Amid the pandemic, VPNs became the unexpected winner with usage skyrocketing to an all-time high of 27.1%Opens a new window . Though the secure access technology is widely panned for being brittle as it folds under the weight of traffic surges, cybersecurity researcher and publisher at Atlas VPN, Ruth C. believes there are five practical use cases that could pique the interests of end-users.Â
Whether work or leisure related, virtual private networks (VPNs) provide a wide range of options that improve everyday online activities. Check out some of the logical applications and possible usage options for both rising and already established VPN services.
1. Remote Work
The visible shift in the ongoing pandemic is our work dynamic. A lot of people have moved to a work-from-home setup. Naturally, there is a need to connect to the local server in the office. Corporate VPNs allow us to do that. We gain access to sensitive information of our company while the data exchange is encrypted, resulting in safer traffic.
The scope of work isn’t limited to the corporate world. The gig economy is well and alive. Both online business owners and casual users reap the benefits from the convenience of public access to Wi-Fi. The question is, are they taking precautions while doing this?
2. Safer Browsing While on Public Wi-FiÂ
People tend to use insecure public Wi-Fi, and there’s certainly a driver for that.Opens a new window Mostly because of convenience. They might log in on their socials or purchase something online, leaving credentials all over the place. Publicly accessed Wi-Fi is usually without password protection. The possibility of a “lurker†ready to exploit this vulnerability poses a threat to our credentials. Using a VPNOpens a new window is advisable as it lets us connect to the provider’s servers, creating a private tunnel that secures our data. As additional measures, I would suggest:
- Keeping your firewall on
- Turning off Wi-Fi to avoid reconnecting automatically
- Use HTTPS for websites you visit. After all, the “S†stands for security
Learn More: What Is a Virtual Private Network (VPN)? Definition, Components, Types, Functions, and Best Practices
3. Avoid Geographical Limitations
Let’s say your favorite artist has released a new album, and you want to stream it on Spotify. The problem is, Spotify isn’t available in your country. Is there a way around this limitation?Â
One of the ways to determine geolocation is through the IP address of the user. When using a VPN, we can move to a different location and use services otherwise unavailable.
There is also the case of price discrimination. Online businesses use geographic segmentation, which means prices of commodities vary depending on the buyer’s location. You might get a better deal on Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock series in Sweden than in the UK. A bit ironic, isn’t it?
This method is used a lot by airliners and hotel booking sites. Different locations mean different bargains. Remember this workaround as we patiently await for the world to re-open.
4. Avoid Bandwidth Throttling
ISP (Internet Service Provider), we meet again. Providers may interfere with our internet connection speed resulting in an awful user-experience. It’s a tête-à -tête between us and the buffering icon. Regular content digestion is impaired. Bandwidth limitation can happen for several reasons. Some of the common ones include:
- Data Cap (you’ve reached your monthly limit)
- Congestion (times of heavy traffic usually between 7 and 11 p.m.)
Today’s video streaming platforms, online gaming, and P2P services can put a heavy load on the bandwidth. As a consequence, this can provoke ISP interventions that result in slower connection speed. VPNs encrypt our data and redirect it to a remote server. Thus, the ISP is unaware of the ongoing traffic. The most viable use-case scenario for a VPN is to avoid throttling caused by congestion. We can choose a different network for the traffic to move on, logically a less congested one than the ISP provides.
Learn More: It’s Time to Rethink VPN Service for Post Pandemic World
5. Covering Tracks Online
When it comes to leaving a trace online, VPNs are not the absolute solution. But as we mentioned before, connection to the provider’s servers encrypts our data, scrambles it, and makes it unreadable. Additionally, our IP address changes, repelling potential eavesdroppers. Alongside other measures, a carefully chosen private network might prove a valuable weapon of choice in your arsenal. Keep in mind that an ISP can identify traffic under the cloak of a VPN. This can be determined by:
- DPI (Deep packet inspection, China we see you)
- Port number (VPNs use specific port numbers)
Using a no-log policy VPN is of high importance. We wouldn’t want our precious data to be kept in records that can later be sold to third-parties.
Final Thoughts Â
It is safe to say that VPNs can improve everyday internet activity. I would especially like to emphasize the utility when conducting remote work and strongly advise using it when accessing public Wi-Fi. However, precaution is necessary as VPNs are not a cookie-cutter solution. For more nuanced use-cases, additional research is more than welcome.
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