What is a VPN, and do I need one?

VPN stands for Virtual Private Network. A virtual private network gives you online privacy and anonymity by creating a private network from a public Internet connection.  

How often are you in line at a coffee shop, sitting at a caravan park, at the doctor’s office, or even at the airport and browsing online or reading emails using your 3 or 4G phone or tablet device. 

Unless you have logged into a private network that required a password. Anything you have done during that online session can be eavesdropped on by complete strangers using the same network. 

This is where having a VPN comes in. The encryption and anonymity that a VPN provides protects all of your online activities: sending emails, shopping online, or paying bills. VPNs also help keep your Web browsing anonymous. 

Where can you get one? 

Well most of your Antivirus programs offer a VPN to you. 

Take Norton for example they offer Norton WIFI Privacy, the sensitive data that you send and receive from your device like passwords and credit card numbers is encrypted and converted into an unreadable, untraceable form until it reaches its destination.  

Now of course Norton isn’t the only one who does sell this product. There are many others that can perform the same tasks. 

But it is something to look into if you constantly are using your own internet provided in your phone contract or data limit. Or even free WIFI’s in your area.