What is a VPN?
A VPN is a virtual «tunnel» covering your connection, through which your device is going online. Websites, providers, and services do not see your device’s IP address but the IP address of the VPN server.
The data you send and receive is additionally encrypted for better protection from hackers. A special DNS is used to hide the search history, your IP address and the location of your internet provider.
When is VPN useful?
A VPN is used as an additional layer of privacy, such as:
To protect data sent through unsecured public Wi-Fi networks.
To bypass the blocking of the DPI system, used to provide the Russian «sovereign Internet» — for example, to access Facebook and Instagram.
To hide the IP or the location of the user. This allows access to the resources, blocked by the provider or the resource itself (such as Spotify or Netflix).
To hide your traffic from the Internet provider. This way, the intelligence agencies cannot analyze your traffic, for example, your browser history.
For extra security and better privacy. A VPN protects from the man-in-the-middle cyberattacks when the attacker intercepts and decrypts your traffic. Citizens under surveillance, journalists, and activists from countries with repressive governments may need it the most.
For the safe use of torrents.
Still, it is good to remember that a VPN is not everything one can do for data protection. A VPN does not ensure total privacy: it doesn’t make you completely anonymous and doesn’t guarantee absolute security of your messages, passwords, and bank details.
What can my VPN «see»?
VPN services «see» the same data as your Internet provider:
search history (websites you open, but not the pages on them);
IP-address;
digital footprint of the device, but only if you use a VPN app, not OpenVPN or WireGuard.
A VPN service «sees» data packets, as well as their origin and destination points, because it functions like a provider. A reliable VPN service does not store or analyze your data.
The most important data is not transferred on the Internet openly, it is hashed (converted by using a mathematical algorithm). This makes it hidden from VPN services. In particular, a VPN cannot «see»:
your passwords;
your credit card details;
your messages.
That means that the most important information remains confidential.
When choosing a VPN, it is important to choose wisely. Use only those services that do not keep logs (data of the user’s activity). BlancVPN, for example.
Why BlancVPN?
Providing you with a «tunnel» for safe internet usage, we:
do not keep logs;
meet the GDPR standards;
guarantee minimal delay and speed loss;
ensure anonymity, including cryptocurrency payments;
offer unlimited traffic for any amount of devices;
have gained trust of thousands of users, including journalists and human rights activists (see vpnlove.me).
Why are free VPNs dangerous?
Free VPN services may be dangerous for your privacy. For instance, they:
Can sell your data. Unfortunately, if somebody offers you a free service, you and your data may become objects to trade.
Integrate ads into the websites you visit.
Are slow and laggy.
Read a detailed article What is a VPN and how does it help bypass blocking in our blog!