VPN: Definition, How it Works, and Its Benefits

The more digital activities you do, the more your sensitive data will be exposed on the internet and fall into the hands of irresponsible people. 

To overcome this, you can use a VPN (Virtual Private Network). 

What is a VPN, and how can it protect you online? See the full explanation in this article. 

{jistoc} $title={Table of Contents}

What is a VPN?

VPN is a technology that can protect you while surfing the internet. The trick is to encrypt internet traffic and hide the IP address that acts as your online identity.

In addition, a VPN also prevents you from leaving traces on the internet, such as search history and cookies. 

So, you are protected from third parties who want to steal important data such as credit card numbers, marketplace passwords, bank account details, etc.  

In addition to security, VPNs are also often used to access content restricted by geographical rules. For example, Nigerian internet users can access internet content from the United States territory.

A Brief History of the Creation of VPN

The project to create a VPN was first started in the 1960s with the involvement of the United States Department of Defense. 

The project then produced a technology called TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol). TCP/IP consists of 4 layers which are link, internet, transport, and application. 

At the internet layer, local networks and computer devices must be connected to a universal network. During the process of connecting to the network, a person's online identity can be clearly exposed to the internet. 

So in 1993, a team from Columbia University and AT&T Bells Lab created the first version of VPN known as swIPe or software IP encryption protocol. 

As the internet became more popular for commercial use by the general public, internet users and companies requested software that could be used to hide their browsing history from the internet.

As a result, in the early 2000s, VPNs were developed and were solely used by companies to protect the security of their data.

In 2010, VPNs began to be used by the general public, and the number of users increased significantly in 2016 and 2018.

How VPN Works

The way a VPN works is called tunneling, where it will form a special tunnel (virtual secure tunnel) in the main internet network. 

1. First, a special tunnel will be used to send all internet traffic from your computer device. 
2. To ensure that the dedicated tunnel is completely secure, the VPN client and the VPN server will encrypt your online data in real time using a shared key. This encryption process makes any data you send through a special tunnel unreadable by your ISP (Internet Service Provider) and other third parties.
3. When the data has passed through the internet network and reaches its destination, the data is then rearranged into readable content. 

VPN Types

Broadly speaking, VPNs are grouped into 3 types, they are:

1. SSL VPN

SSL VPN is widely used by companies to allow employees to access the company network remotely. This type of SSL does not require the installation of VPN client software on the end-user computer.

To use an SSL VPN, the browser must be able to access the HTML5, which is used to load the corporate login page. From the login page, the user must enter the specified username and password.    

2. Site-to-site VPN

A site-to-site VPN is a private connection designed to hide the intranet and allow other end-users of this VPN to access each other's resources. 

Usually, this type of VPN is used by large companies with many branch offices to facilitate communication between departments.

This type of VPN is also often referred to as a router-to-router VPN. 

3. Client-to-server VPN

Client-to-server VPN allows users to connect directly to the provider's VPN server rather than going through the ISP first. This makes the virtual secure tunnel phase shorter.

This type of VPN can be used to access sites that are blocked or censored by ISPs. 

To use a client-to-server VPN, you must first install a VPN client and configure it. 

Benefits of Using VPN

Here are the benefits you will get when using a VPN:

1. Protects Every Data Exchange Process

Any kind of data exchange will be instantly encrypted by the VPN. 

Data can only be read by end-users who have access to the VPN network or have an encryption key. 

Without an encryption key, it can take millions of years for a computer to be able to decipher the encrypted data, even if it manages to perform a brute-force attack.  

2. Protecting Data in Public Networks

When using a public network, your data is vulnerable to being snooped and taken by third parties. 

VPN will protect data exchange carried out on public networks such as cafe Wi-Fi, libraries, offices, etc.

3. Access the Internet Anonymously

With a real-time encryption process, VPN can make you surf the internet without being recognized. Only the IP address and server location of the VPN provider you are using can be detected.

4. Bypassing Regional Restrictions

The content of a site subject to regional restriction rules will be inaccessible to internet users outside the designated area.

VPN is a technology that has a location spoofing feature that can be used to change your location so that you appear to be in a region with access to a site that has regional restrictions.

Conclusion

VPN is a technology that can hide all your Internet activities by masking the IP address of your computer device. 

You can also use it to bypass various restrictions when you want to access a site. But keep in mind that it also has several drawbacks, which include:

• Slower connection
• Unstable connection 
• Difficult manual configuration
• Usage limit, etc. 

Some free VPNs are prone to piracy and data theft. Therefore, it is recommended to be careful and observant when choosing a VPN provider. 

Make sure you use a provider with a good reputation, both for paid and free services.