What are the most effective VPN security features

VPNs are diverse tools that can be used to achieve a number of objectives. However they were initially designed to be network security and encryption tools. The goal was clear, keep private networks private.

That said, not all VPNs provide the same quality of service which is why you need to do your own research before you take a decision on which VPN is suitable for your specific needs. VPN can keep you safe while playing JackpotCity online casino that offers verity of new games and bonuses. And even if you are traveling abroad you may find your favorite gambling or sports betting sites are blocked which can easily bypassed by using the suitable VPN.

In this article I’ll discuss some of the most efficient features that make up a complete and secure VPN service. Although there are many other important features not mentioned in my article, the ones I’ve selected are in my opinion the most useful and valuable ones.

Starting off with encryption as the pillar for any good VPN service. Moving on to split tunneling for user flexibility, and the ad blocker for user convenience. Finally we get to the advanced features like the kill switch and leak testing tools.

The combination of all the above security features, protocols, and tools create a safe environment referred to as the VPN tunnel, in which your traffic and all your personal information gets routed through.

Encryption

The entire VPN concept is built on routing traffic through an encrypted tunnel. There are many encryption techniques and algorithms that can be utilized for this purpose. However the most secure one is the AES-256 bit algorithm. This encryption method ensures that even the most powerful super computer cannot break it.

In order to achieve complete network security, VPNs use encryption on top of their network protocols. VPN protocols like PPTP, L2TP, OpenVPN, and the new WireGuard define the rules that govern a network. Any request or response that is to be sent across the network will have to abide by those rules.

Split Tunneling

VPN split tunneling is a routing method in which the user (you) get to decide which specific apps on their device gets routed through the VPN tunnel while remaining apps or traffic connects to the internet directly.

This feature is extremely important since it provides user flexibility and less network congestion while still using your VPN for select programs or apps. Any decent VPN should include a split tunnel option, if yours doesn’t, you need to change providers.

User flexibility: This feature provides users with a lot flexibility in terms of choosing exactly how much
information to expose at any time. For example, it’s up to you to choose if you want to reveal your physical location on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or any other outlet. If you wish to reveal that information while still using your VPN connection for other purposes, all you need to do is exclude social media platforms in your VPN’s split tunneling settings.
Better performance: Picking and choosing which apps to route through the VPN means there’s less traffic being sent and received. If you’re having trouble with bandwidth speed while connected to a VPN server, excluding some unnecessary apps can make a noticeable difference in speed. Less network congestions equals higher bandwidth speed but keep in mind that’s not the only factor in play here.

Kill Switch

This feature is an excellent tool to make sure that nothing gets leaked if your VPN connection is lost momentarily. Sometimes you’re using a VPN for something sensitive that you don’t wish to access to from your regular connection. All of a sudden the VPN server you’re connected to unexpectedly drops your connection for whatever reason. What happens then? If you have the kill switch feature on, your entire internet connection will be dropped as soon as the VPN server disconnects. Which means your sensitive information won’t be exposed due to this connectivity issue. Instead you’ll be offline until you reconnect to another VPN server (most apps will do this part automatically for you).

Ad Blocker

an Ad blocker is usually installed as a browser extension and works in the background. However it can also be installed as separate application or part of a VPN app. The advantage of having an ad blocker is quite obvious, no one likes to see ads and they’re only getting more annoying.

An effective ad block can eliminate all on-page ads as well as pre-video and in-video ads, those are the worst.

DNS Leak Test

A DNS leak test will let you know if your IP address is exposed in your DNS requests while connected to a VPN. A DNS requests is a demand for information sent by a user to a server. That information can be related to the domain name, IP address, and other types of data.

Clearly when connected to a VPN you want your IP address hidden, that’s what you bought it for! so you should definitely check if your IP address is leaking out in your DNS requests.

Although the explanation may sound complicated, the test feature in VPN apps really isn’t. You just click the test button and if it turns out there’s a leak, contact your VPN provider and show them a screenshot of the test result.

Which is the Most Secure VPN on the Market?

Almost all premium VPN providers have already added split tunneling, kill switch, and other features to their list. However when it comes to security features, no one does it better than Private Internet Access. After all it’s their main selling point so they might as well go all in on it. Another reputable name in the VPN industry is NordVPN, they also offer the features I discussed earlier and is among the most popular VPN companies in the world.

Both my selections offer a unique deal with a very competitive price. Price is always a concern, you don’t want to overpay of course but you also want to get a high quality product. These products strike the perfect balance in terms of value for money.

NordVPN

In this NordVPN review, Anonymistic claims that NordVPN is the most recognized VPN brand globally, and that may very well be true. NordVPN themselves claim as much in their ads.

The Panama based company offers an all purpose secure VPN solution. Fans of streaming, gaming, and privacy all flock to NordVPN with around 6000 servers to choose from. Additionally they offer dedicated servers for P2P applications which means you can download torrents anonymously.

Speed is another important factor specially for streaming content in HD quality and playing online games. NordVPN can unblock almost all streaming services with ease including Netflix, HBO Max, ESPN+, Disney+, and countless others.

Gamers can also benefit from the stability of a VPN connection which allows for lower latency and lag. You’ll have to test which servers work best for you since lag is largely affected by the distance from a client to a server.

NordVPN has a zero-logs policy in order to protect user privacy and personal information. You can rest assured none of your internet activity is being recorded anywhere. Furthermore your investment is protected with the company’s 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee included in all their subscription plans. They also have an award winning support team on stand by 24/7 ready to take all your inquiries and resolve them in timely manner. If you’re more the do it yourself kind of person, you can refer to their extensive knowledge base of guides and tutorials so you can solve your own problems.

Private Internet Access

This Private Internet Access review discusses in detail all the security features offered by PIA including the ones I mentioned above. The reason I chose PIA as the most secure VPN today is their apparent focus on user privacy and security.

PIA can do what any other VPN can. It can unblock geo-restricted streaming services all around the world and they outperform the competition when it comes to security features. You can use split tunneling to control your VPN usage, keep the kill switch on for round the clock protection, activate your ad blocker and get rid of those pesky never-ending ads, and finally test for IP leaks in your DNS requests.

PIA’s server network exceeds 20000 servers spread all over the map which provides you with endless options. If you download torrents, you’ll surely appreciate PIA’s highly optimized servers with full P2P support. Any torrent client you can think of, it works on PIA servers!

You’ll find the PIA app extremely easy to use. Keep in mind you can only operate the VPN app on 10 devices simultaneously which is more than enough in my experience. However if you have more devices or you want your entire network to be protected, you can install the VPN directly on your router. If your router has a built in VPN client you can install PIA on it and secure all your devices at once.

24/7 live chat support is available for all users. You can contact support about any technical or billing issue you’re having with the service. The team is very friendly and quick to respond.

All that at a relatively low price and with a 30-day money-back guarantee, you have nothing to lose with Private Internet Access.

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