Since connection to the Internet is becoming more accessible, new challenges emerge. Working online, you can face digital surveillance, strict monitoring, and even censorship, if you are a blogger. Digital theft and information leaking are another problem that should make you be more aware of your security and privacy issues when online.
That is why, when reputable Internet users, bloggers, and online reporters are still discussing the practical value of VPNs for security matters, it sounds rather unreasonable. This article explains the real role of VPNs in keeping blogs and websites private and protected, and why bloggers will always benefit from this technology.
What a VPN Is
A VPN (Virtual Private Network) is a system that connects servers all around the world. A VPN virtual server gives you an IP address available for the country where this server has its hosting.
No matter from which country you connect to the Internet, your device communicates with other servers all around, so security issues can happen very often since you do not know for sure whether you linked to the reputable server or not.
One more problem is that servers store the digital content which you want to access, and by connecting to them your data and private information are exposed to some challenges. They may be recorded by your ISP (Internet Service Provider), governmental agencies as well as by hackers. By using VPNs, your connection and all your activity online become as secure and private as possible.
How VPN works?
In fact, a VPN works as a middle man. Your data is encrypted, and your ISP cannot access now to what you are doing. Any of your connections is sent to a VPN server first. It works as a secured tunnel, and your online traffic comes out of this tunnel with a new IP address, and it is already linked to the service providers. This tunnel works both ways, so anything that you are viewing or downloading has also gone through this encryption process.
That makes using VPNs a very secure browsing way. Even if by entering some suspicious site, you let someone else view your data, the encryption codes will not allow hackers to make any sense of your information. It simply becomes unreadable. Your data looks as a random choice of numbers. It is done by the VPN client for the device you are using to set this secured connection.
There are different types of encryption used, and many kinds of security protocols to protect your data.
How VPNs Protect Your Blog
Though most often used for business purposes and companies’ needs, VPNs can effectively be utilized by you as a blogger. We have regarded already how VPNs work to protect security. Now, let’s consider how relevant they are for blogging activities.
- Your admin credentials are protected. When you log in to the admin area, your credentials become rather vulnerable, and they may be a target for MITM (Man-in-the-Middle) attacks. Blog hijackers can intercept your information, hide or change it as they like.
- No one can access your downloads and uploads. When you have your blog active, you are doing a lot of downloads and uploads, often using torrents. You cannot know whether you deal with legal or illegal files, but you are sure to detest the army of copyright trolls or script kiddies rambling through your traffic and deterring or doctoring it. A VPN client encrypts your data, location, and activities, and this helps protect your blog content.
- Bypassing censorship and firewalls is made possible by VPNs. Very often, when you are doing your research as a blogger, the question of the legality of using the VPNs arises. The matter is that in some countries that have strict censorship laws, for example, China, North Korea, many middle-eastern powers, and even Russia, using VPNs is not allowed.
However, you don’t want that some valuable information and a number of sources you searching for to get washed away from your sight. Depending on your location, some new scientific papers, statistics, documents, music pieces, books, or movies can become inaccessible.
Privacy Protection by VPN
Your school or employer may also want to impose a firewall to protect their data from your accessing your blogger platform. A VPN allows geo-spoofing which cuts through any censorship and firewalls to enable promoting your blog anyway.
- Protecting privacy is the most important VPN benefit. It is a stereotype to think that only dissident writers in totalitarian powers, journalists who investigate crimes, extremists, and terrorists need a VPN because they must protect their identity. Even if you do not have anything to hide, you might have nothing ill-minded intruders would like to see.
When everyone has direct access to surveillance technology including your ISP, ad agencies, Facebook and state-sponsored detectives, copyright spies, and individual hackers, you may even not suspect that your online activities are being snooped and intruded. Sometimes, your ISP may even be entitled to collect and sell your data. By using a VPN, you can keep your personal data and privacy protected even against the Internet service providers.
- Protecting your traffic on public WiFi is a good idea. From time to time, you may rely on public WiFi service to access your blog, especially when you are travelling. When you blog from unsecured Internet providers, hackers attack more often. However, when using VPNs you encrypt your traffic, and all the content and credentials are safe.
How to Choose a Right VPN
There are many VPN providers nowadays. Consider their security protocols, zero-logs policy, and/or encryption techniques to make your choice. You may also consult an expert for the best option. Here are some tips on what to consider first:
- Large server network. Of course, you need unlimited access to online information, so the more servers a VPN client connects, the better. We would like to recommend ExpressVPN or NordVPN since they unite thousands of servers.
- Shared and optimized servers. Optimized servers allow using your VPN client not for some specific purpose only, but for fast torrenting, streaming, accessing some sites and platforms faster and smoother. Shared servers provide a double level of securing because your information passes through an additional encryption tunnel.
- Protection against malware. Connecting to some blacklisted websites may become a problem. Opt for the VPN with more protection against such threats to be used on your router.
- Avoid the limited bandwidth. Check your VPN option for data caps. Some providers can limit your access to information until the next payment. Such bandwidth limits can intrude your streaming activity, so choose a VPN client that allows using as much data as you need.
- Customer support matters. Sometimes, you may come across an issue with the VPN, and you may need your VPN provider’s support. Some providers do not care much about it, so opt for those ones who can offer multiple forms of contact like live chats, emailing, and a user-friendly troubleshooting guide.
Conclusion
All in all, when you are a modern Internet user, a blogger, or an author, a website owner, a researcher, or an online service provider, you need to care much about your online security and privacy. You should not ignore any threats that come along with the convenience and enjoyment of the Internet use.
If you are a blogger, the issues of security and data protection appear to be still more important because your online product is really unique. You want to say something new to your followers, to become famous and recognizable. And, of course, you do not want someone else to steal and use your ideas.
By utilizing a high-quality VPN, you may be sure about your security, safety, and protection, no matter what you are doing online.