When we talk about the open net, most people think we mean some kind of internet where everything is open. This couldn’t possibly be the internet that we connect to. If this is you, then you are about to get a newsflash right here and now. The open web is the internet. A public network that we all use to connect to other computers, applications, and most commonly the World Wide Web. The open web is a vast network of computers and within the network, there have always been the hackers prying around looking for weakness hence VPNs have now become so popular.
Now we are going to cover some well-known facts before we continue to just how VPNs prevent security risks on the open net. However, although well-known, not everyone thinks about these facts, so here we go.
- You can be forgiven for thinking the internet and the World Wide Web were the same thing. However, they are both different.
- The internet is the physical connection (or wireless) of computers/nodes/devices. This could be a wireless router, satellite, or gateway.
- The World Wide Web is a group of computers/nodes/devices connected to the internet’s physical infrastructure and uses the HTTP protocol so we can ask for web pages via a web browser.
- There are lots of other networks that use the internet to transmit data. These networks do not use the HTTP protocol. They could be a blockchain ecosystem, cryptocurrency ecosystem, the dark web, and so on.
- Hackers are not only cyber criminals; we also think that the government agencies that invade our privacy are also hackers. Yes, governments need this kind of invasive access because there is so much wrong with this world, but nonetheless, they are still hacking us.
Now you have some idea of what happens simply by being connected to the web, you can now start to understand how having this knowledge would trigger someone (a VPN software tool) to create a private encrypted tunnel that basically shuts out hackers or prying eyes. At the same time, you can understand the people that will buy this software because all they want to do is have some privacy.
Basically, VPNs stop hackers from getting into your connection. If the hacker was able to break into the connection on the web you are using, and you happen to be using a VPN, then the hacker would only find his/her way to a VPN server. That server will be armed with security software and high-tech firewalls used by the VPN company and the hacker sent on his or her way.
You may have noticed that one of the best, and also most satisfying, aspects of using a VPN is the fact that the VPN software companies are using sophisticated tech to protect their own servers. Now we are talking about tens of thousands of dollars worth of firewalls, intruder detection, and software that someone at home who simply wants to browse the Web in private is not going to invest in and probably couldn’t afford such an investment.
Maybe you simply want to download music or films in private using a torrentz2, or you want to stream movies, or even a sports channel that is not exactly on the books – you know what I mean. These sources of information and downloads are not the most trustworthy and are often set up by hackers looking to expose those that are willing to connect to a website for a long period of time giving the hacker a chance to crack your machine and steal data.
As a result of owning a VPN, you reduce all these risks. And what’s more is that via your VPN software, you are getting all that security paid for by the VPN software company while only paying a small monthly payment. It is incredible what the VPN companies have done to help people stay private, prevent hackers, and freely roam the World Wide Web, all at such a low monthly price that literally anyone can afford!
