Data Privacy is integral and it has only been becoming more and more evident over time. One of the clear indications of its importance is depicted by the 28th of January. Since 2008, this day has been set aside as a “Data Privacy Day”. The goal for this is to create awareness of privacy, security and protection of personal data / information.
One of the aspects to security is private browsing, which is all the rage these days. Luckily there are many ways to surf the internet that isn’t secure at all or access websites in certain countries. One of the features right in front of us. Private browsing can easily be carried out from your browser’s private browsing mode.
Let’s first go over the major browser that is used by most of the internet users – Google Chrome. Google Chrome has incognito mode which has a secret agent icon. What the incognito mode does is that it doesn’t keep record of the visited pages, data entered into forms or any other searches that you carry out. It will not remember the files you download or the bookmarks you create.
The same caveats apple for Microsoft edge, safari, Firefox and more – temporary internet files such as cookies, form data and browsing history cannot be saved. But the fact is that incognito mode covers your tracks locally online but it doesn’t delete them entirely. This is because while it does not create a history on your computer, your ISP can still very much track you and maintain logs of all your activity.
What’s the Solution?
Well, it’s simple. Encryption is key!
Private browsing can fully and truly be executed when you connect to the internet through a VPN. This is because all data packets are then encrypted with military level encryption and no one can have access to it. This makes you untraceable because where the connection is originating from becomes indistinguishable.
Unlike being connected to the internet normally and browsing the web directly through a standard connection, when you browse through a VPN the point of origin of your device becomes unidentifiable. The only location available to anyone who tries to intervene is the location that you choose.
A VPN lets you choose a server of your preference which replaces your physical location with that of the server you choose.
What are the threats you will face without Private Browsing?
You are vulnerable to numerous threats online when you are not connected to a VPN. Listed are a few off the top of my head:
- Device becomes vulnerable to malware attacks
- Your confidential data may be extracted
- Your device can be hacked
- Under surveillance you may not be able to torrent freely without fear of being caught
- Your speed may be throttled with by your ISP
How does a VPN connection help private browsing?
Private browsing that is implemented through a VPN connection helps in uncountable ways. Here are the many reasons that prove how necessary it is to use a VPN for Xbox; torrenting and private browsing, security included:
- Lets you access blocked websites and restricted content from anywhere
- Allows you to torrent without being caught or being handed over DMCA notices
- Strips the ISP of the authority to throttle with speed
- Keeps all third party intruders and hackers at bay
- Makes it impossible to acquire information when all data is encrypted
- Masks your IP and keeps you off radar
Ways to Stay Safe Online Other than a VPN
Even though a VPN is recommended as it is the secure most way for private browsing, there are other ways to protect data on the internet and keep your activities private. One of them is a private search engine. They don’t creep on your preferences and habits which then does not make you a target of advertisements. Popularly used private search engines are DuckDuckGo and Start Page.
You can also use password managers that generate passwords for you which are quite difficult to crack and be compromised. The password manager also reminds you when it’s time to change your password at different intervals. This way the accounts that you use while browsing are not compromised that easily.
Another fix is the use of browser security tools such as HTTPS Everywhere and Privacy Badger. This is great as it protects your data even when you are not browsing privately.
Even though these alternatives are great, they only provide minimal security which can be breached. For solid security and foolproof private browsing, always resort to a VPN as it is the reliable-most option!
John Biography:
John began his career as a SEO specialist. Over the span of five years, he has developed a deep understanding of the web and now serves as a Digital Marketing expert at FastestVPN. He is ever so inclined to learn more on the subject of cyber-security.