It is common today to hear of internet fraud, identity theft and issues arising over privacy laws and the way our personal information is acquired, stored and used even without our permissions or without clearly defined limits as to what this information is to be used for or when it will be completely erased from the system.
The primary concern about privacy is your online identity that is the IP address. When you get connected to the internet, your service provider issues your computer an IP address that is like your personal identity card on the internet. With those with the technology and knowhow it is easy to use this IP address to get all kinds of information about you and to follow your conversations, emails, searches, people you contact and these can be used to produce great detail about your location, personality, ambitions and tastes.
A common occurrence about the issue of privacy on the internet is the use of search engines to look for information. When you use search engines, your IP address is stored along with other data concerning your searches. This information can be used to create a profile on you and in targeting advertising. Where it becomes sinister is when we realize that the top search providers admit to storing this data, but none have admitted to ever completely deleting such information. Now this could be potentially embarrassing or destructive if such information falls into the hands of the unscrupulous people.
The danger doesn't end there!
The danger doesn't end with the search engines. Today with the improvement in networking devices and the development of Wi-Fi, most people are able to surf in restaurants, hospitals, airports and almost from everywhere today, leaving your communication and identity (from your IP address) to anyone with the skills and intent to snoop on your conversations, follow your activity and even obtain your information like credit card information and the necessary codes which may give them access to your savings.
The VPN Solution
Virtual private networks are here to cover the gaps in online security. By now, some people may be thinking; we have antivirus software, antispam and also implement a firewall. Is there a need for any more security measures?
There is definitely a need for more, and VPN is here to fill the gaps. The antivirus software potentially prevents attacks from viruses, antispam takes care of your inbox, and firewalls protect your computer from being hacked. However when you go on a network, once your information has left the protected fortress that you have built around your computer and is moving in cyberspace, it is easy to capture this information by someone with the knowhow and technology.
What the VPN technology does is to take your IP address and protect it from outside users, and then give you a different IP address that cannot be traced to you enabling you to browse freely without fear of being tracked by the sites you visit. They also provide a safe tunnel through the internet within which your information is transferred, protecting it from people that are not authorized to view or read it.
There's more
With the VPN technology you will even be able to overcome censorships in countries that block content based on IP addresses or that use other forms of censorships to prevent users from being able to browse freely. You can get a personal VPN solution from a provider such as Witopia that has servers in well over 30 different countries, offering a global coverage and enabling you to have a strong security for protection and convenience.
Author Resource:
Randy Handyfield is a computer networking consultant who likes to write about VPN and Networking related technologies. If you visit his website VPNreviewz.com you can learn about hide my ass review and hide my ass reviews .
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