Google Play stores.
Adhere to the setup guidelines. In general, even novices will find these programs simple to set up. They're also simple to keep up with because they can be set up in a variety of ways.
The second option is activating VPN for connecting your school or company network.
When you're not present, you can connect your phone to a private network, such as your school or company's network. A virtual private network (VPN) is used to establish this type of connection (VPN).
For Android Devices
Step 1: Get VPN Information
Your administrator can provide you with your VPN information. It's possible that you'll need to download and set up a VPN app. It's possible that the program came from the Google Play Store or was given to you by your administrator.
Step 2: Fill up the VPN information.
Open the Settings app on your phone.
Select Network & Internet from the menu. Then Advanced, and finally VPN.
If you can't find it, type "VPN" into your search engine. If you still can't find it, contact the maker of your device for assistance.
Tap Add in the top right corner.
Fill in the blanks with the information provided by your administrator.
Save the file.
Step 3. Connect to your VPN
Open the Settings app on your phone.
Select Network & Internet from the menu. Then Advanced, and finally VPN.
If you can't find it, type "VPN" into your search engine. If you still can't find it, contact the maker of your device for assistance.
Select the VPN you want to use.
Enter your e-mail address and password.
Connect by pressing the Connect button.
The app opens if you're using a VPN.
tip
When you're connected, you'll see VPN on .
We recommend you to read our articles about WireGuard which is a fast , modern and secure VPN protocol:
WireGuard VPN Guide
WireGuard Installation Tutorial
NordLynx Guide
Are VPNs Free?
The basic rule is that if it's free, you're the product.
There are an infinite amount of free VPNs available. The fact that they sell information on their customers to make money is a major disadvantage for the majority of them. No one in the VPN industry is in it for the money - it's a business.
There are various excellent and free VPN services available. They try to persuade you to spend a few dollars a month on their premium services by providing a portion of their services for free.
According to TechRadar’s Free VPN rankings are as follows
ExpressVPN: ExpressVPN is a premium VPN service, although it does provide a free trial for some mobile devices. Furthermore, all memberships have a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can give us a try for a month with no risk if you change your mind.
NordVPN: Because of NordVPN's strong money-back guarantee, you may obtain NordVPN with a free trial. You may obtain a full refund for any NordVPN plan within 30 days of purchase for any reason – this means you can check out the world's fastest VPN without risking your cash!
SurfShark: Is Surf Shark VPN a free service? No, however you are entitled to a 30-day money-back guarantee. That means you can test Surfshark risk-free, and if you don't like it, you'll get your money back.
Is VPNs Secure?
It is critical to understand that VPNs do not function in the same manner that complete anti-virus software does. While they will safeguard your IP address and encrypt your online history, that is all they can do. They will not protect you if you visit phishing websites or download hacked files, for example.
Even if you utilize a VPN, you are still vulnerable to Trojans, Bots, Malwares, Spywares and Viruses.
If any of them made it onto your machine, they might do damage regardless of whether you were using a VPN. As a result, it is critical to utilize a VPN in conjunction with sophisticated anti-virus software to provide optimum protection.
Using Free VPN tools poses a threat to your virtual security. By using free VPN tools you may encounter problems as follow
First of all, the use of Free VPN tools poses a threat to your virtual security. Studies have shown that with free VPN, users have encountered results such as breaching their personal data or damaging their systems due to viruses and worms infecting user devices. 38% of VPNs were found to be harmful in the study of ICSI Networking Group on android VPNs.
Secondly, Free VPN tools track online behavior: A secure VPN should safeguard a user's online activity. However, some free VPNs do the reverse by recording users' online activity. According to the same ICSI study, 72 percent of free VPN providers evaluated included third-party monitoring mechanisms in their software.
As a third problem, Free VPN tools restrict data usage. VPNs are excellent for safeguarding data or concealing a user's location when watching a movie from a streaming service that is not accessible in their country. A free VPN, on the other hand, generally limits the amount of data customers may use using the service. This may include restricting the amount of data they can use per month, limiting the time the VPN is accessible each surfing session, or simply unblocking specific websites. As a result, free VPN programs are not appropriate for those who wish to secure their data or hide their location for an extended period of time.
Users' internet speeds are slowed by free VPNs. Similar to the data-limitation issue discussed above, free VPNs may deliver slower internet speeds than paid solutions. Even respectable suppliers' free VPN services will give a slower internet connection than their paid-for options. They will also prioritize internet speeds for their paying clients, which may cause their free services to slow down even more.
Free VPN tools target users with advertisem*nts:.Because free VPNs rely on advertising to generate income, users' data may be shared or targeted without their knowledge. Users are irritated because advertisem*nts might potentially slow down their internet connection or contain viruses. Ads on a free VPN service might also be a privacy problem because the operator is likely sharing users' internet behavior with third-party businesses. Paid VPNs offer ad-blocking technologies, as well as services such as virus protection and unlimited bandwidth, which help to keep customers' data secure.
What are the Best VPN Softwares?
When looking into which VPN solution is the best, the results suggest that three VPN providers stand out.
Figure 8. VPN evaluation result of Tech websites.
The rankings of technology sites which we can call the authority on VPN evaluation, give the same results.
Figure 9. Best VPN ranking in 2021
Best VPN providers are as follows:
ExpessVPN: ExpressVPN is top of the list for best VPNs, it offers fast connections, serious security measures, extremely easy to use, excellent customer support – even free cloud backup. Best and you can try it risk-free for 30 days.
NordVPN: NordVPN is jam-packed with features, unblocks a ton of streaming providers, and comes with added privacy protections like "Double VPN" security and an independently verified no-log policy.
Surfshark: Surfshark is one of the best value VPNs, with servers in over 63 countries, advanced security protocols, and unlimited bandwidth for unlimited devices. The verdict is as follows: In terms of security, speed, and accessibility, ExpressVPN is the clear victor. Surfshark is a fantastic low-cost quality VPN service.
What is VPN Router?
A VPN router is a router equipped with built-in VPN software that creates a VPN tunnel connection at the hardware level for the whole site, eliminating the need for separate software installs. The VPN router is equipped with firmware that enables it to handle VPN connections and provide simultaneous access to the VPN server at the headquarters for all devices in a distant office.
VPN router security allows you to connect your local-area network (LAN) with your preferred VPN provider or establish a site-to-site VPN. A VPN router may enhance wireless router security for a home-based connection by encrypting communications, creating a safe and anonymous tunnel via the internet, perhaps eliminating the need for further firewall protection.
What are Advantages of VPN Router?
The main benefits of VPN Router are listed below:
Extreme Convenience: Once you have installed your VPN router and connected to it, there is no need to remember to sign in to your VPN. You only have to enter the login credentials one time, which means you can connect automatically with several devices, providing you with a safe browsing experience without the hassle of reconnecting each time you get online.
Protect Multiple Devices at Once: A VPN router allows you to connect several devices at the same time, protecting them all with a secure, encrypted connection. You can link to it through either a Wi-Fi connection or Ethernet, depending on the device and how you want to use it. Because they can handle multiple devices, VPN routers for home can provide safer internet browsing for every member of your household.
Superior Compatibility: With a VPN router, you can connect a variety of different kinds of devices, regardless of the operating system. Many support macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, and more. With this feature, you do not have to worry about whether the next device is going to work with your VPN router.
Secure Non-native Devices: Many devices, despite being popular, do not typically support VPN use. For these kinds of non-native devices, a VPN router is an ideal solution. Some of such devices include PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Roku, and Apple TV. A VPN router provides these devices and more with secure, anonymous internet connections.
Completely Automated: With a VPN router, you can connect to your VPN service, such as OpenVPN routing, automatically. There is no need to assign each device its own password because once you connect to the router, you can access your VPN connection automatically.
Unblock Applications and Content: For applications and content that require you to be in a specific location to access them, a VPN router can allow you to connect freely. You can choose a different Internet Protocol (IP) address, making it seem like you are connecting from an approved location.
What are the Differences Between VPN and SD-WAN?
Both SD-WAN (Software Defined Wide Area Network) and VPNs are specifically designed to achieve the same goal. Although SD-WAN is commonly perceived as a more recent technology that aims to supplant VPN, there are several other significant factors that contribute to the ongoing debate between SD-WAN and VPN. The key differentiations between SD-WAN and VPN are given in the following table.
| Criteria | SD-WAN | VPN |
|---|---|---|
| Maintenance and Scalability | Although an SD-WAN tunnel cannot be scaled, its design may be expanded to accommodate your company's demands. For example, when your business expands, this technology may support more devices. | Each pair of parties needing to connect directly needs its own VPN link because it's a point-to-point solution. A completely linked network needs an exponential number of VPN connections for each communication party. |
| Security | In and of itself, SD-WAN is only a networking solution. To utilize SD-WAN's full potential without sacrificing security, for SD-WAN is essential. | Merely offering an encrypted connection between two endpoints, a basic VPN needs extra security inspection methods. If a company wants to benefit from a VPN with integrated security, it needs a safe VPN solution. |
| Cost | Because SD-WANs use the public internet instead of private connections, they are typically less expensive than traditional WANs. Additionally, the SD-WAN pricing model provides a low-cost network construction alternative by eliminating running costs related to commodity lines like fiber, DSL, or cable. | VPN services can be purchased for a fee or for free, but the more money a business spends, the more secure and dependable the service is. Packages for remote access with VPN start at about $7 per person. The time and labor required to manage network connections will incur additional expenses. |
| Visibility | Enables thorough network visibility for broad area network monitoring. | Has little vision past the tunnel it forms. |
| Performance | Long-distance traffic travel minimizes latency problems, and this is made possible by cloud-based SD-WAN. Additionally, it has a number of performance-enhancing capabilities (including application-aware routing, dynamic path selection, and Quality of Service [QoS]) that VPN does not. | VPN performance problems might arise because of its dependence on the public internet. For instance, long-distance traffic might add delay, while traffic surges can deteriorate connection speed. |
| Traffic Management | By identifying traffic according to the application that created it, SD-WAN makes it possible to apply routing and security policies specifically for each application. | VPNs use high-level encryption to jumble network traffic, safeguarding your online identity. |
Table 1. SD-WAN vs. VPN
What are the Differences Between VPN and SASE?
Although both VPN and SASE solutions share the same objective, SASE distinguishes itself through a more contemporary and flexible network and security strategy, rendering it a compelling option for organizations attempting to adjust to the ever-changing IT environment. While VPNs continue to be pertinent, they are more suitable for conventional networking requirements. The main differences between VPN and SASE are given in the next table:
| Criteria | SASE | VPN |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Optimal for enterprises that possess cloud-based applications, a distributed workforce, and require scalable and integrated security measures. | Networks that are more compact in size or have distinct legacy infrastructure needs. |
| Architecture | Cloud-native, network and security as a service. | Conventional client-server architecture. |
| Access | Scalable across all locations and devices. | Remote or site-to-site access is the norm. |
| Scope | Broad | Limited |
| Network complexity | Global, simplified reach through the cloud. | Elaborate network configuration is necessary. |
| Security | Zero trust, integrated security architecture. | Network security policies are utilized. |
| Administration and maintenance | More centralized, manageable, and updatable. | Regular configuration is necessary. |
| User experience | Low latency, optimized for cloud applications. | Possible reduced internet access. |
| Adoption | Emerging networking technologies. | Remote access technology that has been established. |
| Cost | Pay-as-you-go pricing structure for cloud services. | Possible hardware and installation expenses. |
Table 2. SASE vs. VPN
