#1. Avoid Free VPNs
While running a VPN service involves resources, both free and paid options exist. It’s important to review features and reputation before choosing a provider. There are servers to maintain, software to be developed, people to handle customer support, advertising expenses, to name a few.
All this doesn’t come cheap.
While some free VPNs may have limitations, it’s important to research and choose a reputable service. We recommend researching each VPN service to ensure it meets your needs. While a free VPN may be tempting, when it comes to choosing this type of service, you have two options. The first is paying a fee. The second is paying with your data by looking at excessive ads or by risking your Internet connection security.
#2. Watch Out For Poor Encryption
The VPN works by sending your data encrypted through a virtual tunnel and decrypting it on the server side. Choosing a VPN that uses strong encryption protocols can enhance your data protection.
Although AES encryption with 256-bit key or more should be standard for any VPN, there are still many services that provide only 128-bit keys. Other strong VPN ciphers to look for are Twofish or Camellia. Look out for Perfect Forward Secrecy as well; not many VPN services provide this essential security feature.
#3. Beware Of Snitching
VPN services encrypt your data while it travels through the Internet, but it is still technically possible for the service provider to access it as it is being decrypted on the VPN server.
While certain VPN providers have faced scrutiny over logging practices, many reputable companies uphold strict no-logs policies and undergo independent audits to verify their claims. Many small VPN services have been known to help law enforcement agencies by providing such logs on user data.
Choosing a VPN service audited by an independent third-party organization ensures that your browsing activity remains secure and untracked.