As with many things in life, lacking proper security can be detrimental. Whether it be having locks on your doors, putting your money inside a bank, or even creating a passcode on your phone, most people want to create a barrier that allows them to feel protected. A VPN is a virtual private network that allows users to safely communicate removing the fear of data being secretly recorded. With stolen data being reported against companies more often than not, it would be expected for everyone to use VPNs, though that is not the case. People don’t acknowledge the risks until they are affected. With that being said, here are the risks of not having a VPN:
1. IP Address Exposure:
Without a VPN, your IP will be exposed in broad daylight: any site you visit will be able to access your IP address. Of course, you might want to ask: Why would I want to hide my IP?
Well, your IP address says a lot about you: it reveals your location, your identity, and your activity, allowing other parties to control your online experience. Anyone with access to your public IP address will be able to figure out your physical location very easily, which could be VERY dangerous. Also, each device you carry has its own unique IP address, which can be then used to identify the device, tracking back to its owner. Any website or service with an access to the IP address will be able to link specific activities on that device with the person using it, resulting in a serious privacy leak. Moreover, your browser’s history is recorded on most servers, and anyone with access to that server, with your IP address, will be able get your location, browsing history, account information, and even passwords to all of your web accounts.
2. Government Censorship:
If you happen to live a country such as China, where the government censors Internet traffic, then a VPN is almost always necessary: you want to protect your privacy from internet censors and you want to access blocked sites.
3. Hacking of your private information:
If you are using a public Wi-Fi, then hackers can potentially intercept your private information (bank accounts, passwords, IDs) easily, resulting in a serious privacy leak.
VPNs need to become essential when using the internet in order to keep everyone safe and secured. Without a VPN you are more likely to be harmed in one of the ways listed or another. Being so easily accessible, it is unclear as to why more people do not have a VPN, but hopefully, as we approach the near future, everyone will be protected and data breaching will become extinct.