VPN - What is it actually good for? Link to heading

According to VPN providers’ ads, a VPN solves everything: it protects you from hackers, makes you anonymous online, and keeps all your data secure. The reality is more nuanced. A VPN is a useful tool, but only if you know what it’s actually for.

What is a VPN? Link to heading

A VPN (Virtual Private Network) is an encrypted tunnel between your device and a remote server. Traffic passes through this tunnel and exits onto the public internet via the VPN server’s IP address, so the website you visit won’t see your private IP address.

Two things happen at once:

  1. Your internet service provider cannot see which websites you visit
  2. The websites you visit see the VPN server’s IP address, not yours

What is a VPN good for? Link to heading

On public Wi-Fi: it encrypts your traffic, so attackers on the network cannot read the data being transmitted. This is one of the best uses for a VPN.

Hiding traffic from your ISP: Your ISP cannot see the websites you visit, it only sees that you are using a VPN.

Bypassing geo-blocks: to access content available in other countries - country-restricted streaming and region-restricted websites can be bypassed this way.

Hiding your IP address on the websites you visit: the websites see the VPN server’s IP address.

What a VPN is NOT good for? Link to heading

This is the part that ads leave out.

It doesn’t make you anonymous. If you’re logged into a Google or Facebook account, a VPN doesn’t change the fact that these companies are tracking your activity.

It doesn’t protect against cookies and fingerprinting. Tracking techniques work regardless of your IP address.

It doesn’t protect against malware. A VPN operates at the network layer; if you download something that infects your computer, the VPN won’t do anything.

It does not make your traffic completely invisible. The VPN provider sees all your traffic. It offers no protection against that.

The VPN provider’s trustworthiness Link to heading

This is the key issue. When you use a VPN, you transfer your trust from your internet service provider to the VPN provider. If the VPN provider logs and sells your data, or hands it over to authorities, then you’ve gained nothing.

What to look for:

  • No-log policy: they don’t log anything. Ideally verified by an independent audit
  • Open source: the application’s code is verifiable
  • Location: some jurisdictions require data retention

Reliable, audited options: Mullvad, ProtonVPN. It’s best to avoid free VPNs. If the service is free, your data is the product.

Summary Link to heading

A VPN is a useful but often misunderstood tool. It does indeed help protect your data on public networks and from your ISP. However, it does not provide complete anonymity, protection against malware, or the ability to block trackers. It’s best to use one with a reliable provider and realistic expectations.

This article is part of a series aimed at explaining the basics of online security in simple terms.