Since the beginning of time, humans have sought out new ways to make their lives easier. Early man invented simple tools to help him survive. Modern man invented the internet. It is arguably one of the most useful tools ever created because it can be used for practically every aspect of our lives and we are increasingly able to use it whenever and wherever we want. But, while this limitless abyss of information and interconnectivity can give us great power, it also makes us more vulnerable to data theft. How can we continue to get the benefits of the internet without the drawback of weak cybersecurity?
Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) may be the answer.
A VPN acts like a secure tunnel between your computer or electronic device and the internet connection you’re using. It hides your IP address, making you appear anonymous online. The location of your ISP server is changed to that of the VPN server. “A VPN allows remote users to securely connect to a private server from any location. For example, employees on the road or working from home can use VPNs to securely connect to the office network from their laptops. And large companies with offices spanning multiple locations use VPNs to ensure a secure and universal network for all office sites.” (Tom’s Guide)
Benefits of VPN
Using a VPN, you can safely access your business or home network while travelling, hide your browsing activity, download content safely, and also access geo-blocked websites (like Netflix when you’re traveling overseas).
“With a VPN service, a middleman is slotted in between your computer and the Internet. This middleman is actually a physical server, controlled by the VPN provider, and identified by its own IP address.
With a VPN connection enabled, all of the traffic between your computer and the VPN server is automatically encrypted. Anyone viewing your traffic now, will see strings of unintelligible text, numbers and symbols. The identity of the sites you request and the content you submit are essentially private.
The encryption of traffic to and from your computer makes VPNs an absolutely essential tool to use when logging on to Wi-Fi hotspots offered at shops, hotels, airports and other public places… these networks are inherently unsafe and make ridiculously easy targets for hackers.” (Forbes)
Protect Your Information
It is important that you protect yourself against data theft, whether you are a business or an individual. With great power comes great responsibility, and it is up to individual users to exercise care when using a tool as powerful as the internet. Check out this infographic for some eye-opening cybersecurity statistics.
At Great Lakes Computer, we place tremendous value on data security. We offer a variety of services that provide our clients with the tools they need to protect their valuable information including backup and recovery, cloud computing, antivirus and antimalware, and network management. If you’re interested in broadening your cyber defenses, call us.