Should I use a Virtual Private Network (VPN)? Maybe!?

Since a VPN creates an encrypted tunnel for your Internet traffic it makes it hard for public access points or your ISP to track what specifically you are doing. This is especially useful if you access the Internet from public WiFi networks or you are working around ISP usage restrictions.

A VPN can be used to bypass geo-restrictions and access content that is not available in your region. For example, you could use a VPN to watch Netflix shows that are only available in other countries. Although I am not saying you should do this! ;)

There are better ways to secure your Internet traffic than using a VPN such as only using HTTPS websites, enabling DNS over HTTPS, and using a password manager. However, a VPN can be a useful tool in your security toolbox.

As an infrastructure engineer, I often need to debug geo-specific functionality. For example, I might need to test a feature that is only available in the EU. In this case, I can use a VPN to connect to a server in the EU and test the feature.

Ad and malware blocking over VPN works by filtering out unwanted traffic before it reaches your device. This can be done using a variety of methods, such as:

• DNS filtering: This method blocks requests to known ad and malware domains.
• IP blocking: This method blocks requests to known ad and malware IP addresses.
• Web filtering: This method blocks access to known ad and malware websites.
• Heuristic filtering: This method uses artificial intelligence to identify and block ad and malware traffic.