What is a VPN?
A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a technology that creates a secure, encrypted tunnel between a device and a remote server, masking the user’s IP address and protecting data from interception. It is widely used for privacy enhancement, bypassing geo-restrictions, and securing public Wi-Fi connections.
How Does a VPN Work?
- Encryption:
- User data is encrypted (e.g., via AES-256) before leaving the device.
- Without the decryption key, intercepted data appears as gibberish.
- Tunneling:
- Encrypted data is routed through a “tunnel” to a VPN server.
- The server decrypts the data and forwards it to the target website/service.
- IP Masking:
- The destination server sees the VPN server’s IP, not the user’s real IP.
VPN Protocols
| Protocol | Encryption Strength | Speed | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| OpenVPN | High (AES-256) | Moderate | General-purpose, balanced security/speed |
| WireGuard | High (ChaCha20) | Very Fast | Modern, lightweight setups |
| IKEv2/IPsec | High | Fast | Mobile devices (stable reconnection) |
| L2TP/IPsec | Moderate | Slow | Legacy systems (deprecated for sensitive tasks) |
| PPTP | Weak | Fast | Obsolete (vulnerable to attacks) |
Advantages of VPNs
✔ Privacy: Hides browsing activity from ISPs/governments.
✔ Security: Protects against MITM attacks on public Wi-Fi.
✔ Geo-Unblocking: Accesses region-locked content (e.g., streaming).
✔ Censorship Bypass: Evades internet restrictions in authoritarian regions.
Disadvantages of VPNs
✖ Speed Loss: Encryption/rerouting adds latency.
✖ Trust Dependency: Requires trusting the VPN provider’s no-logs policy.
✖ Blockability: Some services (e.g., Netflix) block VPN IP ranges.
✖ Complexity: Weak configurations may leak IP/DNS.
Key Technical Terms
- Kill Switch: Blocks all traffic if the VPN disconnects unexpectedly.
- Split Tunneling: Allows selective traffic routing (e.g., only browser traffic via VPN).
- DNS Leak Protection: Ensures DNS queries are also encrypted.
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