In recent years, the world of the web has been the subject of an exponential increase in cyber threats – hackers, malware, ransom ware, phishing and many other malicious devices put the safety of anyone using the internet at risk every day. For this reason it has become very important to acquire both the necessary awareness of this type of threat and, above all, the appropriate tools to contain the risks associated with online browsing. In this regard there is a quick, simple, effective and (often) economic solution – VPNs.
What is VPN and what are the types?
VPN is the acronym of the English phrase Virtual Private Network and describes a technique that allows to make its own activities on the Net – mask the IP address from which you access the Internet. This result is obtained by creating a real private network, accessible only to authorized users. This network is virtual. To be clear, you can distinguish the VPNs in two large categories of use. VPNs are highly appreciated tools, through which it is possible to protect both your connection and disguise your IP address, thus bypassing the regional blocks imposed by some Internet sites. In even simpler terms, a VPN is a system that acts as a link between the user’s computer and the sites used, hiding his identity and protecting incoming and outgoing traffic.
The on-premise VPNs – it is installed and configured on your own network infrastructure or that of the company where you work. This type of VPN, usually installed via a Firewall with VPN support, a router with VPN support or a real VPN server.
The VPN as-a-service – online services through the payment of a periodic fee (usually monthly or yearly), whose main purpose is to conceal your identity masking the IP address and thus allowing him access to the Internet anonymously and securely, avoiding geographical restrictions or other restrictions related to IP and / or country of origin.
List of 5 Best Free VPN 2019
| VPN NAME | HOW TO INSTALL |
| Tunnel bear | Tunnel bear is one of the most attentive to privacy. Its main limit is related to data, which cannot exceed 500 MB per month. Apps are available for Windows, Mac, and iOS and android. |
| Cyber Ghost | Cyber Ghost is a VPN service focused on privacy, with a free version that offers all the features of a paid VPN service. Apps are available for Windows, Mac, and iOS and android. |
| Hotspot Shield | Hotspot Shield is a freemium provider that has improved its privacy protection procedures with 256-bit encryption. Apps are available for Windows, Mac, and iOS and android. |
| Better net | One of the most popular free VPNs. There is no limit on bandwidth or data. The applications are available for Mac, Windows, and iOS and android. |
| Spot flux | Spot flux has 128 bit SSL encryption, but only if you use a web browser. Apps are available for Windows, Mac-OS, iOS and android. |
How VPN connects and how to choose one?
Due to this lack of security, with the spread of the Internet, it was necessary to apply additional measures. Secure VPNs are therefore born, the virtual private networks that guarantee data protection by creating a tunnel between the two nodes of the network. The user receives the information necessary to connect to the VPN service purchased or to which he must connect – this information normally includes both the access credentials (in the form of username + password, token and / or certificates) and the data to perform the connection, as the IP address of the VPN server to connect to.
Cost – you must know that both free and paid VPNs are there. With regard to free VPNs, make sure that the quality of the service offered is appropriate to the proposed price.
Information collection – some VPNs, especially the free ones, collect anonymous information on the operations performed by the user for advertising and / or profiling purposes.
Number of servers – usually, a VPN with few servers does not guarantee a great communication speed. In general, the more servers the VPN offers, the higher the connection performance.
Server location – numerous VPN services offer servers located in many parts of the world, to ensure that the IP address displayed externally can be changed if necessary.