Summer travel is in full swing, which means you are probably connecting to coffee shop and airport Wi-Fi networks more often. While convenient, these shared public networks expose your private data to anyone else lurking on the same connection. This week, we are breaking down a simple tool that keeps your digital life private while you are away from home.
A VPN—short for Virtual Private Network—acts like a private, encrypted tunnel that hides your internet activity from prying eyes.
When you browse the web normally on a public network, your data is out in the open. If you check your bank account or type a password at a local cafe, a tech-savvy thief nearby could intercept that data. A VPN solves this by scrambling your information. Even if someone intercepts it, they only see scrambled gibberish.
Using one is simple. Follow these three quick steps:
Choose a trusted VPN provider: Download the app onto your phone and laptop.
Turn on auto-connect: Set the app to turn on automatically whenever you connect to an unsecured public network.
Pick a local server: Choose a server close to your actual location to keep your internet speed as fast as possible.