What is Secure VPN?
What is Secure VPN and How Does It Work?
The global pandemic has sparked a radical shift in the way that we live our lives. Things that we once did physically and in-person we now carry out remotely online. As a result, this transition into the digital lifestyle also brings with it the need for greater online security.
Many people have turned to secure VPN services to privatize their online presence and network traffic in recent years. VPN stands for Virtual Private Network, and it acts as a secure tunnel, which can hide your internet traffic and anonymize your identity.
The rise in VPN service providers shows the incredible growth of this market. With online transactions and the virtual lifestyle being necessary these days, having a trustworthy VPN solution is an essential component of our digital age.
All VPNs Are Not Created Equal
While there are many VPN solutions and services available these days, not all of them are secure. Some VPN services are entirely fraudulent and install malware, while others lock you into never-ending contracts or payment plans.
You need to do your homework and carefully research the VPN you plan on using, as all of your traffic will pass through the VPN. With the malicious VPNs, they will often steal your sensitive data, along with the malware install, leading to complete compromise of your identity.
The Three R’s of VPN Security
A secure VPN must excel in the “Three R’s” of service: Reliability, Resistance, and Reputation. Let’s take a closer look at these points and how they can help us to identify a secure VPN. First, we have Reliability.
Since so much of our lives are online these days, our VPN service must be reliable. Having your VPN fail in the middle of shopping or banking can be frustrating and may lead to lapses in security.
VPNs can also fail quietly, with no apparent indications of the failure. While this may sound good at first, you may unknowingly be left unprotected. Therefore, a VPN must have exceptional reliability, especially considering the extensive usage that the service receives.
Some VPNs also offer kill-switches that will automatically terminate individual connections if the VPN ever fails. A kill-switch provides an additional layer of security to bolster any reliability issues.
The second R of security is Resistance. A VPN must be resistant to attack and compromise and must have safeguards in place for intrusion prevention. Naturally, you want your VPN to resist attack; otherwise, it would be useless, but there are other factors to consider.
You’ll want to check the type and bit-strength of the encryption offered. 256-bit AES encryption is a good option that will thoroughly secure your transmitted data.
In addition to the encryption, take note of the specific ports and services that your VPN protects. Not every VPN shields every service protocol or port. Most will encrypt HTTP, FTP, and standard ports used for email, but not much else. Depending on your specific use case, you may need extra services or ports covered by your VPN. Be sure to check which service ports your software uses and what you would like protected.
The final aspect of VPN resistance, if your IP address anonymity. One of the main benefits of a VPN is that your IP address is hidden from the public eye. While most VPNs will offer IP address masking, not all of them are entirely effective at doing so.
There are specific ways to test whether your IP address is truly hidden online. A genuinely secure VPN will provide you with an anonymous IP address with no identity leaks. After all, either you are unknown or not, there are no gray areas for online privacy.
The third R of a secure VPN is Reputation. Most people don’t consider reputation as a part of security, but it goes deeper than you think. Of course, you want to check the reviews of the company offering a VPN service. However, reputation means more than that.
Another aspect of a VPNs reputation is its history of threat defenses and any past compromises. Sometimes this can tell you a lot more than user reviews or the marketing hype. By looking at the VPNs’ actual history, you will get a clear picture of their reliability. This performance reputation is what’s paramount.
One final area of reputation is the company’s privacy policy. What information do they collect, log, and store on their servers? It may be surprising to discover that some VPNs log and store their users’ traffic and details. This practice nullifies the security aspects of a VPN in the first place. The whole idea of a Virtual Private Network is privacy. A secure VPN should have a policy of never-logging user traffic across the network, and they should be open about any information they do collect.
VPNs Are Part of the New Digital Normal
Masks, social distancing, and vaccines are part of our “new normal,” and they help protect us from biological danger. Likewise, VPNs help protect our digital lives from cyber threats. It bears repeating that the more interconnected our lives become, the more we should develop safe online habits.
You’ve probably heard for years that you shouldn’t open untrusted email attachments or click on links. You may not have heard before, though, that you should be using a VPN to increase your online privacy.
Virtual Private Networks have enjoyed a somewhat niche popularity—something that technology enthusiasts and privacy advocates used. Yet, with nearly the entire world needing to adapt online solutions due to the pandemic, VPNs have become more mainstream.
Since new strains of the virus are being discovered, our “new normal” shows no signs of stopping. Therefore, our online lifestyle is expected to continue for the foreseeable future. It’s vital that we take steps to stay safe, not only physically but virtually as well.
The Best VPN is the One You Can Trust
So as we conclude our guide on secure VPNs, we’ve explored what makes a VPN secure and what to watch for. When it comes to your privacy and personal information, compromise is not an option. You need the very best, and the risk is too significant to settle for anything else.
If you’re looking for a secure VPN that excels in the three R’s of Reliability, Resistance, and Reputation, look no further than Norton Secure VPN.
Norton Secure VPN combines the extensive experience, reliability, and trusted reputation of the Norton LifeLock name with the power of modern encryption, confidentiality, and security practices. The result is that Norton Secure VPN offers unparalleled bank-grade encryption and rock-solid privacy and security for all of your connected devices.
Many of the VPN providers today spring up overnight, collect user data, and then disappear. But with Norton Secure VPN, you know that you are in good hands. The security experts at Norton have been providing software and network security solutions for over twenty years. We are the best at what we do and passionate about protecting your information.
Norton Secure VPN is available as a standalone solution or part of Norton 360 with Lifelock.
Don’t spend another second unprotected online. The risk of identity theft and compromise is growing every day. Protect yourself, your family, and your data with a secure VPN and browse with peace-of-mind.
References
1. “HelloTech”, 2017: Reports Say Shady VPN Services Are on the Rise (accessed February 20, 2021)