![\"Privacy](\"https://images.prismic.io/nitrovpn/b0734839-101a-4257-855b-ba612221b68b_Privacy+at+Risk.jpg?auto=compress,format\")
\n There are plenty of free VPN options on the market, but do they actually do anything? You might be tempted to take these companies up on their offers and get a free VPN. Here’s everything you need to know about free VPNs, paid VPN services, and how the two compare from the point of view of the user.
VPN is a service that encrypts your internet connection, reroutes it through a secure tunnel, and therefore conceals your identity online. And this is a simplified explanation! VPN is an extremely complicated system that requires time, energy, and people in order for it to operate seamlessly.
As one might imagine, VPNs are not cheap to maintain, which is why you should always be suspicious of companies offering you this complicated but still essential service for no payment at all. Free VPN services claim that they can deliver the same results as their paid counterparts, so who wouldn't want to try that? But the reality of free VPNs is much more complicated and to put it shortly, the customer rarely comes out as the winner.
Maintaining a VPN is a pricey endeavor, so these companies have to make money using some other means. The easiest way that most VPN services manage to do that is to sell the data of their trusting customer to third parties, who usually pay good money to know what people are doing online, what their online shopping patterns are, and what type of content they respond to the most. And all this work goes into better advertising the products back to you, so you are more likely to buy what they are selling. The worst part is that people have no way of knowing who their data is being sold to, users have no control over their own data in this case.
Another way for “free’ VPNs to make money is to bombard their users with ads, to the point where even opening the VPN application on your laptop becomes a dreaded chore. While annoying enough on its own, this practice also contains real risks. As these companies are rarely picky about what they advertise through their app, they are willing to work with just about anyone. So oftentimes you will get ads from shady companies, and some of the links may even lead you to malicious websites or infect your device with malware.
A good chunk of these free VPNs also offer paid versions of their services and they make sure that everyone who subscribes to a free version knows about it. It’s similar to the annoying amount of ads you usually get when using a free VPN, only they are two times as persistent when their own product is involved. In reality, their free services are oftentimes useless and add nothing to your online security. It’s just a gateway to get the users to pay for the real deal.
Because free VPN companies are not making any money from their product, they also don't invest much in it. This leads to poor security, weak encryption that may sometimes make your connection even more vulnerable rather than enhance its security.
What distinguishes a solid VPN from a weak one is that when using a high-quality VPN service you will not be able to detect any sort of the change in the speed of your connection. The free VPNs on the other hand slow down your connection, making it almost impossible to stream content or play games while connected to a VPN.
Normally, when using a paid VPN service your IP address is hidden from all sorts of snoopers. With a free VPN, they are more than happy to sell that information to anyone who is willing to pay, so in the end, you may be risking your privacy a lot more by using a free VPN.
\n\n \n
The most crucial aspect that makes paid VPNs infinitely more safe and effective, is that they make money charging the customers for the actual services. This means that they actually have an incentive in providing good quality services, unlike unpaid VPNs. The money actually goes into maintaining and constantly improving the infrastructure which leads to superior service and more loyal customers.
All good paid VPNs will have a strict no-log policy, meaning that they never keep tabs on their clients, unlike the free VPN service providers. When the VPN service is good, even the company providing it does not have access to what you do online. That’s the whole purpose of having a VPN - to ensure that you can be anonymous online and that your online activity can not be traced back to you.
Since the quality of their service is what gives BlufVPN companies their edge, they are constantly updating their encryption, making sure that they incorporate all the latest and safest ways to protect their clients. In the world of cyber security, staying up to date with new discoveries and technologies is crucial if you want to provide a robust protection system. There is no way to do that when the majority of your income comes from selling data to third parties.
Free VPNs are not worth your time and certainly are not worth risking your privacy online. Selling your data and personal information without your consent while also slowing down your connections and leaving you vulnerable to outside attacks is hardly a worthy service. Luckily, we have paid alternatives with a variety of subscription plans, aimed to accommodate all sorts of users. Investing in your online privacy is one of the best things you can do to ensure long term safety.
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But how do these free VPNs hold up against their paid counterparts?","meta_title":"Free VPNs vs. Paid VPNs: Do Free VPNs actually work? | BlufVPN Blog","author":{"slug":"dhard","document":{"data":{"name":"DHard","about":"D Hard description","avatar":{"dimensions":{"width":256,"height":256},"url":"https://images.prismic.io/nitrovpn/1a8fc7f8-c5b8-4978-946d-9a27e2f762e6_dhard-prodile-test.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&rect=0%2C0%2C940%2C940&w=256&h=256","alt":null,"localFile":{"relativePath":".cache/caches/gatsby-source-prismic/611843cb0da6e38dd8aee556f3387b28/1a8fc7f8-c5b8-4978-946d-9a27e2f762e6_dhard-prodile-test.png","absolutePath":"/opt/build/repo/.cache/caches/gatsby-source-prismic/611843cb0da6e38dd8aee556f3387b28/1a8fc7f8-c5b8-4978-946d-9a27e2f762e6_dhard-prodile-test.png","childImageSharp":{"fixed":{"base64":"data:image/png;base64,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","width":96,"height":96,"src":"/static/ee321875d0a571a62aa77ccde70db205/a2408/1a8fc7f8-c5b8-4978-946d-9a27e2f762e6_dhard-prodile-test.png","srcSet":"/static/ee321875d0a571a62aa77ccde70db205/a2408/1a8fc7f8-c5b8-4978-946d-9a27e2f762e6_dhard-prodile-test.png 1x,\n/static/ee321875d0a571a62aa77ccde70db205/82c1d/1a8fc7f8-c5b8-4978-946d-9a27e2f762e6_dhard-prodile-test.png 1.5x,\n/static/ee321875d0a571a62aa77ccde70db205/0bdde/1a8fc7f8-c5b8-4978-946d-9a27e2f762e6_dhard-prodile-test.png 2x"}}}}}}},"category":{"slug":"security","document":{"data":{"name":"Security"}}}},"uid":"free-vpn-vs-paid-vpn","type":"blog_post","last_publication_date":"2022-03-14T09:57:27+0000","first_publication_date":"2022-03-14T09:57:27+0000","lang":"en-us"},{"data":{"body":[{"__typename":"PrismicBlogPostBodyText","id":"56a89753-594a-5beb-a81d-a4aa4e328531","primary":{"text":{"html":"We all have an IP address, even if you don’t know what that IP address is or what it is supposed to do. Your internet service provider (ISP) assigns a unique label to each network to differentiate between them. Having an IP address is also how devices manage to locate and then communicate with each other. IP addresses serve as a sort of stable online home address, using which makes it easy to find you. But before we discuss how to find your IP address, let’s discuss what an IP address is and what function it has in the digital world.
Simply put, when you type in a website’s URL in the browser, your device will first find the IP address associated with that website and will communicate with it to display the website of the content to your screen. This happens because our computers don’t understand words, but they do understand numbers and IP address is a set of numbers, unique to the network. So the IP address is essential for using the internet.
The process of finding your IP address is pretty simple and there are a couple of ways to do it:
We’re not trying to scare you, but if you want to find your public IP address all you have to do is go to the top of this page and you will see your IP, the location you’re connecting from, your service provider, and the security status of your traffic. Unless you are using a VPN, in which case your IP address will be concealed.
If you’re connected to the Wi-FI, find “Settings” in the “Start” button, then look for “Network & internet” and' then select “Wi-fi”. But if you are using an Ethernet network, just go to the taskbar and click “Ethernet network”. The process after that is the same for both cases. Select the network you’re connected to, click “Properties”, and scroll down to the very end of the window. You will find your IP displayed as “IPv4 address”.
If you’re connected to the Wi-Fi, click on “WiFi Network” in the taskbar. If you are connected to the Ethernet network, click “Ethernet network” in the taskbar. After you’ve done that, select the network you’re connected to, whether you are using Wi-Fi or Ethernet. Click properties and scroll down to the very end of the window. You will find your IP displayed as “IPv4 address”
Whether you are using Wi-Fi or Ethernet, the process is identical. Open System Preferences, click “Network” and then either select Wi-Fi or Ethernet depending on which one you’re using. You will see your IP address in the middle of the window.
If you have an Android, go to your phone settings and select the device, click status and you will see the IP address displayed right away.
For iPhone users, go to settings and click on wi-fi. Then tap on the network you're connected to and you will see your IP address displayed as “IPv4 address”. As simple as that!
We’ve mentioned a public IP address separately, which means that there is also a private IP address. The public IP address means the address provided to you by your ISP. So when you look for your IP address, for whatever reason, you most likely want to know that public IP address. Your public IP address is shared by all devices that are connected to the same network. For example, all the devices connected to the Wi-Fi from the same router will share their public IP address. Your router gets an assigned IP address and then whichever device joins the network through that router will also get its public IP address.
But what is the private IP address then? It is the number that the router assigns to each device that connects to its network. This is essential for the devices within the same network to find and identify each other. The private IP address remains hidden while the public one is still visible. But that’s no reason to relax and allow just about anyone to see your public IP address.
Your public IP address can reveal a lot about you. Most people don’t know this because if someone has access to your public IP address, they can easily find out your location and even your identity. They can track your online activity and study your online behavioural patterns. From there, there’s plenty of damage to be done. A great way to ensure that your public IP address isn't exposed and exploited, you can download BlufVPN and encrypt your connection. Also check the best feature of BlufVPN and hide your IP as well.
When you browse the web through a VPN, your connection is encrypted. If anyone tries to spy on you or find out your public IP address, they will only find the server that is used by other VPN users as well. It will be impossible to tie your online activity back to you and your public IP address.
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Here’s a detailed guide on how to find your IP address with any device.","meta_title":"How to look up your IP address and why is it important? | BlufVPN Blog","author":{"slug":"dhard","document":{"data":{"name":"DHard","about":"D Hard description","avatar":{"dimensions":{"width":256,"height":256},"url":"https://images.prismic.io/nitrovpn/1a8fc7f8-c5b8-4978-946d-9a27e2f762e6_dhard-prodile-test.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&rect=0%2C0%2C940%2C940&w=256&h=256","alt":null,"localFile":{"relativePath":".cache/caches/gatsby-source-prismic/611843cb0da6e38dd8aee556f3387b28/1a8fc7f8-c5b8-4978-946d-9a27e2f762e6_dhard-prodile-test.png","absolutePath":"/opt/build/repo/.cache/caches/gatsby-source-prismic/611843cb0da6e38dd8aee556f3387b28/1a8fc7f8-c5b8-4978-946d-9a27e2f762e6_dhard-prodile-test.png","childImageSharp":{"fixed":{"base64":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAABQAAAAUCAYAAACNiR0NAAAACXBIWXMAAAsTAAALEwEAmpwYAAAEDklEQVQ4y32Uf0xbVRTHb4cFug0YG79GBkExxbavlBbWTUozJqUwynsPg1HnMtnizziJidFg4jIdMYNlUWZg/zCjLhtxy7L4h2ZuOrKIv6Jzi7KRJWrYoz82KYX9cAuvfeV+zb1tSo1ok5vz+u49n3fOPd9zSDwkzceDUjwelLSlljolapiTtdmr7Vr4ik9DWNZiAXGps4xxl7AHLSAifcWTVlVE4JaMwMU2uK0OtDfUYeG6hIWghJh/8VzKLyipDKgl/1AtKFFmY36RRqdEijsddOxUM60qsdEcYqFZxExf3VlPcUvm+1pA5Oe5b4IxnwJqAb6B6JTII8BNGYf7N2HNfQJWEQFrDVaUZFthIBYM920C7nTwDJgP810yQp7itAR6XcLrz7q4c6E+ASrUCyjOSlj2kfMnm/l1JKH/BMaDIlSW4pyM6XEffPUO6IgRaw3VKMpkQBtKl9tRnFXN3+XrrDAW26D8tAWYkVlWPLsUkKWJmzK9eKYFtooarNY7YLu/EXnEiJLsahhIBQgpQR6p4qsgw4SVREBTbS3mFZFlRHmRGDDqFzVEZHx+pImyVHKJCVcuX8bgwDBe3PEadmx9GXt6+nHqxGeQvU/DaW7FenMr8nVGZBMBzz22EZiTafIuVRJjwLCMS2dbaHmugNIVdux9cz/69h7EO2+9iwP7hvD9dz/i27EfsLtnHwbfG0b3C2/A9sAjPNIVRMD+HjdFWEIsICZS5sX4q4OeO+5FJqmE5NmOvt4BHP3oJMZ/mUCB3oyuJ3ZhaOAD9Pe+j2uTCsxlbhTpTcgmFnZNdPaqD7iRXhSF6w5DvY1YRoxwVG3GkQ9H4HaI/C5ddh+e6nwe479OoOvxbuSSShiIAK+zFlMX2ij+TIswqXQa80vArIzu7fX4ZOQrsN8fv0/i/OgYZmYiOHN6FKYyF7JIBZYTK17aupGpg1V6sSjpOmTAhVCirY4d3oODBz5G55adcNtlnPvyayiKAm/DNhiIEYNvN7JicM3+SzY8wqQ4uYQiEp551ApCSpFLHkQOX5VYk2GBsVjA2REP7xT24WRkS3dKAibjwmkvCjOZiGu4mIsyE4JeSSzobHKCV3QR9t+tx4FzMkZPeLBKJ/C2K8+zYl2Olfcy62nLOhsiE74kKDVllgYyy+7k9m/tcFkcWK0TUKAX8ErXwxDddby3reU1uDfZzmSWivD/gHx0ISzRbW1OuoyYaQYx0ydbnLTTs54SYqL5OoFueMhOjx/aTDGdGHXML318pQZs1M8lgJ+/8PKIPHW1EMps2L3LhW8+bebvWjfUocHi4M+hS23g+vOnUo8y4F0WKqMnraoqokpvSOq9a6IamfCp8ZCksi5gVgsm9piI5xVRXQilfKPxoHT7b4+kCUBuzxk6AAAAAElFTkSuQmCC","width":96,"height":96,"src":"/static/ee321875d0a571a62aa77ccde70db205/a2408/1a8fc7f8-c5b8-4978-946d-9a27e2f762e6_dhard-prodile-test.png","srcSet":"/static/ee321875d0a571a62aa77ccde70db205/a2408/1a8fc7f8-c5b8-4978-946d-9a27e2f762e6_dhard-prodile-test.png 1x,\n/static/ee321875d0a571a62aa77ccde70db205/82c1d/1a8fc7f8-c5b8-4978-946d-9a27e2f762e6_dhard-prodile-test.png 1.5x,\n/static/ee321875d0a571a62aa77ccde70db205/0bdde/1a8fc7f8-c5b8-4978-946d-9a27e2f762e6_dhard-prodile-test.png 2x"}}}}}}},"category":{"slug":"security","document":{"data":{"name":"Security"}}}},"uid":"how-to-find-ip-address","type":"blog_post","last_publication_date":"2022-03-08T10:27:08+0000","first_publication_date":"2022-03-08T10:27:08+0000","lang":"en-us"},{"data":{"body":[{"__typename":"PrismicBlogPostBodyText","id":"45397a7f-58b4-569f-a883-cc7e1edd377b","primary":{"text":{"html":"If you still believe that no one is looking at what you’re doing online and gathering information about what you do on the web, it’s time for a reality check. Whether that be your internet service providers (ISP), your government, or just some hacker looking to make a quick buck, there are many easy for others to gain access to your connection and see what you’re up to online.
Not only can they spy on you and see what you are looking at online, but they can also easily gain access to some of the most sensitive data you might store on your computer. They could even track your location by exploiting vulnerabilities in your internet network. Here’s what you can do today to ensure that you are staying safe online.
When you browse the web without a VPN, you are basically exposing yourself to your ISP and anyone who might be interested in gaining information about you. Your IP address is visible and your ISP can easily see what you are doing online, it is completely legal for them to do so. But the worst part is that these companies will often sell that data to third parties for marketing purposes without their clients’ consent. If you don’t want your personal data ending up in the hands of some random company trying to sell you their product then install BlufVPN and only browse the web when you are connected to one of many servers offered in the app.
Besides BlufVPN has many other benefits, including giving you access to geo-blocked content and games and even preventing Bandwidth throttling on your internet connection.
We all use way too many websites and apps on our phones when in reality we would be just as fine using just a couple of them. The problem with using many different apps and being registered at so many different websites is that you are handing over your email and passwords to too many companies and some of them might not even be legit. This is especially true when it comes to apps. In the app store, it is extremely hard to differentiate between a good, valid app and a complete scam, if there are no reviews to confirm that. So limit the number of sketchy websites and apps you interact with and save yourself the trouble of getting hacked or having your personal information stolen.
Besides having strong passwords on your accounts, it is also important to change them quite regularly. This is because there are many data breaches that happen across many websites and companies on a regular basis. These data breaches also concern the data that the company stores about you, so your email, your password, your birth date and etc. Usually, these companies will let people know that there has been a data breach, but only when it is too late and the attacker has gotten away with stealing information and now has access to your account. So to protect yourself from hackers and the dangers of data breaches, regularly update your passwords to make sure that your accounts stay secure. This means that you will also have to come up with strong passwords quite regularly so the best way to make this whole ordeal less time-consuming is to get a password manager that will take care of the hard part for you.
A lot of cyber traps come in the shape of normal-looking links. They may look convincing but if you pay extra attention you will be able to tell the malicious link apart from a regular one. Malicious links, if you click on them can damage your computer and expose information you store on your device or in your accounts. So try to stay away from interacting with any suspicious links, especially if you do not know the sender or the sender’s email looks unusual. Whether you get these links via email, Facebook, or just a suggestion by a website you don’t normally visit, never click on the actual link. By making this practice a part of your cyber routine, you will avoid a lot of cyber risks, with virtually zero effort.
"}}}],"title":"How to Make Sure Big Brother is not listening","description":"Tips on how to make sure your connection belongs to you","title_image":{"dimensions":{"width":1280,"height":720},"url":"https://images.prismic.io/nitrovpn/0bd839cc-cc70-4fb4-a231-3f6d12298e85_How+to+Make+Sure+Big+Brother+is+not+listening.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&rect=0%2C1%2C1280%2C720&w=1280&h=720","alt":"How to Make Sure Big Brother is not listening","copyright":null,"localFile":{"relativePath":".cache/caches/gatsby-source-prismic/eb8923c05fb4c2c2310e5bc7d9234921/0bd839cc-cc70-4fb4-a231-3f6d12298e85_How+to+Make+Sure+Big+Brother+is+not+listening.png","absolutePath":"/opt/build/repo/.cache/caches/gatsby-source-prismic/eb8923c05fb4c2c2310e5bc7d9234921/0bd839cc-cc70-4fb4-a231-3f6d12298e85_How+to+Make+Sure+Big+Brother+is+not+listening.png","childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/png;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.7741935483870968,"src":"/static/17568cd5e3049a48c25c5092513fcd71/ca314/0bd839cc-cc70-4fb4-a231-3f6d12298e85_How%2Bto%2BMake%2BSure%2BBig%2BBrother%2Bis%2Bnot%2Blistening.png","srcSet":"/static/17568cd5e3049a48c25c5092513fcd71/7157a/0bd839cc-cc70-4fb4-a231-3f6d12298e85_How%2Bto%2BMake%2BSure%2BBig%2BBrother%2Bis%2Bnot%2Blistening.png 275w,\n/static/17568cd5e3049a48c25c5092513fcd71/a6873/0bd839cc-cc70-4fb4-a231-3f6d12298e85_How%2Bto%2BMake%2BSure%2BBig%2BBrother%2Bis%2Bnot%2Blistening.png 551w,\n/static/17568cd5e3049a48c25c5092513fcd71/ca314/0bd839cc-cc70-4fb4-a231-3f6d12298e85_How%2Bto%2BMake%2BSure%2BBig%2BBrother%2Bis%2Bnot%2Blistening.png 1101w,\n/static/17568cd5e3049a48c25c5092513fcd71/43d88/0bd839cc-cc70-4fb4-a231-3f6d12298e85_How%2Bto%2BMake%2BSure%2BBig%2BBrother%2Bis%2Bnot%2Blistening.png 1280w","sizes":"(max-width: 1101px) 100vw, 1101px"}}}},"title_image_copyright":{"html":""},"meta_description":"There are too many easy ways for companies and governments to spy on people. Read the article to learn about easy ways that ensure your privacy online.","meta_title":"Tips on how to make sure your connection belongs to you | BlufVPN Blog","author":{"slug":"dhard","document":{"data":{"name":"DHard","about":"D Hard description","avatar":{"dimensions":{"width":256,"height":256},"url":"https://images.prismic.io/nitrovpn/1a8fc7f8-c5b8-4978-946d-9a27e2f762e6_dhard-prodile-test.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&rect=0%2C0%2C940%2C940&w=256&h=256","alt":null,"localFile":{"relativePath":".cache/caches/gatsby-source-prismic/611843cb0da6e38dd8aee556f3387b28/1a8fc7f8-c5b8-4978-946d-9a27e2f762e6_dhard-prodile-test.png","absolutePath":"/opt/build/repo/.cache/caches/gatsby-source-prismic/611843cb0da6e38dd8aee556f3387b28/1a8fc7f8-c5b8-4978-946d-9a27e2f762e6_dhard-prodile-test.png","childImageSharp":{"fixed":{"base64":"data:image/png;base64,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","width":96,"height":96,"src":"/static/ee321875d0a571a62aa77ccde70db205/a2408/1a8fc7f8-c5b8-4978-946d-9a27e2f762e6_dhard-prodile-test.png","srcSet":"/static/ee321875d0a571a62aa77ccde70db205/a2408/1a8fc7f8-c5b8-4978-946d-9a27e2f762e6_dhard-prodile-test.png 1x,\n/static/ee321875d0a571a62aa77ccde70db205/82c1d/1a8fc7f8-c5b8-4978-946d-9a27e2f762e6_dhard-prodile-test.png 1.5x,\n/static/ee321875d0a571a62aa77ccde70db205/0bdde/1a8fc7f8-c5b8-4978-946d-9a27e2f762e6_dhard-prodile-test.png 2x"}}}}}}},"category":{"slug":"security","document":{"data":{"name":"Security"}}}},"uid":"how-to-make-sure-big-brother-isnt-listening","type":"blog_post","last_publication_date":"2022-03-04T12:46:29+0000","first_publication_date":"2022-03-04T12:46:29+0000","lang":"en-us"},{"data":{"body":[{"__typename":"PrismicBlogPostBodyText","id":"042609ef-926c-5273-a19d-b4a16185e1f5","primary":{"text":{"html":"Internet of Things, as the name would suggest is an internet formed between devices instead of human beings. These devices share data with each other, creating an ecosystem within themselves which in turn makes our lives and day-to-day tasks more simple. This network can also be used to complete more complicated tasks and to execute extremely sophisticated processes. IoT allows for devices in your life to be connected and work together to make your day easier. Just like with most advanced technology though, IoT also comes with its own set of risks. Here’s everything you need to know about how IoT works and what are the uses and potential dangers of introducing IoT into your life.
The idea of IoT has been around since the 1970s but at that time it would often be called the “embedded internet”. The first ever internet appliance was created in the early 1980s and it was a Coke machine at Carnegie Mellon University. Programmers used the web to check the status of the Coke machine remotely to see whether or not there was a cold drink in the machine. But IoT as we know it today came to fruition only after 2010.
IoT or the Internet of Things is now a network of devices. These devices are usually embedded with sensors, software or some other technology that allows them to connect with other devices and exchange data over the internet. There is really no limit to how IoT can be used: you can incorporate it into your household, but it can also work to aid extremely sophisticated tools as well. Technologies like cloud computing platforms, low-cost sensor technology, machine learning and analytics as well as general developments in AI, have made IoT possible and accessible to millions of people.
For an everyday person, IoT means that you can now connect your kitchen appliances, baby monitors, thermostats and other home gadgets to create a system that can be managed through your phone or a computer, even when you are not at home. These complicated gadgets can be controlled with just a few clicks, which is pretty fascinating. IoT is already becoming a necessity across many households. As of right now there are around 10 million devices connected to IoT networks and this number is expected to double over the next 5 years.
Clearly, IoT has great potential to simplify our everyday life, it also has potential to do much more than that. It is very likely that over the next decade IoT will become an essential for most households. But this fascinating technology also comes with a lot of disadvantages so it’s important to be aware of everything that could go wrong with IoT.
IoT has many advantages and applications. Over time it is likely to cover an even more extensive range of processes, but for now, let’s focus on the most popular ways to use IoT.
This is the application of IoT that most of us are familiar with. IoT devices are just one but important aspect of home automation. The most popular way to control automated homes and the IoT within are the apps.
Home automation and IoT have long-term benefits besides just convenience. In the long run, it could help us save energy by automatically ensuring that all the lights and electronics are turned off by communicating with home residents.
This could also help the elderly who live alone by providing assistance through personalized systems that fit the resident’s needs. These systems can prevent accidents and make daily life easier for the residents. These systems also offer other safety features, specifically the ones that can detect falls or seizures and will call for help even if the resident isn't able to.
One of the most promising applications of IoT is the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) or Smart Healthcare, allowing the healthcare industry to create a digitized healthcare system connecting medical resources and other healthcare services. IoT can be used to conduct remote health monitoring or to run emergency notification systems. It has already been used in the clinical laboratory industry and in other areas of healthcare as well as the health insurance industry. IoT could make healthcare more accessible while also saving time and labor, delivering faster results.
IoT has great potential in transportation as well. IoT can help various transportation systems to communicate and work together in harmony. The possibilities include but are not limited to smart traffic control, intra-vehicular communication, smart parking, fleet management, safety and road assistance and much more.
Iot also has a lot of industrial applications including manufacturing, agriculture, maritime and more. IoT can assist in data collection by connecting equipment, operational technology, locations, and people.
The system behind IoT is able to function through Wi-Fi, ethernet or GSM cellular networks. For example, all the devices you want to integrate into your Smart home setup will have of either Wi-Fi, ethernet or GSM. Through these networks, you can connect to all desired devices. The whole system is interconnected and you can access each and every one of these devices through your phone. You can turn off the lights, change the temperature on the thermostat, lock or unlock the door and basically control the majority of your home gadgets through your phone.
But you are not the only one who has access to these devices and the overall system. The company that installed the system will also be able to connect to it remotely via remote management systems. As you can imagine, this means that there are ways to hack into the system and cause great damage. Let’s discuss some of the risks in greater detail
As convenient as IoT devices are, they are also extremely vulnerable to attacks. The whole system could easily get out of control, or worse someone else could get hold of your IoT login information, and get direct access to your home.
Learn more about VPN and how you can use it here.
Hackers could easily break into your smart home ecosystem, turn off the power, spy on you through your monitors, unlock your doors or use some other way to terrorize you at your own home. Sadly, at the current stage of development in IoT’s security systems, these are all very real possibilities that could happen to anyone and at any time.
The picture is looking pretty grim for IoTs but at the same time it seems like they are the future. While we hope to see improvement in IoTs security systems in the near future, there are some steps you can take to make IoTs safer today.
Order BlufVPN and use it for secure your IoT devices.
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Learn how VPN connects to it.","meta_title":"What is Internet of Things? | BlufVPN Blog","author":{"slug":"teezy","document":{"data":{"name":"Teezy","about":"BlufVPN Teezy","avatar":{"dimensions":{"width":256,"height":256},"url":"https://images.prismic.io/nitrovpn/a366ee08-3feb-483d-a20e-4138e11ca980_Frame2.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&rect=38%2C0%2C810%2C810&w=256&h=256","alt":null,"localFile":{"relativePath":".cache/caches/gatsby-source-prismic/a2a2d35242c2c4f5f4d480d5ba8ae215/a366ee08-3feb-483d-a20e-4138e11ca980_Frame2.png","absolutePath":"/opt/build/repo/.cache/caches/gatsby-source-prismic/a2a2d35242c2c4f5f4d480d5ba8ae215/a366ee08-3feb-483d-a20e-4138e11ca980_Frame2.png","childImageSharp":{"fixed":{"base64":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAABQAAAAUCAYAAACNiR0NAAAACXBIWXMAAAsTAAALEwEAmpwYAAAD00lEQVQ4y21US2wcRRDtXU/1bLwmG6+2axcnMvhD7E3mzZjgYHB+OFoDkkMsQ0ICIShwCigEEEJCAvEJEVLAJBBFBMiHCAsJRG6cgFP4CPERQlw4ccnRRxIJYa+nUfX0ro3ESDUz6up+XfVeVSkm9DPhJBPeZcIJJrzNhI+ZsI81FFOUM7RRre2cUoY2KPlnihUT8qy9kTNZU/L6lAkNJrzPhGcFxBCKTLjAhPv9xqeYkPj/POso5/61N2pbXl69fvFzJnzLFK/2TsOEj7zvBSbcwlqiSxTrSNYmmfAKE44x4WEmdLoITRi1bjrIhKtM8SqmEVWhuhz6wFBUNuQAjjBhj7/sTSacMoRNRmOYCc8w4TIT7shC1bEA9rDGL0yY9od2CKBEU9MjLm1DINaYcVxnQYwx4YCnqYsJX8jGe9p8EL5jwmtM2C5OJqxt87PMl0S3ngk1R0kmovAdybpsOM2E9zzQTiY8KBsrQZI3jjOXkuEsbbFXmXA7E7YJhybjU0T7wVASZARrrGHCBBPOM+H3CkUBa9RZ4w/WWGLCNSa87iOUNE8awg1M+NBXx6whxD16syubWSYM+pSYCVMmwJpaIb5aKyRWAGuF2FbD2BrCY16gc4ZQkcgrhI7srIiJS+Lcz4Q5Vxqep2qY3FVUA5ZU72I5V08Lqu+fklpva4Xks3XFTXLmaznMhDO+KU75Zph2vJjOQflOdKthVQuT/kqw8Wjjzr32/Nm5dHry0fTpwy82x7HLFtXAV72lzRsMYYuLMKuOPiYMmWAk1+qUQIrVpaJx0VC0xCHSd2bPLj135GVb60R6aN9R+82V79Mtya7mahdp/BsTbl1RHe12lIWOVjdUQ9iSGkpHh+5OTxw/bWfuPZQee+ktu310d/rI3ifs7sZB26kGmsInE/40FBeMdI7r5diBisp5r/QVDmHL+frC6PBk+vNPv6bW2vTShU/s9evX0vn5+XRq4kBaVANLtULSZIKAjrd7uPWwjjo84GVDka0W8Hdj60zzpvJoc+fYA7anayR9aPqwbYzvSXeM3bdoKFpgDVF/0Re4AOZWALoRpFyxasgB6yyIbJcabFaCKA3VzQvlfN3W121zPg94JqsKGW9Qy4BZXeX8TaOsMccaX1bD+PlaIZHCtjeuSv6qhsnjJTV0UXxMeLJUKreEUP8BFHVNlnJ7xrk1N0jxIxO2urGm4/5uVVfVMPNzJsb/ASIDdLdFue6stqaYcNwBLs/Kc67PNYqloG9lVsqIusvPba1p0uJyP2ukTkUtgC76Oc+bKPuG76i8BFMJopVg6l8goBxq8jbjywAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==","width":96,"height":96,"src":"/static/21e1306a4d11ab984b802577d3581297/a2408/a366ee08-3feb-483d-a20e-4138e11ca980_Frame2.png","srcSet":"/static/21e1306a4d11ab984b802577d3581297/a2408/a366ee08-3feb-483d-a20e-4138e11ca980_Frame2.png 1x,\n/static/21e1306a4d11ab984b802577d3581297/82c1d/a366ee08-3feb-483d-a20e-4138e11ca980_Frame2.png 1.5x,\n/static/21e1306a4d11ab984b802577d3581297/0bdde/a366ee08-3feb-483d-a20e-4138e11ca980_Frame2.png 2x"}}}}}}},"category":{"slug":"security","document":{"data":{"name":"Security"}}}},"uid":"what-is-iot","type":"blog_post","last_publication_date":"2022-02-25T11:28:26+0000","first_publication_date":"2022-02-25T11:28:26+0000","lang":"en-us"},{"data":{"body":[{"__typename":"PrismicBlogPostBodyText","id":"42f77fcc-275c-5257-8210-a5680674e352","primary":{"text":{"html":"Apple’s Private Relay feature has attracted a lot of attention lately. This new feature is a part of iOS15.2, which has just been released to developers and public beta testers. Private Relay is supposed to be Apple’s own take on VPNs, aimed at providing more security to Safari Users. Could this launch mean the end for VPN companies? Will Private Relay make VPNs obsolete for Apple users? Let’s take a closer look at the much anticipated Apple feature to find out.
The Private Relay feature will offer browser-based encryption and will be automatically downloaded to iPhones and other Apple iCloud-enabled devices (excluding the Apple watch) along with Apple’s system updates. Private Relay encrypts the information about the user, even from Apple itself. With Private Relay your identity, exact location and your browsing habits will be hidden from Apple and third parties.
Private Relay should be extremely easy to use since it will be built into Apple’s operating system and possibly will even solve the problem that some people have with standard VPNs - the slowed down the internet speed.
Although it may sound like Private Realy is just Apple’s own version of a VPN, this new feature actually has a lot of gaps to fill if it wants to replace VPNs. For example, Private Relay will allow users to choose a general IP address, an IP address in their country of residence or any country within the time zone. When it comes to locations, VPN users have way more options, which also enhances the security of the users. With a VPN you are free to choose an IP address that’s thousand kilometers away from you. With Private Relay you are still tied down to your physical location to a certain degree.
Now, what this means for the advertisers is that while they can’t know exactly where you are, they can still bombard you with targeted ads since they will have a general idea of where you are located. This also means that one of the most popular reasons why people get VPNs - being able to watch the content that is blocked in your country, also won’t be present with Apple’s Private Relay. This is because of Apple’s involvement with content creation and its very own rules regarding regional blocking strategy.
Another reason why we believe this feature won’t be able to replace VPNs is that it will only be available in selected countries. According to Apple’s own announcement, Private Relay will not be accessible in China, the Philippines, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Saudi Arabia, Uganda, South Africa, Colombia, Russia, and Belarus. Arguably most of these countries are the ones that need online privacy the most, so this is definitely going to affect the overall popularity of the product.
As we mentioned in the intro, this is a feature that only works with Safari, so users can not incorporate the Private Relay into Chrome or Firefox, both of which have way more users than Safari. This is also likely to alienate millions of users who favor other browsers over AApple’s Safari.
On top of that, there is still a lot that we don’t know about this feature, and a lot could still change before regular users get to test out the Private Relay. We know that it will help users to encrypt their data, but to what extent? What other features are going to be a part of this launch? Will Apple actually live up to all the hype around its Private Relay? We still don’t know that.
This move is definitely Apple’s attempt at listening to their user base more. There have been more and more conversations about online security and privacy. The many instances of big tech abusing their user data have also helped advance the conversation around this topic. People are learning about all the ways that we expose ourselves to attacks when we choose to browse online without any security or special privacy tools like VPN. And while Private Relay is definitely a positive addition to Apples upcoming update, it's very unlikely that it will be able to replace or even compete with quality VPNs and here’s why:
VPNs still hold an upper hand when it comes to the variety of IP addresses that can be used by their clients, meaning that they will avoid targeted ads and get to the blocked content easier. VPNs are also more inclusive. They aren’t limited to specific countries, or specific browsers. With Private Relay, the security benefits are limited to Safari, which is quite inconvenient.
While the general trend of prioritizing online privacy is a definitely a step in the right direction, with all that we know about Private Relay now, its safe to say that it will be a nice addition for Safari users, but will hardly be sufficient for those who actually want to be private online and protect themselves against snoopers, hackers and hungry advertisers.
A lot is still unclear with Private Relay, but it will likely not be the answer to all of Apple’ users’ security concerns. The VPN market might get more competitive but VPN’s themselves are hardly in danger.
Although, separate browsers coming up with their versions of Private Relay and making anonymity online much more accessible could really shake up the VPN Market in the long run, but still - for those who fully understand the benefits of having a solid VPN, Private Relay will not be sufficient. VPNs offer so much more than just vaguely disguised IP addresses.
The fact that online security has been getting a lot of attention online is definitely a good thing. This new feature may even raise awareness regarding online security among the larger audiences. And while it looks like Private Relay will have limited security benefits, we can never argue against any improvement in this direction.
It’s clear that VPNs are here to stay. Apart from the security benefits which are the most crucial part of this technology, they also offer a lot in terms of convenience, including but not limited to avoiding targeted ads, watching the content that would otherwise be blocked in your country and oftentimes getting better deals when shopping online. This is not to say that all VPNs are made equal, some of them might be doing even less than what Private Relay wants to accomplish, but a solid VPN goes way beyond this new Apple feature.
This launch is definitely going to have a limited effect on the VPN market and the general discourse around online security. Whether or not it will be able to actually impact the existing VPNs is still unclear. Although when we take a closer look at what Private Relay offers, it’s clear that VPN benefits far outweigh this new Apple feature.
The VPN market will definitely have to undergo a transformation over the next couple of years, there is no arguing against that. But it’s unlikely that Private Relay will play a huge role in this development.
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Let’s take a closer look at the much anticipated Apple feature to find out.","meta_title":"What Apple's Private Relay Could Mean for The VPN Market | BlufVPN Blog","author":{"slug":"slick","document":{"data":{"name":"Slick","about":null,"avatar":{"dimensions":{"width":256,"height":256},"url":"https://images.prismic.io/nitrovpn/8af9fdbf-cf1e-40f5-bb62-b1046c8050c2_slick-profile.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&rect=0%2C0%2C940%2C940&w=256&h=256","alt":null,"localFile":{"relativePath":".cache/caches/gatsby-source-prismic/c1ed1a58daae9b4c1cae3c08a0f468b1/8af9fdbf-cf1e-40f5-bb62-b1046c8050c2_slick-profile.png","absolutePath":"/opt/build/repo/.cache/caches/gatsby-source-prismic/c1ed1a58daae9b4c1cae3c08a0f468b1/8af9fdbf-cf1e-40f5-bb62-b1046c8050c2_slick-profile.png","childImageSharp":{"fixed":{"base64":"data:image/png;base64,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","width":96,"height":96,"src":"/static/b0071eea319dc2ba78cec63e74f850d7/a2408/8af9fdbf-cf1e-40f5-bb62-b1046c8050c2_slick-profile.png","srcSet":"/static/b0071eea319dc2ba78cec63e74f850d7/a2408/8af9fdbf-cf1e-40f5-bb62-b1046c8050c2_slick-profile.png 1x,\n/static/b0071eea319dc2ba78cec63e74f850d7/82c1d/8af9fdbf-cf1e-40f5-bb62-b1046c8050c2_slick-profile.png 1.5x,\n/static/b0071eea319dc2ba78cec63e74f850d7/0bdde/8af9fdbf-cf1e-40f5-bb62-b1046c8050c2_slick-profile.png 2x"}}}}}}},"category":{"slug":"security","document":{"data":{"name":"Security"}}}},"uid":"what-apple-private-relay-means-for-the-vpn-market","type":"blog_post","last_publication_date":"2022-02-21T14:13:52+0000","first_publication_date":"2022-02-21T14:13:52+0000","lang":"en-us"},{"data":{"body":[{"__typename":"PrismicBlogPostBodyText","id":"0c4d51c1-1082-5463-aaa0-a398292315a0","primary":{"text":{"html":"Apps are essential for our everyday life, but unfortunately, they also pose a threat to our online security. The truth is that our phones have an overwhelming amount of information about us, our habits, likes and dislikes, how we communicate and who we communicate with. It’s not just the companies that produce our phones but it is also the app we use on a daily basis. This is why we've combined the list of the top 5 worst apps for your online security.
And we know, some of the apps listed here are pretty hard to get rid of, unless you’re trying to alienate yourself from the rest of the world. Our only hope here is that you will at least approach these apps with more caution and take those extra steps to protect your privacy as much as possible.
This probably comes as no surprise to most people, but Facebook is one of the worst apps when it comes to privacy. While it may be the most popular and widely used social media platform/app, it is also the worst when it comes to privacy and security. Facebook has been a part of numerous scandals revolving around the problematic practices of Big Tech and the many instances of serious data breaches. So far it looks like there is a culture of privacy abuse in all major social media platforms. Still, Facebook stands out as the most invasive app that tracks your every step and benefits greatly from it. Facebook has an overwhelming list of terms and conditions, which grants the app the permission to track your contacts, private messages, your camera and microphone, your Wi-fi, and even your location. It continues to track your every move even when you are not using Facebook. The many conveniences that come with using this app definitely have a price.
Facebook, above all other apps, knows your online habits and tendencies. It keeps track of everything: what you are looking at, what you are liking, what type of content you are engaging with. Facebook then uses this data for its own gain, so it can show you targeted ads - the ones that you are most likely to click on. We know that swearing off Facebook isn’t for everyone, since you also risk missing out on a lot of opportunities, but stay cautious of what you share and do on Facebook because nothing goes unnoticed by the app.
Messenger is no better than Facebook. In some way it is even worse since this is where we tend to share private information with others, assuming that they will stay private. But did you know that Messenger does not use end-to-end encryption? This means that it’s much easier for third parties to access your messages and freely read through them. And Facebook is not the one to shy away from invading their users’ privacy.
It should be mentioned that these suspicious practices can also be used for good. For example, it allows to control the spread of Fake News, or it can alert Facebook if someone is planning a dangerous event or even threatening another person via Messenger. In reality, though, Facebook has failed to use its practices for good and has been mostly dealing with the backlash from using its power to spy on people with the aim of improving the effectiveness of their targeted ads. The thing with Facebook is that based on their history, they are very likely to use your data without you even knowing it. They are not the most ethical company out there, so beware. If you can't quit Facebook Messenger completely, just make sure to reconsider your habits and actions, as well as your current security settings on Messenger because you are definitely being watched.
This is yet another wildly popular app that became wrapped up in the controversy regarding its data collection policies. TikTok is a video-sharing social media platform that has grown at a rapid pace over the last couple of years. And while it is definitely entertaining for its users, it also comes with a lot of questionable policies. Tiktok, just like the other apps we’ve mentioned so far, collects data about its users. This app has access to your camera, microphones, contacts, location, your social network contacts, and it is also collecting data about you based on your behavior on TikTok. On top of that TikTok’s current security system leaves a lot to be desired. The app has fallen victim to hackers and various cyberattacks over the last couple of years.
In 2020 we got the confirmation that it was possible to attack TikTok accounts through SMS which just added fuel to the fire surrounding TikTok.
Your TikTok account is more vulnerable than your other social media pages so keep that in mind when using the app to communicate with others or handing over your personal information to the app. On top of that, make sure that you adjust the privacy settings in your TikTok account if you think that you don't want to give up the app completely.
Weather apps are often overlooked in discussions regarding app security, since there really isn't much to them - mostly people just check them during the week and don’t spend more than a couple of seconds using them. But turns out Weather apps are actually extremely bad when it comes to online security and privacy.
These apps take advantage of the fact that most of us don't think too much about our weather app security and use this for their own gain. If you’ve ever had a weather app, you’ll know that you have to allow the app to access your location in order for it to show you the right temperature and what kind of weather you can expect throughout the day. Well, these apps track your location even when you aren't using the app and then sell it to advertisers. Creators of these apps know that people won't spend too much time going through the terms and conditions of the weather app so they take advantage of that. These apps make a lot of money from just selling your data to third parties who will then use it to advertise their product better. The best way to avoid data breaches through weather apps is to adjust your settings on these apps so that they can not track your location if you are not using the app.
The last app on our list is WeChat. This is a social media platform and mobile payment app combined. Online Banking systems and payment methods have greatly simplified our lives and it’s very hard to argue against them. But sometimes these apps can also overstep the line. One example of a payment platform that does not care about its users' privacy is WeChat. If you have never used WeChat, there’s a chance that you have at least heard about it because this app is no stranger to controversies. It has been confirmed that WeChat monitors the exchange between users that happens through their app, it has been banned in multiple countries and there's a high chance that they are selling this data to third parties. When we handle our finance online, we always have to consider the risks that are unique to online banking and online payment methods. There are other options for people who want to handle their money online, and if you decided to do that, WeChat probably should not be your first choice.
While spying on users is never a positive thing, it carries a whole new meaning when it’s about the app that we are supposed to trust with our money. Avoid taking risks, especially when the money is involved, and choose alternative payment platforms.
Generally speaking, apps can be very dangerous when it comes to online security. With so many apps with all these different T&C, we are very often giving away too much information without thinking about it first. Not all apps are dangerous, some of them respect users’ privacy and ensure that everyone has a clear understanding of the app’s privacy policy and the way they handle customer data.
Sadly most popular apps are not like that when it comes to security. All of the apps we have mentioned in the list have millions of monthly users and their popularity doesn't seem to be declining, even as these companies are facing lawsuits, allegations, and scandals.
The best way to protect yourself against privacy breaches is to educate yourself about the potential dangers of using various apps, then safeguard your personal information and generally practice more caution when surfing online. Also make sure to always adjust privacy settings on all your apps, even on mundane ones like the weather apps. In other cases when the app does not give you an option for a privacy policy that actually works for you, consider limiting your time on that app as much as possible.
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","meta_title":"The 5 Worst Apps for your Security & Privacy | BlufVPN Blog","author":{"slug":"slick","document":{"data":{"name":"Slick","about":null,"avatar":{"dimensions":{"width":256,"height":256},"url":"https://images.prismic.io/nitrovpn/8af9fdbf-cf1e-40f5-bb62-b1046c8050c2_slick-profile.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&rect=0%2C0%2C940%2C940&w=256&h=256","alt":null,"localFile":{"relativePath":".cache/caches/gatsby-source-prismic/c1ed1a58daae9b4c1cae3c08a0f468b1/8af9fdbf-cf1e-40f5-bb62-b1046c8050c2_slick-profile.png","absolutePath":"/opt/build/repo/.cache/caches/gatsby-source-prismic/c1ed1a58daae9b4c1cae3c08a0f468b1/8af9fdbf-cf1e-40f5-bb62-b1046c8050c2_slick-profile.png","childImageSharp":{"fixed":{"base64":"data:image/png;base64,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","width":96,"height":96,"src":"/static/b0071eea319dc2ba78cec63e74f850d7/a2408/8af9fdbf-cf1e-40f5-bb62-b1046c8050c2_slick-profile.png","srcSet":"/static/b0071eea319dc2ba78cec63e74f850d7/a2408/8af9fdbf-cf1e-40f5-bb62-b1046c8050c2_slick-profile.png 1x,\n/static/b0071eea319dc2ba78cec63e74f850d7/82c1d/8af9fdbf-cf1e-40f5-bb62-b1046c8050c2_slick-profile.png 1.5x,\n/static/b0071eea319dc2ba78cec63e74f850d7/0bdde/8af9fdbf-cf1e-40f5-bb62-b1046c8050c2_slick-profile.png 2x"}}}}}}},"category":{"slug":"security","document":{"data":{"name":"Security"}}}},"uid":"worst-apps-for-your-security","type":"blog_post","last_publication_date":"2022-01-31T12:27:41+0000","first_publication_date":"2022-01-31T12:27:41+0000","lang":"en-us"},{"data":{"body":[{"__typename":"PrismicBlogPostBodyText","id":"e9ddcdf9-48f0-5d9c-8bdb-1e979902fba0","primary":{"text":{"html":"You might have noticed that when you start talking about digital security the term “data breach” keeps coming up. If you keep up with the news you might have also heard about numerous scandals regarding data breaches. To bring up another example, from time to time you might even receive personal emails notifying you that your account has been breached. Depending on how much you know about the said data breaches you might start to panic or you might discard it as yet another small glitch. In reality, data breaches are a serious problem, but the one that can be avoided. Here’s everything you need to know about data breaches and how to protect yourself from them.
A data breach is when your information, specifically the online data is accidentally or intentionally leaked. This might occur because of a mistake on a company’s part, or it might happen as a result of a cyber-attack. The data in question, for example, names, emails, financial details, passwords, and usernames are extremely valuable to cybercriminals. Your data could be used to make purchases or in worst-case scenarios, to steal your identity. This is why if you ever receive an email, notifying you that your data has been breached, it is definitely worrisome.
In a perfect world, it is the company’s responsibility to make sure that this never happens. But as we have seen over the last couple of years, data breaches have only become more common.
Here’s why it is becoming increasingly evident that individuals should do their part when setting up their online accounts and make sure that their data is as protected as possible.
Data breaches can happen for multiple reasons. One of the most common causes is Malware, a malicious code that spreads throughout the system and retrieves all the data, sending it back to the servers that are run by hackers. Cybercriminals often use emails as a way to trick people into clicking the link which will onset the Malware.
But in other cases, data breaches are accidental and happen because we are not careful enough or organized enough when it comes to our internet security. You would be surprised to learn how many people have weak passwords or reuse their one password for every single account they make. This makes cyberattacks much easier. Data breaches also happen as a result of a technical error.
To put it shortly, there is no shortage of factors that can lead to a data breach. No one is completely safe from data breaches, but there are tools that can help us protect our data and online identity. Here are some of the best options for avoiding data breaches.
First and foremost, use secure websites. This might seem obvious but the first step to avoiding data breaches is only interacting with secure websites. The way to tell whether or not a website is secure is by looking at the link. It should always start with https:// instead of http://. The “s” at the end of https stands for security, so keep an eye out for it.
Another step you can take is to create strong passwords or change the existing ones to more secure combinations. Your passwords should be as complicated as possible, they should include special characters and symbols, should use numbers, but preferably non-sequential ones. You should also have different passwords for all your accounts. It is very likely that if one of your accounts gets compromised, whoever might be behind the attack will use that one password to try to get into all the other accounts and if you use one password, then you will end up with multiple compromised accounts. So make sure you have different passwords for reach and every one of your accounts.
If you find it difficult to memorize overly complicated passwords or just want to find a better way to manage them, you can use password management tools that will keep you and your accounts safe and organized. These tools will also help you generate the safest password combinations for all of your accounts.
Another tip we have for increased online security is to update your computer and mobile device regularly. While those update notifications can get annoying, they are essential to make sure that you are protected from possible breaches. You might not always be able to tell what’s different with the particular update visually, but it is not just about the looks it is also about the security. These updates are meant to update the tools that protect our devices against attacks from hackers and cybercriminals.
Another way to ensure online safety is to use a VPN this way your online activity can not be traced back to you. If you input your personal details into the account and it gets breached, of course, VPN won’t be able to help. But to make sure that the companies are not using your data against you when you browse online - use a solid VPN. BlufVPN has multiple payment plans and all the necessary features to make browsing safe and anonymous.
Security and privacy are becoming more and more important, especially as data breaches become more common. It’s important that we take control of our online security, at least as much as we can. No one system or tool will protect you 100%, but having multiple layers of defense is definitely better than solely relying on service providers alone to do their job.
Data breaches are likely here to stay, and they might even become more and more frequent as we move parts of our daily lives into digital spaces. This means that the data breaches will also become more risky and impactful so it’s crucial that we protect ourselves and our personal data. Using multiple mechanisms to secure your data and online browsing history is the best way to go about it.
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Hackers across the world are waiting to exploit any vulnerabilities in your network or any human error you might make while shopping for Christmas gifts for your friends, family members, or co-workers. Whether we like it or not, the Christmas scams and cyberattacks are bound to happen. The best way to defend ourselves from falling victim to these attacks is by learning about the scams and what signs to look out for. Here’s a comprehensive overview of all the most popular scamming techniques cybercriminals use around this time of year.
Hackers know that the Holidays are the busiest times for retailers and deliveries. You are sending out packages, ordering gifts, and receiving gifts which can get overwhelming really quickly. Experienced hackers take advantage of that chaos to gain access to your personal details in unconventional ways. During this time beware of any suspicious emails asking you to reconfirm your address or maybe send over your bank information for package delivery purposes. If you get any sort of email regarding your shipping, always check the tracking code or the package, as well as the sender’s email. Don’t click on any links without checking the URL first. You could end up at a website that will install the malware on your computer, ruining your Christmas in a matter of seconds.
Bait and Switch scams are also on the rise during the holiday season. Bait and Switch scams are banking on the naive users to fall for their “too good to pass” opportunities that are in reality just too good to be true. You could end up with an unexpectedly low-quality product or you may never get your order at all. In some cases, these websites could even be a part of a much bigger scheme that wants to get hold of your financial information and then drain your account completely.
While online scams usually hit their highs during Christmas, offline Christmas scams are just as prominent. Watch out for Holiday themed pyramid schemes. You might think that at least the holidays would be off the table for the scammers, but in reality, they use this time to play on people’s heartstrings and use their own vulnerabilities and emotions against them. You might come across some advertisements for gift exchange programs or “Secret Santa” games with strangers. Unless you know and trust the company that is doing the event, refrain from giving away your details or spending money on the gift. This scam is a way to avoid having any responsibility and duping innocent people into giving away money. We are not saying that any sort of gift exchange program is a scam, but if you choose to participate in something like this, make sure that you double-check the company and also read up the reviews from people who have participated in their programs before.
Delivery scams aside, these are also extremely dangerous times for online shopping. A lot of us are visiting more websites during the holidays than at any other time of the year. We want to find the perfect gift for our loved ones and oftentimes it might require you to go to lesser-known websites. During these times it’s extremely important to practice additional caution when visiting new websites.
Now that we’ve covered most of the popular scamming practices, let's discuss some of the good online shopping practices you can apply any time of the year to protect yourself against scammers.
Always use a VPN when browsing online. Your personal information could easily get exposed if you use an untrustworthy website. One mistake on your part, could give hackers the access to all the information you might exchange online - including your passwords, financial details, addresses, phone number - everything. When you use a VPN, even if someone tries to spy on your data, they won’t be able to get to anything as your online traffic will be redirected through an encrypted tunnel. BlufVPN has over 500 servers for you to choose from depending on what you are after.
First and foremost, always check that the website has an “HTTPS” instead of “HTTP”. The additional “S” stands for “Secure” and ensures that your connection to the website is encrypted and secure.
This might sound like a tedious task, and it is in some sense, but how many days out of the year are you creating an account on a foreign website? Most of us fall into the habit of shopping from a couple of places regularly. But when you do decide to branch out and order something from a different website, look out for signs that the website is legit. A very common practice among cybercriminals is to create websites that have the same name as one of the more famous shopping websites but change one or couple of letters so that an unattentive user will easily mistake the fake website for the real one. To avoid giving your information to a scammer, just double the URL to make sure you are on the correct website.
A lot of websites will put fake reviews on their pages to convince inexperienced users that the review is real. Look out for reviews that seem too good to be true and watch out for websites that don’t have any negative feedback that will usually mean that the reviews have been either faked or heavily filtered.
Lastly, never click on suspicious links that get sent to you via email or even different social media websites. You can apply the practice of checking the URL by hovering the mouse over the link and seeing the real URL before you open it in your browser. This way you can avoid falling victim to phishing scams or other malicious links that could destroy your computer and give access to your personal data to complete strangers.
It might look like the internet is a wild place with no safeguards, but lucky for us these simple practices do a lot to protect us from the dangers of the internet. When it comes to browsing safely online it pays off to know what scams to look out for and which security practices and tools to invest in to ensure that you are safe online. While the cybercrime levels definitely rise during Christmas, if you use the tips mentioned in the article you should have a very safe and hassle-free Christmas shopping experience.
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