VPNs: privacy and security on the network

In the digital age, online privacy and security are crucial issues. VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) have become a popular tool to protect our personal information and keep us safe on the internet. In this article, we will explore what a VPN is, its purpose, types, steps to use a VPN, and some recommendations of the best services available on the market.

What is a VPN

A VPN is a technology that allows you to establish a secure and encrypted connection between a device and a server located elsewhere in the world. When you use a VPN, your data is encrypted and your IP address is hidden, ensuring a high level of privacy and security while you browse the internet. It is important to note that although a VPN offers many advantages in terms of security and privacy, it does not guarantee complete anonymity, as other online tracking methods may still exist. However, it is a valuable tool to increase your security and protect your privacy while browsing the Internet.

What are VPNs for?

VPNs have several important purposes and benefits:

• Privacy : A VPN protects your identity and location by hiding your IP address, making it difficult for third parties to track your online activities.
• Security in public networks: When connecting to a public Wi-Fi network, such as in coffee shops or airports, a VPN protects your data from potential hackers and cybercriminals.
• Access to restricted content: By changing your virtual location through a VPN, you can access geo-blocked content, such as streaming services or websites.
• Avoid censorship: If you are in a country with internet restrictions, a VPN allows you to bypass censorship and access information freely.

Types of VPN

There are several types of VPN, among the most common are:

• Remote Access VPN: It is probably the most used method today and involves users connecting to a company from a remote location (office, home, hotel, airport, etc.), using the Internet as a means of communication. Once authenticated, they will have the same access as they would on the corporate network. 
• Tunneling: A tunneling technique involves encapsulating one network protocol over another to create a tunnel in a computer network. Such tunneling is achieved by encapsulating a PDU (Protocol Data Units) defined in another PDU to carry it from one end of the tunnel to the other without intermediate interpretation of the encapsulated PDU. In this way, data packets are routed over intermediate nodes that cannot clearly see the content of said packets. 
• VPN over LAN: One of the most effective methods is also one of the least known. It is a remote access type, but instead of using the Internet as a means of communication, it uses a company's local area network (LAN). It is used to separate domains and services on the internal network. This feature makes it very easy to configure security devices for wireless (WiFi) networks.
• Point-to-point VPN: This system is used to connect remote offices to the organization's headquarters. A VPN server that has a stable Internet connection accepts website connections for a VPN connection. Branch office servers are typically connected to the Internet via a broadband connection using a local Internet service. This allows you to eliminate costly traditional connections (using cables to connect nodes), especially for international connections. 

Steps on how to use a VPN

The process of using a VPN is simple:

1. Choose a VPN provider: Do your research and select a reliable service that suits your needs.
2. Download and install the app: Follow the provider's instructions to download and install the app on your device.
3. Log in: Open the app and sign in to your account or create a new one if necessary.
4. Connect to the VPN server: Select a server from a desired location and connect the VPN.
5. Browse safely: Now, your connection is encrypted and your IP address hidden, browsing with privacy and security.

Best VPNs

There are many available, but we can highlight these VPNs:

• OpenVPN: In small and medium-sized businesses, as well as at home, OpenVPN is one of the most popular and frequently used VPNs. It is open source and cross-platform (available for Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android and Unix). Different symmetric encryption algorithms can be used over the data channel, but AES-GCM is the most secure.
• WireGuard: The newest VPN protocol is also one of the safest and fastest. Compared to other VPNs like OpenVPN, WireGuard is much simpler to set up, open source, and cross-platform compatible. Its integration into the Linux kernel, which guarantees speed, is one of the key features of WireGuard.
• L2TP/Ipsec: The L2TP protocol does not offer security or authentication, but when combined with IPsec, we can encrypt and authenticate all traffic. Although this protocol supports 256-bit AES encryption and has no known vulnerabilities, it has some minor implementation flaws that affect how operating systems use it. 
• SSTP: Another popular VPN is SSTP (Secure Socket Tunneling Protocol), especially on Windows-based systems. We can use this protocol with Windows authentication to increase security, including authentication with a USB device, because it has been built into all Microsoft operating systems.
• IKEv2 IPsec: IKEv2 is a secure key exchange protocol, it is usually used together with IPsec, so we will always see it as IPsec IKEv2. The main advantages of IKEv2 include its connection speed, native support for Windows 10, iOS and some Android devices such as smartphones, and superior performance compared to other protocols.