Since the leak of Big Brother’s oversight from the NSA some years ago by whistleblower Edward Snowden, it’s no long news that every time we connect to the internet, we are tracked by intelligence agencies and ISPs. Maybe George Orwell’s 1984 is edging towards reality after all. The good news though, today we have privacy and security tools like virtual private networks (VPN), which masks your traffic as well as your identity, and secures your connections. At just a mouse click away, you can download a Chrome VPN extension and reclaim control over your online activities and shield yourself from even the most sophisticated agencies in the world, if the VPN encryption is strong enough.
What Is A VPN?
A VPN sends all your internet traffic through an encrypted tunnel from the moment you are connected. Be it the DNS request sent from your IP address, or the content streamed from your destination. Third parties will not be able to see or intercept your traffic, which means ISPs, hackers, government intelligence will be warded off your online activities. You also gain complete anonymity in the process, if your VPN provider is responsible and trustworthy (that is, if they do not keep logs). Protection is of utmost importance, but speed is a priority, too, and one is usually compromised for in the expense of the other, especially when your traffic is routed through different VPN servers and heavily encrypted. A good VPN is one that strikes a balance between the two.Don’t Be Fooled By Incognito Mode
For the past few years, an incognito mode has gained popularity among internet users for being the latest tool in private browsing from Google Chrome. The online feature allows user to open a new tab or window with no record of cookies, bookmarks, saved searches or pre-filled forms. Any data that is entered ‘disappears’ once the tab or window is closed – or so you think.A lot of users mistakenly believe that they are safe from external threats and behavior tracking. The truth is, incognito mode provides mode provides ‘local privacy’ but not ‘online privacy,’ meaning that while other users of your personal computer cannot see your browsing history or use your account logins, your identity is revealed to third-parties you interact with online. When service providers, software developers and even the government have everything to gain from your user data, it makes sense that the free tools readily available online, such as Chrome itself, is not 100% reliable. So, don’t busy yourself with clearing your browsing history with the incognito mode to hide your footprints from your family, when the real sharks in the sea are actually out there.
Here are the three significant weaknesses of Incognito mode that leave users vulnerable:
DNS Records
DNS (Domain Name System) refers to the database, or ‘phone book’, that refers an individual to specific IP addresses that correspond to each domain. The individual’s requests, as well as their IP address, could be tracked and recorded at the DNS Server. Sometimes, your ISP routes you to their own DNS servers so that they could collect data on your footprint.System Administrators And ISPs
Internet activity is bounded by its functioning operator, be it the network administrator of a WiFi network or the ISP responsible for a phone’s hotspot. As such, do not be surprised to find that both record and track online activities, and are capable of using or selling personal data to third parties.Faults In Encryption
Browsers primarily access websites via HTTP requests; however, such online protocols are considered outdated due to its lack of data encryption. When users send information online, such as banking details or passwords, third-party individuals can easily obtain and exploit such data. An example would be a ‘Man-in-the-middle’ attack where a malicious hacker using the same public Wi-Fi as yourself can easily obtain your passwords.Which VPN Chrome Extension Should You Get?
While there are different VPN extension options, only one can best address all the issues mentioned prior. In the case of DNS, ExpressVPN makes it impossible for DNS to identify you due to its ability to re-route traffic through its own server. You need not worry about any personal data entered, because data encryption will keep it hidden from admins and ISPs, preventing any form of malicious activities.But how do you know if you can trust ExpressVPN? ExpressVPN keeps no activity or connection logs – they do it not by erasing records, but by using a private, zero-knowledge proof. Too technical? In laymen terms, a zero-knowledge proof is system used to proof that you know something without really gaining knowledge of what the content is. This ensures added anonymity and privacy.
Lastly, ExpressVPN stands out from among its competitors, incorporating a HTTPS Everywhere extension which resolves the egregious issue of an unsecure network in any browser and promises secure online activity for all users.
The best part is that protecting yourself from online threats is extremely easy. By just downloading the VPN extension on your Chrome browser, you can begin surfing the internet with an ironclad network, utmost privacy and of course, simple ease of mind.
To get the free VPN extension, you will need an ExpressVPN subscription, which can be a little pricey as compared to other options on the market. But for a limited time, you can get it for almost half the price with a limited time discount. Claim the ExpressVPN coupon here.
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