What is VPN, Purpose of VPN and How it works? [2024 Guide]

A Virtual Private Network, commonly called a VPN, has become an essential tool for internet users in today's digital world, who care about privacy and security.

As more and more of our personal and professional data is stored on the cloud and shared across networks, VPNs have emerged as an essential way to keep sensitive information private and secure.

By creating an encrypted tunnel between your device and the wider internet, a VPN prevents unauthorized access to your online activities and allows you to share data more safely. VPN technology has a variety of uses, from securing your connection to public WiFi to bypassing geographic restrictions on content.

VPN services are also used by businesses to enable remote work and connect employees working from multiple locations. With cyberattacks and data breaches becoming increasingly common, VPNs provide a powerful layer of defense to protect your digital life.

In this informational article, we will explore what exactly a VPN is, why an individual or business might want to use one, and delve into the underlying technology of how VPNs work.

What is a VPN?

A Virtual Private Network, commonly abbreviated as VPN, is a technology that allows you to create a secure, encrypted connection over a less secure network like the public internet. VPNs work by establishing a virtual point-to-point connection through a public network, allowing users to access local network resources from a remote location in a secure way.

Some key characteristics of a VPN include:

• Encrypted connection - All data transmitted over the VPN is encrypted using protocols like SSL and TLS. This prevents third parties from accessing and reading your data.
• Anonymous browsing - By masking your IP address and routing your traffic through an intermediary server, VPNs allow you to browse the internet anonymously. Your online activities are effectively hidden from your internet service provider and network surveillance.
• Access restrictions bypass - VPNs allow you to access websites and apps that may be blocked or restricted based on your geographic location. By connecting through a server in another country, you can bypass these restrictions.
• Remote access - VPNs make it possible to remotely access resources on a local network as if you were physically present. This allows telecommuters and remote workers to access office intranets and internal applications.

What is the Purposes of VPN and its Benefits

There are several important reasons both individuals and businesses turn to VPN services today:

1. Security and Privacy

One of the main appeals of VPNs is the security and privacy they provide online. Creating an encrypted tunnel protects your data from cybercriminals who may be snooping on public Wi-Fi or broad network activity. VPNs employ military-grade encryption protocols to scramble your internet traffic, preventing third parties like your ISP or hackers from tracking your online activities or stealing sensitive information like passwords and credit card numbers. This makes public Wi-Fi hotspots much safer to use.

2. Access Restricted Content

VPNs allow you to override internet censorship and access content blocked in certain countries. By routing your traffic through another country, you can bypass geographic restrictions on streaming sites like Netflix and YouTube, location-restricted apps, and banned websites. This perk has made VPNs very popular among world travellers who want to access their favorite sites abroad.

3. Remote Access

Businesses often use VPNs to provide secure remote access to an office network and internal resources for employees working from home or other locations. Rather than using an insecure public internet connection, employees can use their company VPN to access private apps, databases, and files on the organization's intranet. This allows staff to productively work remotely.

4. Mask Your Location

VPNs can be used to mask your real IP address and physical location. By routing your traffic through an intermediary server in another city or country, you essentially appear to be connecting from that location rather than your actual location. This helps prevent websites, companies, and even government agencies from tracking your location and other identifying details.

5. Avoid Bandwidth Throttling

Some internet service providers will throttle your bandwidth and intentionally slow down your internet speed if you're streaming high-definition videos and downloading large files. By connecting to a VPN server, you can avoid any bandwidth throttling applied to your ISP. This results in faster speeds when using bandwidth-intensive applications.

A Brief History of VPN Technology

The origins of VPN technology trace back to 1996, when the internet was rapidly growing. Early VPN protocols included PPTP and L2TP, though they had security weaknesses. The most popular protocol today is OpenVPN, introduced in 2001, which uses highly secure SSL/TLS encryption.

In the early 2000s, VPN adoption grew among businesses that wanted remote employees to access company networks. In 2017, VPN usage spiked among consumers in response to internet privacy concerns in the US. With the repeal of net neutrality rules, individuals began using VPNs to protect their online activities from their ISPs.

By 2022, VPNs had become mainstream, used by both individuals and businesses alike. New privacy laws like GDPR drove more adoption. According to DataReportal, 27% of internet users worldwide were using VPN services by the end of 2022. And with data breaches becoming commonplace, VPNs are now seen as a necessity for security in the digital world, rather than just a novelty.

Major VPN providers today include ExpressVPN, NordVPN, Surfshark, CyberGhost, and TunnelBear. VPN apps are also built into many antivirus software. With AI and automation advancing quickly, we can expect VPNs to become even smarter and more secure in the coming years.

Different Types of VPN Protocols

There are various protocols that VPN services use to establish encrypted connections. Some key protocols include:

1. PPTP - Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol is a predecessor to modern VPNs but has known security vulnerabilities. However, it is very fast.
2. L2TP/IPsec - Layer 2 Tunnel Protocol paired with IPsec encryption. More secure than PPTP but slower speeds. Used in some business VPNs.
3. SSTP - Secure Socket Tunneling Protocol developed by Microsoft. Provides decent speeds and security. Supported on Windows PCs only.
4. OpenVPN - An open-source protocol using SSL/TLS encryption. Very secure, flexible, and fast. Used by many consumer VPN services. It can run on most devices.
5. WireGuard - A new protocol launched in 2018. Uses state-of-the-art cryptography and is both very secure and very fast. Expected to become popular in enterprise VPNs.
6. IKEv2 - Internet Key Exchange version 2 is a secure protocol supported on Blackberry and Apple devices. Provides good speeds and security.

The protocol a VPN service uses is important to consider when choosing a VPN. OpenVPN and WireGuard are generally recommended today for their excellent balance of security and speed.

Is Using VPN Legal?

Using a VPN is perfectly legal in most countries. Some exceptions include Russia, Turkey, China, Iran, North Korea, Turkmenistan, and Iraq - where VPN use may be partially or fully outlawed.

Companies cannot prohibit employees from using VPNs for personal devices and accounts. However, organizations can ban the use of non-approved VPNs for corporate devices or accounts for security reasons.

While VPN technology itself is legal, there are some controversies surrounding how VPNs are used:

• Copyright Infringement - Downloading copyrighted content through a VPN to hide your IP address may violate anti-piracy laws. Many VPNs block torrenting and P2P traffic.
• Region Locking - Content providers often license media separately by region. Using a VPN to circumvent geo-restrictions and access content not licensed for your country violates terms of service.
• Censorship Circumvention - Countries like China heavily restrict VPN usage to enforce internet censorship and access controls. But most democracies allow VPNs.
• Tax Evasion - Disguising your location via VPN to purchase goods tax-free in another country you don't reside in is illegal.
• Unlawful Access - Using a VPN to disguise your identity and access networks or accounts without authorization violates anti-hacking and cybercrime laws.

Virtual Private Network providers typically cooperate fully with law enforcement investigations. Many VPNs keep minimal usage logs, but some do log IP addresses and session times to aid authorities when required.

It's important to research a VPN's logging policies before signing up. Overall, using a VPN for personal privacy or work is lawful in most jurisdictions. However, be aware that VPN connections may arouse suspicion at national borders.

How VPNs Work in Today's AI-Driven World

In today's digital landscape shaped by artificial intelligence and deep learning, VPNs have become more important than ever for protecting your privacy.

Virtual Private Network levels the playing field, giving individuals privacy over their data. As AI systems analyze increasing amounts of human behaviour, VPNs will be a check against overreach. They provide space for people to explore ideas and be themselves without judgment by AI.

For creators and businesses leveraging AI, VPNs provide security and intellectual property protection. SensitiveAi models and data sets can be accessed safely when travelling or working remotely.

And as more business is conducted online, VPNs will continue securing financial transactions and communication. Workers in the future untethered economy will need VPN protection as they connect to work from anywhere.

While no single technology provides complete privacy, VPNs will likely play an important role in the future of human-AI collaboration. By safely accessing the internet, VPNs help balance transparency with a right to privacy.

Ultimately, VPNs leverage cutting-edge AI to deliver safe, private, and lightning-fast connections on any device. The automated intelligence ensures your VPN tunnel remains encrypted, anonymous, and active at all times. This provides peace of mind that your online activities and information stay protected regardless of how much the world digitizes. VPNs have become an essential tool for all savvy internet users in the AI era.

Conclusion

From securely accessing private work and school networks remotely to encrypting internet traffic and hiding your IP address from spies, VPNs have become a powerful privacy tool for internet users in 2024.

As the internet grows more centralized and controlled, VPNs distribute power back to users. By creating an encrypted tunnel through the public internet, VPNs can prevent ISPs, hackers, and even governments from watching your every move online.

As cybercrime and surveillance capitalize on our ever-growing internet connectivity, VPN services will continue to provide the privacy and anonymity needed for personal and business internet users to feel secure. With an understanding of how VPN protocols and encryption technologies combine to create safe VPN tunnels, you can better see why so many have made the switch to VPNs and how this technology has become an essential component of internet privacy and security in today's world.