The usage of virtual private networks (VPN) has increased in recent years due to various reasons. Privacy violations and data breaches are becoming a new normal with each passing day, and this is one of the crucial reasons for using a VPN in today’s digital world.
However, the popularity of VPNs is increasing with the rise in cyber security threats. From the 8 billion world population, around 5.3 billion people use the internet on a daily basis. Approximately 31% of the world’s population uses VPNs daily, which will increase in a few years.
However, the question about the VPN’s safety is persistent. Choosing the right VPN service provider is essential as some providers may be involved in data leaks and cause damage to your online privacy. So, let’s read on to find the answer to whether VPNs are safe.
What is a VPN?
A virtual private network (VPN) is a service that creates a secure connection between two networks. It encrypts your data and secures your online identity. It hides the user’s IP address and provides a unique IP address for the user’s anonymity. Moreover, it protects your data while using a public Wi-Fi network.
VPNs are popular for safety purposes but ideal for bypassing geographical restrictions. It lets you browse anonymously by masking your IP address and even internet activity. Therefore, it’s a must-have tool for your online security.
Legality of Using a VPN
The legality of VPNs depends on each country’s privacy policies and regulations. VPNs are completely legal and accepted in all major countries for bypassing geo-restrictions and safeguarding your privacy. Some countries like the UK, the US, and Canada allow citizens to use VPNs for their safety and data security legally.
However, due to country laws and regulations, its usage is prohibited in some countries like Russia, China, and Iraq. If you have found using a VPN, you have to pay heavy penalties. Therefore, using a VPN for the right purpose is entirely legal in most jurisdictions.
What Makes a VPN Safe?
Are you curious about what makes VPNs the safest option for online privacy? Let us give you the inside scoop! Reputable VPN services are highly secure and safe. The VPN’s robust features make it safe and secure. However, choosing the one from the many options can be a daunting experience.
However, we are discussing the features to look for before deciding on a secure option for your digital identity. A secure VPN’s strong encryption protocols help you protect your data from prying eyes and cybercriminals. The robust security features are what make it a valuable software for privacy-conscious individuals.
So, let’s cover the critical privacy features to verify the VPN’s safety.
1. Strong Encryption
Strong encryption provides data security by turning plain text into cipher text, which turns your data into an unreadable form. If your data ever leaks during transfer, no one can access it if it is secure with strong encryption. While choosing a VPN service provider, remember to look for one with up-to-date encryption to ensure data integrity. The updated and safest currently is AES 256-bit encryption.
2. Secure Protocols
Secure protocols contribute to the security of VPN connections. A VPN protocol is a set of rules that needs to be followed while building a VPN connection. Always look for a VPN that follows advanced VPN protocols, and you can choose your desired protocol according to your needs. The best VPN provider offers various secure protocols like PPTP, L2TP/IPsec, IKEv2, and OpenVPN; each differs slightly from the others.
3. Zero-logs Policy
A no-logs policy means your internet activities or location are not to be tracked or stored by your VPN service provider. A VPN with a zero-logs policy won’t collect your sensitive details like IP address, browsing history, bandwidth usage, and internet traffic. A robust VPN connection protects your search history and internet traffic to prevent you from IP and DNS leaks. Avoid using VPNs that have outdated policies, as they are crucial to your data privacy.
4. Internet Kill Switch
A kill switch is a critical feature in a VPN service, as it protects your device by blocking your activities from passing outside the secure VPN tunnel. This feature instantly terminates your active internet connection when your VPN connection drops. It works by encrypting your DNS queries to protect your web activities. Therefore, a kill switch is an essential feature to protect yourself from data leaks and identity theft.
5. DNS Leak Protection
DNS leak protection is an important feature that ensures that your IP address and online activity can’t be exposed to anyone on the internet, including your internet service providers. DNS leak features also inform you if your data is being leaked anywhere. So, getting a VPN with strong DNS leak protection is suitable for ensuring your online privacy and safeguarding against cyber vulnerabilities.
6. Speed and Performance
Besides the other critical features, the speed and performance of a VPN service are of utmost importance. High-speed and excellent-performance VPNs proactively secure you against any type of breaches and cyber security threats. This mostly depends on the quality of the VPN’s server network and whether the service provider maintains the speed and security of that network.
OysterVPN has 269+ optimized servers in 28+ countries including specialized servers for streaming and gaming. Look for a VPN service provider that prioritizes high-speed connections to avoid any obstacles to your data security and user experience.
7. DDoS Protection
ODDoS cyberattacks cause your company’s server to slow down or even collapse to cause reputational damage or shut down its operations. Protecting your organization against these attacks has become necessary. Hence, a DDoS defense prevents harmful internet traffic from reaching your device. A robust VPN provides its users with secure remote servers to avoid becoming a target of DDoS attacks and make your network safe and secure.
Security Benefits of Using a VPN
The demand for a reliable VPN connection has increased with the rising cyber threats due to its robust privacy features. The features discussed above are crucial to determining whether the VPN is safe. Let’s have a look at the key benefits of using a secure VPN.
Public Wi-Fi Security
Using public Wi-Fi can be dangerous for your data privacy as most public connections store and track your information and sell it to third parties to generate revenues. However, a VPN protects your sensitive data while connecting to public Wi-Fi. It encrypts your data and makes it difficult for everyone to track it.
Safeguard Against Cyber Vulnerabilities
Using unsecured networks and websites enhances your chances of being a victim of security threats. So, a reliable VPN secures your internet traffic to protect you from cyber vulnerabilities. When connected to a VPN, it encrypts all your sensitive data, making it difficult for hackers and cybercriminals to intercept and access your private data.
Data Protection
One of the significant benefits of using a VPN is securing your critical data from spying or snooping. A secure VPN masks your IP address and your internet activity from your internet service providers and protects your data against malware and malicious activities.
Final Thoughts
Due to ever-increasing cyber threats, investing in a secure VPN is essential to guard your data and online identity. However, getting a paid VPN and avoiding using a free one is advisable. Free VPNs are unsafe for security because if something is free, you are the price! Therefore, get an OysterVPN subscription and check out its top-notch privacy features that good has. Get a money-back guarantee while you securely browse the internet.
