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In a world of consistent data breaches and privacy concerns, it is not a surprise that the average web user may want a little additional insulation to that HTTPs connection you are using. The most popular means to accomplish this is the use of a VPN or Virtual Private Network connection. But what exactly is a VPN, why would you want to use one and what are the consequences? In this article, I will break down exactly what a VPN is, what positives you gain from using one and what you might not know about VPNs that might concern you.
A Virtual Private Network consists of a conglomeration of virtual connections that encrypt your data as it travels between your workstation and the destination server or endpoint. This is achieved using several different options and some of these are better than others. For example, the most commonly used protocol for this process is IPSec. IPSec actually leverages several other technologies to encapsulate and encrypt the traffic. Most commonly, ESP is used for encapsulation while encryption can be done using several different options including AES. An older and less optimal option for VPNs is Point to Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP). This has been around for 25 years and works by tunneling data and encapsulating using Cisco's General Routing Encapsulation (GRE). There is no encryption leveraged in this option which makes it less attractive but keep in mind this is still used frequently even today. Another option that can be used for VPNs is Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol which can be used in conjunction with IPSec and is commonly found on Apple products. Another option is SSH which stands for Secure Shell which can be used with a comparable level of security as IPSec but it doesn't scale well in large environments due to need to use SOCKS proxies and the manual configuration required.
The largest and most obvious benefit from VPN usage is privacy. VPNs should send traffic from one endpoint to the other without third parties from viewing the contents. This could be used for anything, be it simply not wanting Big Brother viewing what you are doing to downloading illegal pirated software. What it is used for is entirely up to the end user. Another huge benefit to VPNs are the ability to allow employees to work remotely, something that the modern world requires. Many modern corporations rely on VPNs to allow workers to telecommute and participate in work activities while on the go or from a location away from corporate headquarters. Another use case for VPNs is as a means to spoof your location in an effort to bypass regional content restrictions. This has both positive and negative consequences for end users which I will touch in a moment.
There are many options for VPNs for end users, both paid and unpaid. The most common free to use VPN is OpenVPN while NordVPN, CyberGhost, IPredator and Ivacy are all paid options that can be used for VPN usage. Some of these services offer malware protection and usually have servers all over the world for speed enhancement. I recommend using a VPN whenever possible for home use as it simply provides another layer of security to your online profile.
What's the Catch?
I want to talk about some things with Virtual Private Networks that you might not have considered before. Please keep in mind that it is still better to use a VPN than to not but keep these tips in mind before you choose a solution.
Something that you will want to consider before using a VPN is what country that VPN is actually based in. For example, NordVPN is based in Panama. IPredator is based in Sweden and CyberGhost is based in Romania. The country of origin may have laws that require governmental disclosure or the ability to over ride the VPN provider if a law changes how that country interacts with VPNs. If a government decides it wants to intervene in the private connections of a VPN in the name of national security, the companies who reside there will likely have no choice but to either comply or shut the service down. This has already happened in many countries throughout the world. Russia and China require registration of any VPN provider its citizens use. Iran only allows VPNs that it controls. Most of these countries have governments who wish to limit the volume of information their citizens have for fear of either political unrest or economic disadvantage. These are also the countries that want no part of its citizens leveraging a VPN in the name of regional content restrictions (Iran and China in particular) The key take away here is if you fear the government of the country that your VPN of choice resides in, it might be best to choose one that's either local to your country or based in a stable one.
VPNs can also be created reasonably easily by malicious actors. Just recently an Iran State Sponsored hacking group had its own malicious VPN uncovered. https://www.zdnet.com/article/iranian-hacking-group-built-its-own-vpn-network/
Another disadvantage of VPNs is that in reality, you are passing trust in regards to your privacy from your ISP to whatever VPN service you choose. This could be fine assuming the VPN is being ethical but to be clear, your data isn't 100% private no matter what VPN you choose. Be sure that your corporate network is looking at that data for Data Loss Prevention before it leaves its network. Also be sure that the VPN provider of choice can do the same. This could be done for malware prevention or advertising reasons. It's really up to the VPN you use. Just be aware that a VPN isn't a panacea for all privacy concerns. It is often the lesser of two evils.
Which VPN Service do you use? Do you have a recommendation to others? Let me know in the comments below!
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