What is VPN

In simple terms, a VPN (Virtual Private Network) can be defined as a Secure connection to a Public Network, such as the Internet or a secure connection to a private Network (Corporations, Govt. Organizations).

In-fact, the VPN technology was originally developed to provide secure access to networks owned by corporations, Universities, Schools and Government agencies. This was specifically designed to allow remote workers to access and make use of resources owned by corporations and agencies over a secure network.

Although VPN is still being used to provide Secure connection to Private or Corporate Networks, VPN technology has now become common place and is within the reach of any user interested in his/her privacy and security while browsing the web.

For individual internet users, it is enough to understand that a VPN cloaks and encrypts your signal and information, making your online activities protected and illegible to anyone who tries to intercept your data.

VPN hides and manipulates your IP address, making you appear to be browsing the internet from another machine, location or country.

How Does VPN Work

When you try to access any website on your computer, your machine first connects to your Internet Service Provider (ISP), which then connects you to the website that you are trying to access.

This means that all the data transferred between your computer and the internet passes through the servers of your Internet Service provider (ISP) and it can be easily accessed by your ISP or anyone who manages to intercept your data.

In the case of a VPN, you will be connecting securely to a server run by the VPN provider which will then connect you to the website that you are trying to access.

All the data transfer between your Computer and the VPN server takes place in an encrypted form, making it impossible for your ISP or anyone else to see where you go on the internet and what you do there.

Benefits of Using VPN

Apart from its use by corporations, a VPN is used by individuals for the following purposes

Protection: VPN can protect internet users from Hackers, especially while using Public WiFi Networks. Even if a hacker manages to intercept your data, it will be almost impossible for the hacker to interpret the data as it will be in an encrypted form.

Privacy: VPN hides your activities on the internet activity from your ISP and any other agency which may have its own reasons for monitoring your activity on the internet.

By Pass Censorship: VPN makes it possible to bypass censorship and restrictions placed by Organizations, companies and Countries

Geo Spoofing: VPN allows you to gain access to services that allow access based on Geographical location. For example, a service like Netflix is geo-restricted and its users are known to use VPN to gain access to Netflix while on holidays in a different country.