Can Your VPN Service Get Hacked?
VPNs are advertised as one of the most reliable tools for everyone who wants to protect their privacy online. But, can these useful online sidekicks be hacked and if so, how can this happen? Read this week’s Zlog post and find out.
How does a VPN Work?
Before we get into the details and talk about if and how can a VPN get hacked, it’s important to understand how a VPN works. A VPN protects your network connection by establishing a virtual tunnel through a remote server. This is done through a set of different VPN protocols. Most reputable VPN providers give their users a chance to choose between several protocols, most notably PPTP, L2TP, IKEv2 and OpenVPN.
When you choose a certain protocol, for example PPTP, your readable data is then encrypted according to the standards of the said protocol. Each of the above-mentioned protocols has its strengths and weaknesses, allowing users to pick between performance, speed and safety.
Can a VPN Get Hacked?
Now to the big question – can a VPN get hacked and if so is there anything you can do to prevent this from happening? In theory, yes this can happen, but it’s highly unlikely that it will. Breaking into a VPN would take years to do. It would require extensive resources and is outright not that profitable for hackers unless you’re a really big target.
So, by simply using a VPN, you will fend off most potential attackers as they won’t want to invest the time and money into cracking your device’s encryption. That’s why VPNs are still one of the best and most effective ways of ensuring your online privacy and anonymity. You will always be much better protected if your communication is scrambled and encrypted and your real connecting is masked with a remote server IP address.
Extra Steps You Can Take to Ensure You don’t get Hacked
While we’ve established that there’s a very small chance of your VPN getting hacked, the chances of this increase depending on the things you do or don’t do when online. That’s why we’ll address a couple of things you should be aware of even when using a VPN:
The Websites You Visit
When you use a VPN, your data is encrypted before it reaches the website. But, when you open up a website, especially one that doesn’t have an HTTPS connection, your information is once again in the open. This means that if you’re not careful about the sites that you visit, you can easily fall for a phishing scam and get affected with malware. No matter if you use a VPN or not in this case, the hacker can overtake your device and you won’t be able to do much about it.
Your Device
In line with the websites you visit, you should also pay attention to your device. If you install a VPN on a PC or mobile device that’s already infected by a virus or was a target of an attack, the VPN won’t be able to keep you private, because hackers will already have access to your device.
The VPN You Use
Since there are so many options out there, it’s also important to choose a reliable VPN service. You should avoid free VPN services because no matter how enticing they sound, free VPN services come with certain downsides and cannot be compared to premium paid services. If you’re unsure about getting a VPN, some VPNs offer free limited versions of their services, which is a great way to test out the service before purchasing the paid package.
Is a VPN Worth the Monthly Fee?
Since there is a small possibility of getting hacked even when using a VPN, do you even need to use one? While it’s true that the danger is always out there, you will be much more secure if you use a VPN. It brings so many benefits to the table and makes browsing much more secure and private. The less obvious you are, the safer you will be from random hacker attacks.
If you maximize all of the security potential a VPN offers while still using the internet in a smart and careful way, you will remain safe and secure despite any possible unforeseen circumstance. The monthly fees of just a couple of bucks are a bargain if you want to ensure that all of your financial and private data stays safe and far away from prying eyes. Get a VPN you can trust and make sure you never experience any information leaks or data loss.
- Yaroslav S.CEO at ZoogVPN. Yaroslav is a versatile manager with extensive customer support experience. His historical background and a deep passion for philosophy perfectly complete a real desire to create meaningful content and tech products.
