When you pack your bags before leaving, you obviously think about the number of pairs of socks you will bring, your tourist guide or the number of books you hope to read during your stay. On the other hand, too often we forget to download a VPN on our connected devices. An essential tool that takes up less space than a toothbrush and can save your day abroad. We explain why you would be wrong to do without it.
What exactly is a VPN for?
A VPN, for virtual private network, is a device managed by a company that allows you to pass your Internet connection through an intermediary server. In detail, the traffic is encrypted locally, takes a tunnel isolated from other standard HTTP/HTTPS traffic, bounces to a VPN server where it is decrypted, and then sent back to the public Internet to query the initially requested websites.
A configuration that allows the virtual private network to act as a shield between the Internet user and the rest of the web since the connection that passes through VPN equipment borrows the IP address and geolocation of said server. Therefore, users are anonymous in the eyes of the web platforms consulted, which cannot establish a reliable profile of the visitor.
At the same time, the encrypted and blocked tunnel established between the Internet user’s device and the VPN server guarantees the impossibility of intercepting and reading traffic data, both for the ISP and for possible cyber attackers.
Why use a VPN while on holiday abroad?
Use a VPN while traveling to protect your searches
Although mobile networks are relatively well developed in France, the same is not true everywhere. Also, depending on your plan, you may not be able to use your mobile data in certain countries without subscribing to specific data packages on top of your subscription, most of the time very expensive for just a few MB. Result: You may be tempted to connect to free hotspots.
Be careful with public Wi-Fi in tourist places
However, we can’t repeat it enough: public Wi-Fi is dangerous for the security of your most sensitive information, especially in tourist locations. Whether it is a hotspot run by the Tourist Board, an airport, a hotel or a fast food chain, most of these hotspots are poorly configured and vulnerable to attacks by hackers. Since your traffic and data travel over these networks, it is easy to intercept and exploit them, especially if you visit unsecured HTTP sites. Another common trap in crowded places: Evil Twin attacks. In this case, hackers mount an official-looking hotspot on your smartphone or PC by copying the name of an existing public Wi-Fi network. Connect to that endpoint and all your sensitive data: passwords, IDs, credit card numbers, etc. – will appear in plain text to hackers.
What is the role of VPN in protecting personal data?
Because it encrypts and isolates traffic data between the user’s device and the VPN server, a virtual private network ensures that your personal information will be adequately protected in the event of an evil twin or official hotspot hack. Most consumer VPNs today use robust and stable tunneling protocols, such as OpenVPN and WireGuard, that support the unbreakable AES encryption algorithm (128 or 256 bits).
The VPN to protect privacy and sensitive data
In addition to the threat posed by hackers, let us remember that some countries do not hesitate to establish a mass surveillance system. Since a VPN hides your real IP and location in addition to encrypting your traffic, it allows you to preserve your privacy in its entirety and hide your personal information from prying states.
Another advantage of the VPN, this time for practical reasons: the possibility of geolocating in France and, in certain cases, of using dedicated or static IP addresses. Two parameters of utmost importance, especially with regard to banks. How many of you have really thought about informing your agency that you are going to travel abroad? You are aware that banking establishments are extremely attentive to unusual movements. Connecting to different Wi-Fi networks abroad may result in temporary account blocking while your identity is verified. By using a static (one that doesn’t change) or dedicated (one that belongs to you) VPN IP, you can be sure not to encounter any problems with overseas transactions.
Optimizing performance and connection speed using VPN
Depending on the regions you are in, you may experience slow connection and page loading times. At issue: traffic regulation by your ISP. To put it simply, some Internet service providers restrict your connection to services and platforms that consume too much bandwidth for your liking. This may be the case if you watch videos online, for example.
How can a VPN improve connection stability and speed abroad?
In this situation, a VPN can help you improve the speed and performance of your connection. In fact, because it encrypts your device’s traffic and uses its own DNS, the virtual private network prevents your ISP from knowing the content of your requests and the websites you visit. The only information you will have access to is the IP address of the VPN server you connected to.
Take advantage of a VPN abroad to work
The question of VPN abroad can also arise during a business trip, especially if you haven’t been careful to download the necessary tools before leaving. For example, if you want to send an email from a webmail that is impossible to download in the country you are in, or if you need to connect to services that are inaccessible from abroad, then a virtual private network will allow you to simulate your geolocation in France and thus Avoid any geographic restrictions you encounter.
In addition to this practical aspect, the VPN guarantees the security and confidentiality of your data and professional projects, whether you are employed or self-employed. A characteristic that must weigh heavily in the balance.
Use a VPN abroad to take advantage of my French subscriptions?
It all depends on the legislative framework of the country you are in and the current law in France. You should also take into account the conditions of use of the services to which you subscribe. It is evident that you will have to do your own research and adapt on a case-by-case basis to territorial and service policies.
Canal+, for example, strictly prohibits the use of VPNs and other proxy servers to access its content from abroad. On Netflix, the rule is vaguer. Nothing is explicitly allowed or prohibited. However, it may happen that the platform detects the use of a VPN and asks you to deactivate it to access its content.
However, we conclude that using a VPN to access geo-blocked media content is not recommended. On the one hand, it surely infringes the copyright, distribution and exploitation rights of the works; On the other hand, you risk being expelled from SVoD services, without the possibility of requesting a refund for your subscription.
There are many VPN providers and choosing is not always easy. In general, they avoid 100% free and insecure services, which are financed by the resale of their users’ personal data, or they struggle to actively maintain the quality of their services.
Among quality VPNs, these are the ones you should turn to:
- NordVPN : present on the cybersecurity market since 2012, NordVPn no longer has much to prove. Leading an infrastructure of 6,000 servers spread across 61 countries, it offers numerous enhanced security options, such as its Tor, obfuscated, and Double VPN servers. To ensure traffic confidentiality, it uses the WireGuard-based OpenVPN and NordLynx protocols along with AES-256 encryption. The client also integrates effective threat protection and distributes functional extensions for Chrome and Firefox.
- CyberGhost – Even more impressive than NordVPN, CyberGhost’s infrastructure has over 11,000 servers and covers 100 countries. The provider guarantees a very strict no-logging policy, uses the OpenVPN and WireGuard protocols (AES 256 encryption) and has NoSpy servers dedicated to improving the security of personal data. Supports dedicated IPs and integrates various ad, malware and scam website blockers. Its web extensions are more limited than NordVPN’s, but have the advantage of being accessible for free, without authentication.
- Surfshark: in Surfshark you can benefit from 3,200 servers located in a hundred countries. The service supports OpenVPN and WireGuard protocols and offers secure AES encryption. Like CyberGhost, it supports dedicated IPs and offers hotspots with static IPs. The provider also develops a private search engine, Surfshark Web, has a malicious download blocker and distributes web extensions with the same options as the desktop client.
- Proton VPN – On the list of recommended providers, Proton VPN is the only one that offers a free version of its service, funded by premium subscriptions. The Swiss provider is also independent and develops inventive functions, always dedicated to strengthening the anonymity and protection of personal data. Proof of this are its Secure Core (double VPN) or Tor servers, for example. Its VPN accelerator allows it to offer very good performance in all circumstances. It is compatible with OpenVPN and WireGuard, and also distributes its internal Stealth protocol, capable of bypassing censorship in Russia and Iran, for example. Their web extensions are just as effective, but are reserved for paid subscriptions.
- ExpressVPN: 3,000 servers in 105 countries, this is the more than satisfactory coverage that ExpressVPN offers. Connections are protected by OpenVPN and Lightway protocols (based on WireGuard), supporting AES and ChaCha20 encryption algorithms. Easier to use than its two main competitors, ExpressVPN requires no specialized servers. However, we are not aware of any news that calls into question its robustness, as NordVPN and CyberGhost may have experienced data leaks in the past. Its web extensions act as remote controls and require the client to be installed on a computer.
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Source: BFM TV
