Tag: #VPN

How to Find Reliable and Fast VPNs While Staying Secured

A virtual private network (VPN) provides you anonymity and online privacy through the creation of a private network that cannot be traced on a public internet connection. VPN services provide encrypted and secure connections that offer privacy. Transacting or surfing the web on an unsecured network means that you could be risking your privacy information, since it can be accessed by unauthorized people. This is the primary reason why a VPN is ideal if you are concerned about your online privacy and security. However, there are certain measures that you can take to get the best VPN. Read on to learn how to find reliable and fast VPNs while staying secure. 

How to choose a Reliable VPN

If you want to stay secured from public Wi-Fi networks, a VPN is the best solution that you can consider to protect your privacy. However, there are different measures that you should take to choose a reliable and fast VPN. The following are some factors that can help you select the right service provider. 

Connections

You need to establish the number of simultaneous connections that a VPN can support. We all have multiple devices that include smartphones, tablets, and computers that we may want to use at the same time. Therefore, a reliable VPN service can use a single account to connect up to five devices simultaneously.    

Speed

The connection speed of a VPN depends on different factors like available servers in a specific region. Specialist technicians at VPNBrains explain that traffic is sent via encrypted servers located in different places across the globe and this can affect speed. For example, if the VPN service provider only has one server in your country, it might not be the best choice.  

Cost

You should also consider the cost of the VPN service. While you can get a free VPN, it does not offer similar features as compared to paid VPN. On top of that, you must check if the service provider offers data limits.  

How a VPN Protects Your Security and Privacy

 

Data security is critical, especially when using a public Wi-Fi network where other people on the network can access your private information. However, VPN uses encryption to make data unreadable, thereby keeping you secured. The other issue is that your internet service provider can access your entire browsing history.  A VPN helps to hide your search history since your web activity is linked to the VPN server’s address and not yours. With a VPN, all your online activities are kept private. Your VPN can hide a lot of information to keep you secure. Below is the information that your VPN can hide to protect your privacy.

Browsing History

Your internet service provider can track your online activity and get all the details about your searches. The websites also keep your search history, and they can link it with your IP address. Without a VPN, you unknowingly share your information with different people. As a result, you will end up receiving endless and unsolicited emails and adverts from unknown senders.

Protect Your IP Address

An IP address can reveal your exact location, and it becomes easy for unscrupulous internet users to track your online activities. However, with a VPN, the IP address that appears on your search history is not yours but of the service provider. In a country where censorship is rife, a VPN will help to protect your online privacy. In the same vein, a VPN helps to protect your devices from cybercriminals.  

Streaming Location

When you travel outside your country, you may not be able to access streaming services, and there are valid reasons for this. However, with a reliable VPN, you can select an IP address from your home country and access your streaming service. The servers in the host country will never pick it, if you are connected to a foreign server. 

Internet Freedom

Internet surveillance can deprive you of your freedom since your browsing history can be easily accessed. However, when you have a reliable VPN, there are no fears of being tracked since your browsing history would be hidden. A VPN also protects you against elements like identity theft. This will help you to enjoy internet freedom while being sure that all your information and data are protected. 

A VPN provides online anonymity and privacy so that no one can track your browsing history. There are different VPN service providers, and their services are not universal. Therefore, there are various things that you must consider when choosing a VPN. For instance, elements like speed, cost, data limit, and location of servers should help you make an informed decision. No matter which service provider you choose, you should know that a reliable VPN provides security, anonymity, and privacy.   

What Separates a Good VPN From an Average VPN.

These days, it is becoming more and more difficult to stay secure in what we know as cyberspace, the World Wide Web, or simply the internet. The internet, historically, was certainly not meant to be the all-encompassing digital world it is for billions of people today. It is an incredible thing to remember that the ‘net’ started its life as a scientific research project in the 90s, that would relatively quickly become one of the greatest and most revolutionary inventions of humanity.

Following its release to the public in the mid-90s, the internet saw a huge rise in activity, somewhere between 2004-2010, which coincided with major tech revolutions such as the release of the first iPhone. This period also saw the invention of Facebook, in 2004. In essence, social media and smartphone development really pushed the internet to unprecedented levels. Later in the 2010s, we witnessed even more internet revolution as everything picked up even more speed and breadth (especially the invention of apps), and major upticks in the amount of global internet usage were observed.

Of course, with such an enormous network that is alive, interconnects the entire globe, and keeps growing exponentially every day, there are now security issues to deal with that are a serious concern for anyone’s online activity. Cybercrime has risen and is not stopping anytime soon, which means that the need for cybersecurity has never been greater. 

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As malware reared its ugly head (malware is a general term for all malicious software such as viruses, spyware etc.), most notably at the beginning of the 2000s, the demand for cybersecurity grew in every sector, and grows to this day.

What Is A VPN

A Virtual Private Network, or commonly known as a VPN, is an essential tool that helps you stay safe online. It comes in three forms today; for desktop, enterprise solutions for businesses and as an app for smartphones. For this purpose, let’s talk about publicly available VPNs for ‘home’ users (we’ll leave business solutions out in this case). So what does a VPN do? When you connect to the internet, a VPN gives you the option of connecting to an external server that serves as a ‘tunnel’. These servers can be local, or international. Most VPN software offers at least a dozen choices of these tunnels to connect to, more or less.

When you connect to the VPN, this tunnel is encrypted (secured against intrusions), allowing all of your activity on the network to ideally be anonymous. So, this tunnel/server functions in the midway path between you and the rest of the internet. 

We will later cover more on the distinctions between an average and a good VPN, why VPNs vary a lot, and are definitely not equal. There are several VPN choices to choose from, both free and paid, and your choice may vary depending on what they offer. First, let’s delve into why being cyber-aware is important, below.

Being cyber-aware

Let’s emphasize why there is a need to keep the internet secure, and more importantly for you, why you need to protect yourself online. An entire industry of cybersecurity is thriving today in the midst of seemingly endless threats, and it is no longer strange to have software such as an anti-virus, anti-malware and a good Virtual Private Network, or VPN, installed on your system, all active at the same time. 

Having specialized protection against malware is one thing, but in terms of your general safety, anonymity and freedom online, nothing approaches the importance of using a VPN today. As with any software, especially in this day and age, it is critical that you know what it is exactly that you have downloaded. To be truly cybersecure, while using a VPN, you must know what is happening to your data, as well as read up on the privacy policies of the software you have downloaded. 

For instance, let’s talk about a few issues in order to highlight the importance of being cyber-aware; many people have made the mistake of logging into their computer or mobile phones, and downloading whatever VPN software they find, believing that they are now protected. 

There are many free VPNs out there, but their reputation and legitimacy can be questionable. Then, what happens with your data when you connect to a questionable VPN? Why should you invest your time (and sometimes your money) in a good VPN service? Let’s talk about this.

What Makes a Good VPN

What does it mean when we say a ‘good’ VPN? There are a couple of points any VPN worth its salt should include. This would include the following critical must-haves;

 

  • Your VPN should have a strict no-log privacy policy
  • The VPN must guarantee a well-encrypted service
  • The service must be able to unblock geo-blocks
  • Look for encryption such as; L2TP/IPSec, IKEv2, OpenVPN, WireGuard
  • Make sure that you have 128-bit encryption at the least
  • Go for a paid service, avoid free VPNs, for peace of mind

 

A good VPN should be able to give you a high-speed, anonymous, secure and free internet service. It should completely cloak your internet usage, and allow you to view search results in the country you have connected to. In most cases, you will rarely find a free VPN that guarantees all of these criteria, however there are of course exceptions if you do a little research. 

A guaranteed way to check how secure you are if you have downloaded a VPN, is to do an extensive online security check. With these checks, you will be able to know if your Internet Service Provider, as well as the rest of the internet ‘sees’ you. A good VPN will show your location as the one you selected in your VPN program, and should not show any of your local info at all. You should also not have any DNS leak warnings when you do the check. Once you have completed this step, it is also advisable to download a secure browser that includes ‘do-not-track’ and ‘anti-fingerprinting’ options. A good browser combined with a good VPN are a fantastic combination for a free, safe and anonymous internet experience.

A Beginner’s Guide to the World of VPNs. #VPN

Most people use the internet with abandon, oblivious to the dangers that lurk in the shadows, and to the fact that they can protect themselves. When you browse, anyone can see your online activity and see all your communication. To prevent this from happening, you can use a VPN. You may have heard of Surfshark and other known names but check out below for more.

What is a VPN?

A VPN or a Virtual Private Network consists of servers that you can connect to via your ISP (Internet Service Provider). The VPN provides your devices with a secure tunnel through which they can securely log into the internet.
The VPN hides your ISP address and location, allocating you a virtual server in a different location. You can log into the internet on a server in France while you are in the U.S, making it hard for anyone to pinpoint your location.

Why Use a VPN?

There are numerous reasons why you should use a VPN, chief among them being:

  • Security

One of the main reasons why you should use a VPN for accessing the internet is security. A VPN encrypts all your data using AES256, which is one of the strongest encryption standards. If a hacker tries to intercept your browsing data, such as steal your credit card number while making online purchases, the encryption stops their efforts. This is why it is an excellent idea to use VPNs on public networks such as airports and coffee shops.

  • Privacy

Privacy is closely tied to security. Whatever you like to browse for on the internet, it should be nobody else’s business but your own. By using encryption for your online data such as the shows you stream, or what you write in forums, you keep it strictly your business by using a VPN.

  • Virtual Locations

A VPN gives you virtual locations, making it impossible for hackers to locate your address. This aspect is also useful when you are trying to log in to geo-restricted sites. If you are in China and trying to stream your favorite T.V show, the VPN can bypass the restrictions and you can watch the program as if you were back in the U.S.

How to Choose a VPN Service Provider

There are hundreds of VPN service providers in the market. Here are some of the qualities you can look out for:

  • Cost and Security

The more security a VPN offers, the more it costs. Beware the free VPNs, which claim to protect you at no subscription cost. Their justification for the free service is to sell your data to third parties.

  • Server Quantity

A VPN provider with many servers means you will not be crammed into an already crowded server, making your connection times slower.

  • Server Location

If you regularly stream content from Europe and live in the U.S, a VPN service provider with numerous servers in various parts of the world will serve you better.

  • IP Sharing

A quick technique to evaluate a VPN service provider is to check if they give one IP address to several users. When many users are sharing the same IP address, it offers a degree of protection since a hacker cannot pinpoint a single user.

  • Multiple Device Support

When you subscribe to a VPN service, you will want to connect all your other devices such as tablets and routers. Go online and search VPN for multiple devices to get a list of those VPNs that provide multiple device support. Most service providers allow a connection of at least five devices, but ensure to check before you subscribe.

  • IP Leakage

One easy technique to evaluate a potential VPN provider is by checking if they have free trials. If they do, go ahead and sign up, then tunnel in. After tunneling in, visit their website to help you know if the provider has an IP leak, meaning your location is not hidden. If you see your real physical location or IP address on this page, you need to find a VPN provider with more security.

  • User Interface

Check how the VPN provider’s software operates and looks. Is operating it straightforward? Is turning it on and off easy? How easy is it to change your tunneling location?

Conclusion

In these times of online insecurity, hacking cases have gone up, with hackers using sophisticated hacking techniques to get hold of your data. Protecting yourself using a VPN is one of the best ways to protect your online activity.
A VPN uses sophisticated encryption techniques to protect your data and hide your IP and physical address. If you travel to a geo-restricted country, you are still able to stream your favorite shows using a VPN. Before subscribing to a VPN, ensure you go through what it offers, and do not pick a free VPN. Instead, you will find the more expensive a VPN, the better its services.

Top Choices for Mobile Device VPN. #Mobile #VPN

If any company is worth its salt in the VPN world today, it’s also going to have a mobile device app to match the same protection service provided on a regular computer. The simple fact is, people spend more time on average with their phone or tablet than they do with a desktop computer or even a laptop. No surprise then, there’s a lot of apps out their promising to help and do their work, but in reality are just empty functions assuming users know nothing about how to test encryption and hoping their tool spreads for money, popularity, or worse, fraud.

Fortunately, a handful of VPN providers offer a very reliable channel for mobile devices, and they are well recognised in the VPN world in general as safe, reliable and functional. They also have the ability to break through geo-block barriers that hamper enjoyable streaming as well as monitoring. Best of all, these VPN tools can easily work over any Wi-Fi, keeping one’s connection costs down and Internet capability up and running for low or no ISP cost. Here are seven of the top players to consider:

  1. ExpressVPN

One thing that made Apple a raging success was how intuitive its products were. ExpressVPN follows the same philosophy with its app, making it extremely easy to learn. The ExpressVPN tool also works amazingly fast without drops, buggy performance or unreliable connection.

  1. Surfshark

A well-proven winner in the VPN world, particularly in Europe as well as the U.S., Surfshark for mobile offers a budget-sensitive user a solid VPN package that delivers reliability and function without the corporate price tag being attached.

 

 

  1. NordVPN

Its brand awareness is something to be jealous of because just about anyone trying to connect to the Internet with encryption has heard of NordVPN somewhere somehow. Their app VPN is fast, has a high score in reliability, and the pricing tends to be competitive even if not the cheapest service available.

  1. IPVanish

The beauty of this choice is that it can handle multiple connections at the same time on the same account. And that can be pretty handy when one needs to share their mobile VNP with work partners or family on a trip. IPVanish has robust support network and stays competitive with an affordable price point as well.

  1. CyberGhost

The beauty of this choice tends to be their sign up teaser. A user can have six months of free service with CyberGhost and enjoy a support network that is actually bigger than some of the other players on this list. The value and price point are competitive, and CyberGhost’s VPN program works on multiple OS environments without issue.

  1. PrivateInternetAccess

A well-established name recognized for amazing speed delivery in data transfer connections, PIA also gets top billing for privacy protection as well as adware blocking. Available on Android, Linux and iOS, PIA comes with a variety of plan choices, and it is highly customizable which tends to be an attraction for those who like to tweak their apps.

  1. TorGuard VPN

For those folks who like to download a lot of data from Bittorrent and similar, TorGuard VPN is a custom-designed answer in the VPN world. Specific to iOS, TorGuard takes advantage of Tor’s extensive server network, and it hits the middle of the pack with speed ratings. The interface isn’t the friendliest or most intuitive, but Tor folks tend to be techy-oriented anyways.

NordVPN’s tool launches cloud storage. #NordVPN #NordLocker #VPN #Cloud

NordLocker, the file encryption tool developed by NordSec, the company behind NordVPN, has introduced a cloud storage add-on. The tool sets new standards for the way cloud storage providers will treat user files in the future. The encryption tool has its own cloud storage feature offering all-around encryption of users’ data.

 

“NordLocker took a challenge to revise and turn round existing cloud storage practices. Encrypting files first and uploading them to the cloud of the same provider helps to avoid the involvement of third-party vendors. All that can be done with a single move of drag and drop,” says Oliver Noble, an encryption specialist at NordLocker.

 

User privacy is enhanced on both the device and in the cloud, as both share the same encryption standards. Moreover, the files are synchronized across all the devices of the user, but nobody besides the owner can access the data.

 

“NordLocker is not just another cloud storage. It is an encryption tool that offers cloud storage for your files. We believe it’s better. Most cloud storage solutions encrypt only the storage itself, leaving files behind,” says Oliver Noble.

 

Why one needs NordLocker

 

NordLocker is perfect both for personal use and handling work-related data. In the wrong hands, private files, such as photos, videos, cryptocurrencies, notes, and other types of data, can be viewed or stolen.

 

“In 2017, pictures of A-list celebrities were leaked from their iCloud. No compromising pictures would have reached the public eye if the files had been encrypted,” said Oliver Noble.

 

Beside personal use, NordLocker is a must-have for companies storing their clients’ financial, legal, or medical records or deal with any other confidential information. In case of a breach, the encrypted data remains safe and private. That’s because NordLocker’s cryptosystem uses the most advanced ciphers and principles, featuring Argon2, AES-256, and ECC (with XChaCha20, EdDSA, and Poly1305).

 

NordLocker features zero-knowledge privacy. “Your data is not our business. Our encryption system is designed in a way that prevents us from seeing what you keep,” says Oliver Noble.

 

NordLocker’s main features:

 

  • Drag-and-drop encryption
  • Protection with a single master password
  • Confidential cross-platform synchronization
  • Encrypted files can be stored on the computer or in the cloud
  • Accessible on an unlimited number of devices
  • Powerful state-of-the-art encryption (AES-256, ECC, Argon2)
  • Zero-knowledge architecture

 

Running on both Windows and macOS, NordLocker supports files of any type. With a free version of NordLocker, users get 3GB of cloud storage. Premium users can enjoy 500GB of encrypted cloud storage. NordLocker’s business solution has free and paid versions as well.

 

With the introduction of cloud storage in its file encryption tool, NordSec strives to provide an all-around cybersecurity package. Last year, the company launched a business VPN solution NordVPN Teams and a password manager NordPass.

Here’s What You Need to Know About Enterprise Security in the COVID-19 Era. #Covid-19 #Security

In the wake of the developing COVID-19 pandemic, organizations around the world have adopted social distancing practices to slow the spread of the disease, including instructing many employees to work from home. But no one could have foreseen the need for businesses, government agencies, and other organizations around the world to quickly transition the majority of their workforces to remote work. 

 

The fast transition, the sheer number of people now working from home, and the already-devastating economic effects of the pandemic are among the factors that make this time an especially perilous one for enterprise security. IT security teams are struggling to keep up with increased threat levels from COVID-19-related malware and other cyber threats. Newly remote workers are leaving their companies’ networks vulnerable to hackers, and COVID-19-related cyber scams are on the rise as hackers seek to cash in on the crisis. Here’s what you need to know to keep your company safe.

Educate Employees About COVID-19 Cybersecurity

If your organization hasn’t already been giving employees regular cybersecurity training, then you need more help than this article can give. If you have been giving employees regular cybersecurity training, now is not the time to slack off. You should be aware that COVID-19-related cyber scams are proliferating at a mind-boggling pace. By mid-March, Computer Weekly was already calling COVID-19 the biggest cyber-threat in history, due to the massive volume of related malware and scam emails already circulating by that time. By mid-April, Google reported blocking 18 million COVID-19-related scam emails a day. 

 

Cyber criminals love to play on the emotions of their victims to cash in, because users in the grip of a strong emotion, like fear of a deadly disease, often aren’t thinking straight. They’ll click on links or download attachments that they might otherwise have ignored. And many people around the world, having lost their jobs or been physically restricted to their homes or neighborhoods, are looking for a way to make a living, so the ranks of cyber criminals may be swelling, too.

 

That’s why it’s so important to educate employees about the cybersecurity risks associated with COVID-19. Regular security training will keep employees vigilant against suspicious emails that might land in their inboxes. Make sure to send out regular memos warning employees of common COVID-19 related malware and phishing scams as they emerge. Your employees may not be targeted by specific scams, but knowing what kinds of things to look out for can help them protect the enterprise network.

 

Of course, you’ll also need a security solution that can detect vulnerabilities and threats and work to neutralize them. Your employees will be reporting suspicious emails, perhaps in greater numbers than ever before, and your IT security team will be facing more threats than it probably ever has in the past. Make sure you have a comprehensive enterprise network security solution to help your team meet these new challenges.

Require a VPN and Regular Security Check-Ins

Your employees’ home networks won’t be as secure as your enterprise network, because it’s unlikely that employees have intrusion detection or protection on their home networks. That’s why you should require employees to connect to the company’s network through a virtual private network (VPN). A VPN can hide your employees’ activities on your network, and help protect your information from thieves.

 

You should also set network security standards for employees working from home. Put together a security protocol that includes securing devices physically, keeping work and personal emails separate, and locking down their home networks. Implement regular security check-ins with staff to make sure they’re using multi-factor authentication to log into enterprise systems and work email accounts, and to verify that they’re implementing the enterprise security protocols for their home networks. 

Give Employees Company Devices to Work from Home

It might be tempting to allow employees to work from home on their personal devices — it would save your organization a lot of money on laptops. But you don’t know what employees are doing on their personal devices when they’re not on the clock, what antivirus and antimalware protection they’re using, or how tight their security is. It’s easier to protect your enterprise network when you issue company devices to employees who are working from home. It’s also easier to keep an eye on those employees to make sure they really are working when they’re supposed to be. When you issue company devices, you’ll be able to synchronize the same endpoint solution across each one, to remove some of the vulnerabilities that can come with a rapid distribution of teams.

 

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought a lot of uncertainty with it, especially when it comes to keeping your enterprise network secure. Don’t let the challenges of this pandemic leave you vulnerable to cyber criminals. Protect your network, so you and your employees can weather the storm.

Are VPN connections only useful to bypass geo-blocks? By @IPAddressGuide #VPN

Guest Post by Thomas Stein.   Are VPN connections only useful to bypass geo-blocks??

I first heard about VPN services and VPN connections back in 2012. It was Summer Olympics in London and I wanted to watch the Hungarians win their gold medals on Hungarian TV online.

Unfortunately I lived outside Hungary at that moment and could not access the Hungarian TV station to watch their live streams from the Summer Olympics. It wasn’t an error with the feed, it was simply a so called geo-block (geographical block) causing the problem. As I visited the website of the Hungarian TV station they checked my IP address. Discovering that I was located outside Hungary they gave me an error message telling me that this stream was unavailable for me.

Luckily my brain quickly understood that there was a way to bypass this geo-block, by getting myself an IP address in Hungary. I quickly found out that a VPN connection was the solution for me, and thus I got myself a VPN subscription and got myself a Hungarian IP address. A few minutes later I was watching Hungarian TV online from outside Hungary.

That was four years ago and I still have my VPN subscription. But, is a VPN only useful for those in need of bypassing geo-blocks?

Is a VPN only useful for those in need of bypassing geo-blocks?

There is little doubt about the fact that a high percentage of the users signing up for VPN services do it for this purpose. But, there are those who actually use their VPN subscription for much more than just streaming content online (which would normally be unavailable). Here I will give you some of the main reasons for using a VPN besides bypassing geo-blocks.

 

 

 

 

 

Some of the most important arguments used by VPN users for using a VPN

  • A VPN connection will encrypt your online activity. There are different levels of encryption used depending on which VPN protocol you use, but any VPN encryption method is way better than no encryption. This will make it way harder for any intruder to get hold of your confidential information.
  • If your VPN provider has a no-log policy any movement you do online will be untraceable back to you. People who check your IP address to do you any harm will not get your actual IP address, but only see the IP address provided to you by your VPN provider.
  • With a VPN subscription you can get access to cheaper flight tickets and similar products. Lots of airlines give users different prices depending on their location. Use your VPN to get an IP address in another nation and do a search on the airfares again. If you are lucky you can save lots of dollars on airfares and lots of similar services.
  • Almost all Torrent sites advise their users to use a VPN. As more and more Torrent sites are observed and downloads discovered by local ISP’s (and reported), using a VPN can keep your tracks covered and let you download content safely online.
  • It is crucial to encrypt your movements online in this world packed with free WiFi Hotspots using unencrypted networks.
  • VPN applications often come with extra functions such as DDoS protection and built-in firewalls to keep you safe online.
  • Some ISP’s set a limit to your streaming speeds. When you visit certain domains they limit your download speed. Using a VPN will let you bypass such streaming speed regulations.

As you will see from this list a VPN is about much more than only bypassing geo-blocks. Do you have any other reason for using a VPN? I would love to have you write even more reasons to use a VPN.

 

This article is written by Thomas Stein, the creator of  http://www.ipaddressguide.org/  On his website he writes about geo-blocks, streaming services like Netflix and NOW TV, tech news and about Internet security.

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