In an era where the internet is used constantly, from simple WhatsApp messages or online searches, to shopping, via telecommuting or distance learning, security and privacy should be priority issues for everyone. There is a lot of information that we pour daily on the Internet during our online browsing, so that it is difficult not to recommend a VPN to curb the number of traces left around the web.
VPN, for those who do not know, stands for Virtual Private Network, literally virtual private network. It is a useful technology for anonymizing web browsing, which opens up a number of advantages over traditional unsecured browsing. When the router connects to the Internet, it receives from the service provider (the “manager” of the line) an IP address that identifies the device surfing the web for the duration of the session, a bit like what happens with the license plate of a car that makes it identifiable on the roads.
So whatever virtual place we visit, it will keep track of our passage. Simplifying, a VPN gives a dummy IP address to the device accessing the network. Moreover, from the use of a VPN comes another advantage in addition to not being tracked: the security of transmitted data, which are encrypted by the service that provides the VPN before being placed on the network. This last aspect, however, can be a double-edged sword. The reason? In the following paragraph.
Free VPN: is it really advantageous?
The fact that the data coming in and out of the device used to surf is encrypted by the service that manages the VPN opens the question of whether using a free VPN is really advantageous or secure. The packets of data coming in and out of the device from which you surf, in fact, are sent to the server of the VPN manager and encrypted before being sent to the servers of the content that interests us, whether pages, videos, images, files, etc.
The secret of the VPN is all here: the server that contains the elements of our interest receives the request from an IP address that is not ours but that of the VPN provider, then the device from which we surf remains anonymous and not geographically traceable. For this reason, one of the reasons that most often drive people to use a VPN is to watch content, typically TV series or movies, that some services decide not to make available in certain countries: by masking our IP address and replacing it, for example, with an American one, it becomes possible to play a TV series distributed in the U.S. but not in Italy.
That’s it, the point is that by choosing a VPN we direct all our traffic to the servers of the company that manages it, so it becomes intuitively important to trust the company that we turn to, which could potentially do what it wants with our data: consult it, store it or even sell it. In short, paradoxically, by choosing a service with little awareness, perhaps free, you could end up obtaining the opposite effect to the one you were looking for, that is, giving your data to a company that could merge it with others and sell it to third parties.
Free and paid VPNs: a comparison
It is precisely on the possible use of navigation data that it becomes essential to carefully read the privacy policy of the service before using a free VPN. Paid services are more attentive to privacy and protect anonymity to a greater extent, but it is still a good idea before joining a service, whether free or not, to check the conditions with your own eyes.
A paid VPN is also preferable for aspects related to the speed of navigation and the monthly amount of traffic: it would make little sense to have a very fast fiber connection if the VPN limits the speed of navigation as often happens with free services, which usually have a monthly traffic limit beyond which you can no longer use the service for free.
One last aspect where paid VPNs often have the upper hand is the number of devices that can use the VPN at the same time: most free services only allow you to connect one device, while the others have to surf without the benefits of a VPN.
NordVPN: why choose the service
NordVPN is now one of the most popular paid VPN services in the world, with more than 14 million active users.
NordVPN’s success can be summed up in a number: there are more than 5,500 servers of the company in 59 countries around the world, which guarantee customers a great surfing speed, total anonymity and the possibility to choose the best country of origin of the IP address depending on the circumstances. NordVPN has been rated by independent portal AV-Test as the fastest VPN in the world.
NordVPN is also very proud of its no data logging policy, which gives you peace of mind in terms of protecting your personal data. What’s more, and this is no small thing, by purchasing a NordVPN subscription you can connect up to 6 devices at once. Moreover, it is fully functional on Windows, macOS, Linux operating systems, offers extensions for Chrome and Firefox, as well as a mobile app for Android, iOS and iPadIOS. The features provided to the user are the most varied, among them stands out the ability to watch Italian TV abroad. You can watch live sporting or other events broadcast in a country other than the one in which you are connected. At the same time, it’s possible to surf anonymously from countries that have totalitarian regimes, restrictions or anyway reduced individual freedom and that have real blocks for web sites. If you’re using a public network, relying on NordVPN is even more important, because it’s a network that’s more vulnerable to scams and other web risks.
Since today and for a limited time, you can now purchase NordVPN at a discounted price, with a thirty-day money-back trial to safely test the service.