You use a VPN to keep online activity secure, anonymous, and private. A VPN can give you full access to the information available on the Internet, especially if you live in a country where certain programs, streaming services, and websites are geo-restricted. A VPN connection can protect you from threats caused by hackers and other nefarious third parties and third parties looking to monitor your online activity. VPNs do an amazing job at preventing people from intercepting network traffic and stealing private information from you.
With all the benefits that come from a VPN, you may be surprised to know that there are certain occasions when VPNs do not give you the protection that they should. When there is a breakdown in the VPN, the result could be a data leak. Data leaks happen more often to those who are new to using VPNs and do not know what steps they can take to prevent them. The following is a discussion of why data leaks happen when a person uses a VPN and the steps that you can take to prevent them.
Does My VPN Log My Activity?
Most VPN providers claim to keep no logs. They understand that their clients do not want to go from having their ISP tracking them to having a VPN company track them.
It would be great if VPNs kept no logs at all. But the reality is that many do keep some records. The worst-case scenario is that your VPN will keep track of the websites you visit. However, most VPNs keep track of the number of time users are connected to the VPN and the amount of bandwidth used.
There are a lot of reasons a VPN company may feel the need to keep logs of your activity. If they offer a specific amount of bandwidth per month, they will need to monitor the amount of bandwidth you use. Others may keep track of this information because their business model requires them to collect additional data. For example, your VPN provider may make money off of advertisements placed on commonly visited websites.
All of this means that you are not getting the privacy you are hoping for. You can prevent this by choosing a VPN service that has a proven track record of an absolute no-logging policy. There are some VPN services that have been pressured by governments to hand over their servers. When the servers were inspected by the government, there was no information on them that could be used to identify any of their clients or their client’s activities.
Data Leaks Can Happen If Your Private Connection Suddenly Drops
When using your VPN connection, you are hiding your regular connection using a private IP address. This private IP address is the one that is shown to websites when you visit them. As long as your secure connection is working, there is little to no chance of your true IP address being revealed. However, if your VPN connection drops, your real IP address could get leaked inadvertently. This is because any website you are connected to will instantly switch to your regular network connection.
You can protect yourself from this by making sure that you use a VPN that has an automatic kill switch feature. The kill switch feature should be on at all times. This way, if your VPN connection goes down, your network connection is automatically terminated, preventing a data leak.
The Danger of a Mismatched VPN/Operating System Configuration
If your VPN and your device’s operating system are not properly configured, the result could be a data leak. For example, your VPN may not support an IPv6 connection. However, your OS uses the IPv6 connection. The result could be a mismatched configuration, allowing your DNS data to leak. This could also lead to your true IP address and other sensitive information that you are trying to protect being leaked.
Knowing the specific protocol used for your VPN is also vital. Research by Privacy Canada shows that PPTP protocols offer increased security over L2TP protocols. Their research showed that overall incidents of leaked data using PPTP networks offered a 65% advantage over other networks.
You can prevent this problem by only using authentic VPN app software and then carefully following the setup instructions.
Finding the Best Encryption Protocol For Your VPN
There are several VPN protocols that one might use when protecting their sensitive data. Different protocols handle your data in unique ways. Some protocols focus on security, whereas others prioritize performance.
For example, PPTP is the grandfather of VPN protocols. This protocol first came on the scene in the late 90s. It is easy to set up and is universally supported. PPTP is fast because it does not have specific authentication or encryption technology. You could be tempted to use this protocol when doing video streaming or playing video games online. The problem is that PPTP has had its security measures torn to shreds. It has several serious vulnerabilities that could cause a data leak.
Conversely, OpenVPN offers fast performance and one of the highest levels of security available. OpenVPN makes use of TLS and OpenSSL. There are other technologies built into it that add to its security and functionality. Because of its security, OpenVPN is used by high-end VPN providers.
It’s recommended that you use 256-bit encryption for your VPN. When possible, use OpenVPN protocol as this offer stability and privacy for your VPN network.
Avoid Using a Cheap or Free VPN Service
One of the biggest reasons for data leaks is that people use cheap or free VPN services. Cheap or free VPN services will not protect your privacy. In fact, they may actively spy on you and then sell your data to the highest bidder.
If they are not making money by selling their service to you, they are likely making money by selling you and your information as a service. Most free VPNs have horrible logging policies. You actually give them the right to monitor all of your online activity and give your personal information to whoever they want.
The solution is to only use a reputable VPN service. It may cost you a little more money up front, but it will save you money, frustration, and loss of privacy in the long run.
These are just a few of the reasons data leaks can happen. Carefully read the privacy policy of the VPN you are considering using, especially if you are planning on using the service for an extended period.
