If you have been around long enough to learn about VPN services, then in all probability you already know what an IP address is. Nonetheless, to be safe, we will risk being a little trite. The IP or the internet protocol fulfills the responsibility of delivering information in the form of packets from one point to another. Each computer or mobile user on the internet has a unique system identifier. According to the IPv4, the IP address is a 32-bit number that looks like this – x.x.x.x where ‘x’ can assume any value between 0 and 225. That is how some of the websites know which country you are logging in from and they do so in spite of your browser being in the incognito mode.
Now that we have it out of the way let us tell you that it is close to impossible to be anonymous on the internet. You may have already heard of rumors about certain government agencies following the online activities of the citizens, which may have prompted you to consider a VPN service. However, you will be disappointed to learn that privacy tools are not fool-proof. Each service has a signifier, and when you connect to the web through services like these, you leave a signature on every site you visit. Sadly, even VPN does not make you anonymous, so do not go snooping around where you aren’t supposed to.
Anonymity vs. privacy: what should be your priority while selecting a VPN service?
Instead of making you completely anonymous, the VPN services to increase your privacy and security to a significant degree. Do not be mistaken. All VPN services do not provide equal protection. You must be very careful about the company you are choosing. A smart way to find a reliable service that actually enhances your privacy and security is by reading the reviews of the potential service providers thoroughly. Check what people are saying about the quality and coverage. We have come across a few unscrupulous companies, who do not provide any added privacy or protection in spite of charging a bomb for their monthly services. Check out https://www.fastestvpnguide.com/ for a complete guide to the fastest VPN services suitable for you.
You might want to mope and give up hope because you have just learned that there isn’t a single way to protect your anonymity on the web. However, think of the silver lining. When you opt for the services of a responsible VPN company, you can enjoy exclusive personal data control. In a world of digital data leaks and information abuse, being able to control the visibility and access of personal data is a considerable achievement. All kinds of genuine VPN providers have several sets of tools that protect the personal details of a web user from the hyper-surveillance of the government and the deputized agencies of the countries. They do so by encrypting messages on both ends, but they do not remove or hide the signatures.
Are you sure your current VPN service does not store your personal data?
Most importantly, many users of leading VPN services believe that their service provider does not log any of their internet activities. In reality, several “anonymous browsing” services keep a (real-time) record of the places you are visiting and the stuff you are buying. Using Cookies and cache, many services record details like your IP address, the unique ID of your system and the applications or OSx you are using right now. The lack of any contractual agreement between the provider and consumer means that the seller can quickly hand the information over to the government or deputized personnel in the event of an ongoing investigation or inquiry. You can also think of it this way – unless they are committing to not recording any of your browsing information, they are doing half of the government’s work by keeping a spic and span record of activities.
Here, we will let you in on an industry secret – there is no way an extremely busy server can run on a cloud or shared server infrastructure without any logs. Most of the VPN providers do not own their servers but rent them from other proprietors. Therefore, assuming control over the real estate is very difficult, unless they have the latest technologies, relevant talents and enough resources. So, even if you are using a “no logging” VPN service, the real power might rest with the real estate owner. When a challenging situation arrives, these newbie server owners are least likely to uphold the right to privacy of the user. That raises several questions about protection from DDoS attacks, botnet intrusions, malware attacks and backdoor entry to the hosted server. Only the old players are popular for respecting the privacy of their clients and, sometimes, for possessing their own servers for VPN services.
Why is little data logging not always bad?
That might lead you to believe that any amount of data that these VPN service providers log is terrible for you and your reputation. In reality, that isn’t the case. Sometimes, VPN providers have to register little morsels of data from the user’s activity to improve the user experience. It is not about how much data they collect; it is about what kind of data they manage and the duration of the curation. Large companies should only collect enough data that can help them enhance their UX and should hold it for as long as they need it. They should not think of data as a commodity. Here’s how minimal logging by a trusted VPN service can help you right now –
- Increase the speed of connection and improving performance by optimization of network connections.
- Introduction of several accounts, packages, and pricing to enable all types of clients and customers to use these services.
- Personalizing troubleshooting processes for each customer depending on personal user issues and application problems.
- Complete protection from malware activity, phishing scams, DDoS attacks and port scanners based on their history of use.
- Additionally, the VPN service can eliminate all malicious users, so the other users remain safe, and their privacy remains secure.
Most of the reliable and reputable VPN service providers keep the client’s IP address, ISP details, connection timing and durations, and the total number of bytes for about 30 days. Always ensure that your VPN provider is not accessing or logging the messages, website details from visits and your location.
Why should you premeditate for choosing a VPN service?
One of the biggest follies you can commit is choosing a VPN server randomly. The fastest VPN provider is not always going to be the best. The one claiming to provide complete anonymity is not the best. So, how do you find the server that will suit all your needs?
Multiple VPN products have DNS vulnerabilities and IPv6 leakages. Here, you must note that only those VPN servers that run through an IPv6 connection are actually in danger of a leak. In fact, check the history of your VPN service provider for instances of DNS server attacks. Some may like to believe that only those companies that have private DNS servers are likely to provide complete protection to their clients. However, that is decidedly not the case. Even with third-party DNS servers, your privacy can be safe depending on the monitoring and logging principles of your VPN provider. There are plenty of trustworthy, high-speed providers who log information about clients, but they do not open personal details to sharing.
What is worse than picking a random provider during your hour of need?
It is choosing Tor because you believe that it is better than VPN in protecting your privacy. In reality, several blogs on Tor from Tor experts state that it cannot solve anonymity challenges at all. It is not very user-friendly. The user interface is not intuitive at all, and it is slow! There have been several scandals, investigations, and researches regarding Tor and its anonymity practices. Almost all web experts criticize the usability of it as a privacy protection and anonymity reinforcement tool. Landing on the hands of the wrong people, losing your data or ending up with a botnet is very easy with this option if you do not have any idea about what you are doing.
Endnote
Take some time and reconsider your VPN options before you commit. You will surely find several providers that believe in the open internet for all users and all devices. Your provider should also consider the conservation of user privacy and should not be keen on logging your activity details for a very long time on their site. Check out their privacy policies or privacy design to learn about their priorities. Look for one that has a transparent pricing plan. That will help you enjoy higher connectivity speeds, secure connections across all websites and better privacy options on all devices. A reliable service always reinvents itself and revisits its privacy policies for safeguarding the interest of its users.
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