Why Using a VPN Now Is More Important Than Ever

Over the past few decades, we’ve learned that everything we do, post, and say online leaves a trace. Whether searching for the best gambling sites for international players, shopping online, posting silly videos on YouTube, or commenting on Instagram, we leave behind digital footprints that can be tracked or sold and stolen in a worst-case scenario.

In the early days of the internet, this wasn’t a widespread concern. We made do with all the nefarious pop-ups, and when we came across a slow-loading website, we simply waited. After all, our lives weren’t nearly as online as they are now. Today, we do everything online, including banking, booking appointments, and buying essentials, meaning a lot more private information is floating around the internet.

So, how exactly can a VPN (virtual private network) help our online security?

What Is a VPN?

If you’ve noticed the uptick of YouTube ads and promotions for VPNs, you might’ve wondered why this service is being marketed so aggressively. One reason is that these companies want customers, but the other is that the service is genuinely useful.

A VPN encrypts your internet connection, protecting you against trackers from various sources—advertisers, internet service providers, and cybercriminals, who collect your information and monitor you across the web. It creates a private “tunnel” between you and the internet, making it more difficult for these prying eyes to see what you’re up to.

The Cybercrime Explosion

With the internet being so accessible and so many people unwittingly exposing their data online, it’s prime real estate for cybercriminals. Even when cybercrime wasn’t widespread, internet users were still worried about the potential of their data being stolen or hackers infiltrating their computers. In 2001, only six people were victims of cybercrime every hour. In 2022, however, that number jumped to 97, a 1517% increase.

The consequences of cybercrime are immense, both monetarily and personally, affecting the real lives of humans and the reputation of businesses. According to the UK government, cyber threats are one of the four ‘Tier One’ risks to UK security, costing the country £27 billion annually. To say that’s not a small number is the understatement of the century.

The Threat of Data Breaches

Data breaches are the most significant among all cybercrimes, including ransomware attacks and phishing attempts. Once a data breach occurs, it exposes hundreds of thousands or even millions of pieces of personal information (credit card details, addresses, login credentials, for example) to cybercriminals who may sell that information for fraud on the dark web.

We’ve seen many examples of massive data breaches, including an Equifax breach that left 147 million people exposed and sensitive data such as Social Security numbers and credit card details out in the open. We also saw a ransomware hack lead to an astounding NHS data breach in 2023, affecting over one million patients and resulting in the theft of 400GB of private medical data.

Online Surveillance and Privacy Threats

While we can’t exactly control those monstrous data breaches on our own, we can limit the data we share unless necessary. It can be easy to enter our details simply because a brand seems reputable or because they claim to have excellent security features in place, but the reality is that we should still be mindful of the data we’re sharing.

Aside from what we willingly provide, there’s also the threat of online surveillance. We have a lot more control over that, as these systems may accumulate data from social media, cookies, and other tracking tools. We can strengthen our security online in response, such as using private browsing to prevent browsers from storing our search history, limiting what we post on social media, opting out of tracking when browsing websites or using apps, and, of course, using a VPN.

As mentioned, VPNs protect you against trackers, but they also do the following:

· Encrypt your internet connection: Data is scrambled (yes, like an egg) so that it becomes unreadable by anyone trying to intercept it. While it’s helpful to have a VPN on at all times, it’s especially important when using insecure public Wi-Fi networks.

· Mask your IP address: Your IP address reveals your identity and location, two pieces of information you don’t want strangers to know about. A VPN can mask it and stop cybercriminals from tracking your online activity.

· Prevent tracking: When we talk about tracking, we’re talking about advertisers tracking all your activity and browsing habits and targeting you with personalised ads. In moderation and with transparency, this practice can be harmless, but it can also invade privacy if taken too far.

Other Ways VPNs Can Help

Besides keeping us safer and more secure, VPNs can also allow us to access geo-blocked or restricted content. With specialised libraries and content now being the norm on streaming platforms and websites, VPNs can bypass those borders and let us view certain movies and access certain documents without the geographical limitations.

But although VPNs are fantastic tools, let’s not forget that they aren’t magic. They won’t magically shield you from all online threats, such as phishing attacks and malware infections. Instead, they provide a much-needed layer of protection in our chronically online society.