IAPS Security and any other security company would advise a VPN service as the best computer security upgrade. It is so basic and vital these days that it is included on computer settings along with firewalls and other security features that we take for granted. What we need now, IAPS Security says, is to get VPN technology to become as recognized and popular as anti-virus options for user security.

Using VPN Technology Does Not Have to Be Hard

The first hurdle we face is understanding VPN technology, at least as far as what it does and how it works. IAPS Security explains that any security technology is complex at its core, but security companies work hard to make them user friendly for everyone. VPNs used to be the cutting edge, available only to corporations with large budgets and knowledgeable IT staff. But today, VPN service providers offer simple packages designed for the average user. They don’t need to have IT skills to use a VPN service, they just need to install a bit of software that manages itself.

Simply put, a VPN, or virtual private network, is a private connection between a user and a secure VPN server that protects data sent over the Internet. Wherever you are, wherever you need to connect, a VPN gives you safe passage through the hacker and snooper-infested World Wide Web. Especially when you use public WiFi, you are vulnerable to attacks from people who want to steal your data.

First, the VPN creates a private tunnel where your data will be shielded from view. It furthermore encrypts the data so that it cannot be read by anyone other than the intended recipient. Then, the VPN takes your traffic to one of its servers where it is given another IP address. This new IP address anonymizes your traffic so that when it goes over the Internet to the website or service you connect to, no one will know that it is you who sent it. You cannot be tracked and monitored, so your browsing, personal information, financial transactions and more are safe.

VPNs and Secure Financial Transactions

According to recent research by IAPS Security, a lot of people are not worried about having their credit cards stolen. This may come as a surprise to many, but IAPS Security explains that it is because of the safeguards that credit card issuers provide. When a credit card number is stolen and used without permission, all people have to do in most cases is file a report and they get their money back. This is not true for all, however, and can still be a hassle for credit card holders. In any case, it is not a good reason to be careless with financial information, because it weakens economic infrastructure. IAPS Security explains that we all need to be responsible with our financial resources because what we do affects the entire system. Allowing hackers to steal because the credit card company will pay you back makes it easier and more attractive for thieves to continue stealing.

Just like you wouldn’t send someone cash through the mail, IAPS Security analogizes, don’t send online payments without a VPN. Sending a check is more secure because it must be cashed by only the person you sent it to. In the same way, a VPN gives you that security option by making it harder for just anyone to intercept and take your payment – or any other information for that matter. And even if someone with a lot of time and tools does intercept it, they can’t easily decipher what they stole.