The number of people using a VPN will reach 1.743 billion by the end of 2024. That’s 40% of all internet users worldwide, which is not a small number. Like anyone suspicious about their privacy and security on public networks, VPN software is necessary.
However, not all VPNs are created equally. Given the spread of misinformation, users are left in the dark, with little sight of how to pick or what makes one VPN better. A useful VPN will hide what the user does online from everyone — including the same VPN. Below are some things you might want to look at:
Technical Security
The VPN providers that are serious about protecting their users and businesses will make it a point to show you how exactly they protect both. The best VPNs come with the most recent and strongest encryption, protocols for different internet use cases, extra security features like kill switches or split tunneling (and may even be DNS leakproof), Tor compatibility, etc. Find services offering AES-256 encryption, OpenVPN support, and a win in the audits performed by an independent agency.
You’ll also want to seek out VPNs that accept unidentified forms of payment, use open-source code where possible, and have a transparent policy for revealing vulnerabilities. Sometimes, a VPN is also subject to IP and DNS leaks. Such leaks are visible and collectible by your provider or anyone who can reach inside your network. This, of course, makes the VPN useless in maintaining your privacy.
All in all, reliable VPN Software uses multiple data protection methods. It will also proactively deliver the most advanced security standards available. Make sure you test your provider for leaks and verify their security.
Privacy Policy
Examining its privacy policy is a critical step in reviewing a VPN. Certainly, with such a wide array of products on demand, some will be less than optimal in their policies. Good VPNs are supposed to have ‘zero logs’ policies where none of your identifying data is retained if implemented correctly. Almost everyone brandishes this term virtually without proof, so knowing whether a provider logs can be tough.
With a secure VPN, only minimal basic connection data will be logged, such as server load, bandwidth usage, or even the location of that particular server. It is used to optimize the delivery of a service but cannot be used for identification purposes. Others do the complete opposite: logging not just originating IP address and DNS requests but a user’s entire online history, i.e., every website visited, all files downloaded, and message contents.
It gets worse because some providers have logging policies that are very ambiguous or straight-up, unnecessarily complex. Many VPN services don’t explicitly state if these policies pertain to activity logs, connection logs, or both. One may even promote zero logs or minimal logs for one kind of data while they continue to log the other types.
You need to know exactly what kind of records your VPN creates and keeps. Search for VPNs that clearly explain their policy in terms of logging and those with a track record of being unable to comply with legal data requests due to this. Please take the time to read your VPN’s privacy policy or use a third party to do so.
Location and Jurisdiction
Another crucial matter, which is often overlooked, involves jurisdiction. Local laws and regulations govern all VPN services. It would be best to be aware of such guidelines and how they may affect your privacy.
Theoretically, if a vendor’s logging process is secure, any jurisdiction would not matter. Every VPN provider should have a well-defined process for handling law enforcement requests irrespective of the no-logging policy. Such processes, including a warrant canary, must be open to the public and any measures implemented by that provider to secure user data should anyone access their servers. Be vigilant about the country where your VPN is located, its legislation, and previous cases of collaboration with law enforcement.
