What is a VPN?

VPN stands for “virtual private network” – a service that encrypts your Internet traffic and protects your online identity.

What does a VPN do?

Typically, when you try to access a website on the internet, you start by connecting to your internet service provider (ISP). They redirect you to any websites (or other online resources) that you wish to visit. All your internet traffic passes through your ISP’s servers, which means they can see and log everything you do online. They may even hand your browsing history over to advertisers, government agencies, and other third parties. Here’s where a VPN comes into play. It redirects your internet traffic through a specially configured remote server. This way, the VPN hides your IP address and encrypts all the data you send or receive. The encrypted data looks like gibberish to anyone who intercepts it — it is impossible to read.

Why do I need a VPN?

Even if you have nothing to hide, you probably don’t like the idea of being watched and tracked. So the main reason why internet users choose VPN services is online privacy and general security. When you browse the internet using a VPN, your communications are encrypted, so your ISP, government, hackers and other third parties are not able to see which websites you visit and cannot interfere with your online activities. Another great thing about a VPN connection is that you can access the global internet wherever you are. A VPN allows you to connect to hundreds of remote servers in different locations, this way bypassing censorship.

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