How safe is your data when you’re online at Starbucks?
Any time we log onto a public network in a library, a coffee shop, an airport or hotel, we’re putting our data at risk. Anything we send out can be captured by a nefarious stranger bent on misusing it. A Personal VPN prevents much of this malfeasance by encrypting everything before it goes hits the public airwaves.
Here, according to Lifehacker, is how a VPN works:
When you connect to a VPN, you usually launch a VPN client on your computer (or click a link on a special website), log in with your credentials, and your computer exchanges trusted keys with a far away server. Once both computers have verified each other as authentic, all of your internet communication is encrypted and secured from eavesdropping.
The most important thing you need to know about a VPN: It secures your computer’s internet connection to guarantee that all of the data you’re sending and receiving is encrypted and secured from prying eyes.
There are many free and paid VPN services available. I’ve been using Witopia for about three years. It’s easy to download, easy to engage, and works on a variety of devices. The first thing I do when I log onto a public network is turn on the VPN — it takes an extra 15 seconds, and is a reflex now.
Downsides: a VPN can cost some money (Witopia charges $50-$70 per year, with a license usable on two devices at once), and can occasionally slow down a network. It can be a pain in the butt sometimes on an already-slow hotel internet connection.
Having said that, the pain and expense of a data breach — somebody getting your passwords, credit card info, or Social Security Number, for example — are exponentially greater than what it takes to protect yourself. If you spend any time at all on public networks, a VPN is a no-brainer.
Question: What tools do you use to protect your sensitive information? You can leave a comment by clicking here.
Please note: I reserve the right to delete comments that are offensive or off-topic.