Over half of us still don’t use a VPN when connecting to public Wi-Fi
Don’t put your privacy at risk during your Christmas travels
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With Christmas just a stone’s throw away, it has been estimated thatover 113 million travelersare getting ready to set out for their holiday destination – and that’s just in the US! Even more are expected to be on the move around the rest of the world.
Traveling often means passing long hours waiting around an airport or station, in a car, or on a plane, ferry or train. People are then more likely to connect to public Wi-Fi to stream media, watchYouTubevideos or scroll on their social media feed without eating up all their data. That’s where one of thebest VPNservices comes handy and is a must this holiday season.
AVPNis software that spoofs your real IP address, while encrypting all the data leaving your device. This means that hackers looking to exploit a public connection to intrude into your smartphone, tablet or laptop will be hindered to do so.
Sadly, a recent survey shows that most people arestillnot using such security software when connecting on a risky Wi-Fi. Keep reading as we explain everything you need to know in more detail.
41% of respondents don’t use a VPN at all
Ask any IT or cybersecurity expert, and you are likely to get the same answer: the era when justbusiness VPNswere a necessity is long gone. Under the current digital landscape, every user needs to use asecure VPNto protect their online life. And, that’s especially true for those regularly connecting to open internet hotspots.
Unfortunately, it turns out that most of us arestillnot following this important privacy-friendly practice.
In a recentsurvey conducted on 1,000 American usersaged 18 or older, more than half respondents (56%) said that they are not using a VPN when accessing public Wi-Fi. Even worse, 41% don’t use such security software at all.
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Free VPNs are on the rise, but so are the risks for your privacy>Discover how to prevent phone hacking and remove intruders from your device>Our pick of the best privacy tools in 2022
While the danger is looming all year round, the risks get even higher during the holiday season as people are more likely to access the internet from different countries and/or public networks.
That’s why cybersecurity firmLookoutbehind security, privacy, and identity theft protection solutions like itsantivirussoftwareLookout Security, put together a list of the most common risks for travelers to keep in mind if you’re on the move this festive season.
Here are the main takeaways:
How a VPN can help
Short for virtual private network, a VPN is a security software that hides yourIP addresslocation while securing your data inside an encryptedVPN tunnel.
As we mentioned above, public Wi-Fi can easily be exploited by malicious actors looking to steal your data. By simply downloading and switching on your VPN, you’ll create a layer of protection around your most sensitive information. Then you can just relax during your vacation time without being worried about your privacy.
Reliable VPN services are also essential forbrowsing the web anonymouslyin any circumstances and preventing nosy governments and malicious actors from accessing your data. That’s something to keep in mind if you’re heading on holiday to a country with invasive surveillance practices in place.
You should then look out for features like a strictno-logs policy, strong encryption protocols and additional security options likekill switchandsplit tunneling.
As for how it works, a VPN is the perfect tool for accessing blocked social media platforms, apps and websites. That’s also really handy to keep up with your favorite TV shows when abroad or, again, to bypass the strict online censorship that some countries enforced within their borders.
It’s worth noting that authoritarian governments mightblock VPNusage. This makes it vital, even for travelers visiting such nations, to opt for a service integrated withobfuscation technologyto evade these blocks.
Chiara is a multimedia journalist committed to covering stories to help promote the rights and denounce the abuses of the digital side of life—wherever cybersecurity, markets and politics tangle up.She mainly writes news, interviews and analysis on data privacy, online censorship, digital rights, cybercrime, and security software, with a special focus on VPNs, for TechRadar Pro, TechRadar and Tom’s Guide. Got a story, tip-off or something tech-interesting to say? Reach out to chiara.castro@futurenet.com
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