Does VPN make you anonymous? The most common myths about VPN
Undoubtedly, cybersecurity is of great importance these days. On the one hand, the Internet offers various content, and you can find whatever you want in a couple of minutes. But on the other hand, it comes with many vulnerabilities, and it means that you have to consider your online security.
That’s why VPN is that popular in digital times. But does this software really work? Can it 100% protect your private information? Are there VPN providers that are absolutely anonymous and transparent? Of course, VPN is a must-have, but it is also a business. All developers try to stand out among their competitors, and they promise you a lot of benefits like anonymous service.
So, we want to share some common VPN myths with you, along with truthful information. It will help you to choose a reliable provider and to protect yourself from hackers.
You can be absolutely anonymous online
Start with what anonymity is to you. If this means no identification or name at all, you should know that this is not possible. Whichever VPN you use, each program has at least some part of your personal data. This does not mean that your personal information will necessarily be disclosed. But it is also impossible to say that identification is impossible.
What can a VPN do? It can increase your privacy while surfing online. It can be compared to the curtains in your room. They don’t let the people on the street know what you are doing, but it doesn’t mean that you are completely protected.
Therefore, you should not expect anonymity if you are an Internet user. A good VPN will allow you to make your connection private, and this is what users install such software for.
Anonymity = privacy
If you’ve never thought about it before, you can believe that anonymity and privacy are one and the same. But you should be aware that although you can control access to your personal information, deletion of all identifying data is not possible.
Using VPN (or some other tool), you can ensure your privacy. This means you will avoid surveillance by private companies, ISP, government, etc. We encrypt the Internet connection of our users and can guarantee your safety as long as you use VeePN. But we cannot promise you complete anonymity, and if any provider does this, it is a fraud.
Your information can’t be collected or sold by privacy companies
Unfortunately, the Internet today is full of dangers. And even those companies that claim to maintain privacy can offer free services and track their users’ online activity. This means that even if you use a tool that must protect your privacy, you are leaving your data vulnerable. Especially if this tool is free because then this company needs to earn money somehow, and the chances are it earns it with your data. It turns out that you provide access to a lot of information, but your trust can be abused. If you want to dive deeper, read about such famous cases as Onavo by Facebook, Hola, VPN Defender, etc. VeePN is dedicated to keeping your personal information secure and private. Our longstanding experience helps us to provide you with high-quality services and abuse prevention.
VPN providers mean they don’t log any data about me when they promise “anonymous” services
It is very important that you understand that advertising offers do not always correspond to reality. Some companies advertise their services in one way, but later it turns out that they meant something completely different.
For example, if you open the marketing pages of some VPN developers, you might find the promise of absolute anonymity. But if you open their Privacy Policy, you’ll see that their actual terms differ from their marketing promises. Basically, they advertise one service and provide another.
This means that even if you find an interesting offer that is very tempting and profitable, you should not become blind. Always read the documents to understand what this or that company actually guarantees you. This is especially important when it comes to your safety, the safety of your employees or clients.
Myth 7: You should avoid any VPN-logging
The complete absence of logs is not something to strive for. Reliable VPN providers like VeePN want to provide their users with a quality service, and registering the minimum amount of data helps to do this. At the same time, you should know that your provider really saves a minimum of information and only as long as it is needed. This is what is meant by the no-log approach. It is normal and safe when some of the logs are used for business. But if this data is no longer needed, it must be deleted.
What benefits do you get if your VPN provider keeps a minimal log?
- better speed and performance, optimization of network connections;
- increased application reliability, failure prevention;
- elimination of your problems, be it problems with the application, connection, speed, etc.;
- different offers for different accounts;
- disable abusive and malicious users.
So, it is easy to understand that the minimum log policy is a good choice when you use reliable VPN software. With VeePN, your data will never be compromised, and you will surely appreciate all the benefits that this tool comes with.
There is no difference what VPN software to choose
You can’t tell that all smartphones are the same even if they share some functions. The same rule works here: companies create different products in order to provide users with better services and to take over a piece of the market. If you study various offers, you can easily find out what the differences are. For example, you can choose a:
- Remote access tool;
- Site-to-site service;
- VPN with different encryption protocols;
- Apps or browser extensions that come with additional features.
It is also essential to understand that all companies have their goals. While some providers focus on expanding the business, others are dedicated to making the Internet more secure. You should find a really trustworthy provider and ensure that you share the same values.
When you find a VPN tool that “doesn’t log”, that means you’re anonymous
When you find a VPN app that doesn’t log, you might be over the moon. It is easy to understand: you believe that your information is absolutely safe, and you’re anonymous because there is no log with your personal data. Unfortunately, we need to disappoint you.
Talk to any system or network engineer. Any person who understands this topic will say that the complete absence of logs is impossible. If the provider does not keep a log for its customers, it cannot:
- offer plans with limitations, for example, by the amount of used traffic;
- limit the number of simultaneous connections;
- troubleshoot VPN problems;
- offer support if there are server-side issues;
- process user DNS requests;
- protect your services by preventing various abuses, such as port scanners, DDoS attacks, sending spam messages, etc.
Of course, if an untrustworthy company wants to attract the attention of customers, it can run an ad with the line “we don’t log.” But in fact, the problem is much deeper, and you should not rely on the fact that all your data is completely anonymous.
You can be anonymous online even if your provider uses cloud-based or hosted VPN servers
If you have a friend who manages the server infrastructure, you can ask him or her a question, is it possible to run the infrastructures in the absence of logs? We know what answer you will get. Anyone with the appropriate knowledge and experience will say that this is almost impossible.
This is incredibly difficult, even if the company uses its own infrastructure. But 99% of VPN providers rent services from data centers or hosting companies. And this means that there are always certain risks. Even if you choose a reliable application that respects your privacy, this does not guarantee your anonymity.
You can be anonymous even if you use a VPN tool developed by a provider who doesn’t own the network
Most VPN providers do not have their own servers. They also do not have their own network, do not always own switches and a router. Who runs the network then? This is done by hosting providers. They can listen to traffic for any connection, which means they can identify the online activity of users.
This can be compared to the situation when you accidentally overheard a conversation of people on the street. Even if you don’t know anything about them, their conversation can give you enough information about their personalities. VPN providers do not always control who gets access to user data, and some unreliable companies even monitor traffic using special tools for packet sniffing.
There are decent alternatives to VPN
If you’re an active Internet user, you can easily find that there are other tools that help people protect themselves while being online. Such tools like Tor browser or Proxy come with some advantages, but they are not as stable and fast as VPN applications. They don’t guarantee your anonymity and protect you from legal troubles. Tools like VeePN are superior when you’re looking for speed, security, and a friendly user experience.
VeePN is freedom