VPN is a web server tool that offers security to your information online and also helps you to access blocked websites around the world. They offer a layer of privacy that’s unattainable if you access the web directly through your ISP’s servers.

However, many people do not know what VPN stands for or what it can do for them. We access websites in which they will ask for our data but, you are not sure if those data inputted will be safe and cannot be accessed by a third party. Our information is always vulnerable. But, with the use of a VPN, you can rest assured of safety.

Let’s look at what a VPN connection is and explain how a VPN works.

We can say of a VPN as the security terms that prevents other web users from seeing what you are doing at your own ends. It is like a tunnel with both ends in which one end cannot see what the other end is doing, especially to anyone using a public connection such as in a hotel, airport, or library.

A VPN can be installed on a particular browser, a desktop or laptop, a smartphone, or even a router.

When you connect to the web without a VPN connection, your traffic flows freely and in an unencrypted form from your machine to your ISP’s servers. After which, it moves to servers around the world. Most times, your connection to the web without a VPN is vulnerable to man-in-the-middle attacks, snooping, and other security threats.

But, if you use a VPN, your traffic is encrypted by the VPN app on your computer or smartphone before it even leaves your device(s).

From there, it goes to your ISP’s server, and then to your VPN’s server. When it reaches the VPN server, the traffic is decrypted and passed on to the wider web. It also uses your VPN’s IP address. In many cases, users can choose the location of the VPN server they choose to use.

Types of VPN Protocols:

Different types of VPN protocol exist. Not all providers/servers support all the protocols. Some of the most popular VPN protocols include:

IPsec: Internet Protocol Security (IPsec) was created for use with IPv6. It encrypts traffic by encapsulating an IP packet inside an IPsec packet.
SSL/TLS: Transport Layer Security (SSL/TLS) can tunnel all the traffic on a network through a VPN connection. It is used in the OpenVPN project.
SSH: Secure Shell (SSH) VPNs use tunneling to add security to intra-network links.
SSTP: Microsoft Secure Socket Tunneling Protocol (SSTP) uses Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) tunnels to send traffic via an SSL 3.0 channel.
What Does a VPN Do?

A VPN can perform different functions for many different types of user.

Remote Access:

VPNs first evolved due to the need for people to access networks remotely and securely. Some of the first users were businesses/organizations with multiple branches or off-site employees.

Those original benefits still exist today. Millions of people use a company-provided VPN to access internal networks and servers.

Privacy and Online Security:

Because of the way VPNs work, people were quick to realize that the technology also had colossal privacy and security benefits.

Not all VPNs offer similar features. However, if you use one of the market-leading paid VPN services (like ExpressVPN or CyberGhost), you should benefit from most of the following:

Encryption: Almost all commercial VPN services encrypt your web traffic data. It means your information is inaccessible to any hackers or malicious apps that are snooping on your network data.

Hidden IP Address: To outsiders, your computer appears to have the IP address of the VPN servers. Many companies collect vast amounts of data based on IP addresses, so removing your own address drastically increases your anonymity.

No Logging: Some VPNs will not log any of your browsing data. It means that if a government comes looking for your information, there is nothing to hand over. Be aware, however, not all VPNs dispose of logs, and some have intentionally vague privacy policies.

Websites are frequently blocked on certain networks. For example, your employee might not let people log onto Facebook while in work, your school probably blocks adult content, and in extreme cases, governments have prevented access to some sites across entire countries.

A VPN will let you access any blocked sites. The tunnel we spoke about earlier provides your machine with a way to break through a network’s restrictions and freely access the internet from your VPN server’s location.

Geo-Blocked Content:

The final desirable thing a VPN does is to provide access to geo-blocked sites. It’s a feature that’s especially useful for cord cutters and expats who want to watch video content from their home country.

VPNs that specializes in unlocking geo-blocked content will typically have hundreds of servers in dozens of countries around the world to provide flexibility to users.

(Note: Several leading streaming services theoretically restrict access from VPNs by blocking the known VPN IP address, leading to a never-ending game of cat and mouse.

https://www.scitechinfo.com.ng/blog/2019/02/21/vpn/