What is a Virtual Private Network?
A VPN or Virtual Private Network allows users to access resources on a private network from a remote or untrusted network in a secure manner. VPNs create a encrypted tunnel between a user's device and a server run by the VPN provider over the internet. This encrypted connection means that any data sent between the user's device and VPN server cannot be intercepted or seen by hackers, spies or even the user's internet service provider.
How does a VPN work?
When a user connects to a Virtual Private Network , they are assigning themselves an IP address from that VPN provider's server. This means that all of the user's internet traffic is now rerouted through the VPN server before being sent to its final destination. The server assigns the user a new IP address and acts as an intermediary, encrypting and decrypting the user's data along the way.
To the websites and services the user is accessing, it looks like the connection is coming from the VPN server's physical location rather than the user's actual location. This "spoofing" of the IP address helps maintain user anonymity and bypass geographical restrictions. It also prevents the user's real IP address and location from being viewable to potential hackers monitoring traffic on the user's network connection.
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