What is actually... VPN?

August 6, 2018 Marcel Zimmer
On our own behalf

What is actually ... VPN?

Providers of virtual private networks (VPN) provide a service with which it is possible to encrypt one's own data traffic on the internet. The encryption standards used for this are generally recognised as secure. The use of a VPN is completely legal and is not only used by private individuals worldwide, but also by many companies. The main reasons to opt for a VPN is the increased security and anonymity while using the internet. This article will give you a brief overview of the different types of VPNs as well as different techniques for encrypting data traffic.

What is a VPN?

A Virtual Private Network describes a secure "tunnel" through which data traffic is transferred between two or more devices. Similar to a normal internet connection, the data is encrypted before it is transmitted between your end device and a VPN server. This prevents third parties from reading the transmitted data. In contrast to HTTPS, all data traffic to the internet is encrypted before it is transmitted to the VPN server, and any returning traffic is also encrypted when it is sent back from the server. You can therefore surf the web or check your e-mails normally, without your IP address being visible to the websites you visit or your activities being tracked by your internet provider or third parties.

What are the advantages of a VPN?

In times when government surveillance is omnipresent, many people feel the need to protect their private data. Therefore, often the user's most important reason for choosing a VPN is to protect their own privacy. When using a VPN, the operators of the websites accessed or your internet provider only see the IP of the VPN server, while your own IP address remains hidden. In this way, you can travel anonymously on the Internet.

But there are also other reasons for using a VPN: Perhaps you wanted to watch a video before. Instead of the video, however, you received a message that the video you wanted is unfortunately not available in Germany. In this situation, too, a VPN provides a remedy: Since VPN servers are often in different countries, with the right configuration you can visit websites with an IP address outside of Germany. Your geographical location can thus no longer be detected and you can enjoy the video or other country-specific content undisturbed.

Another advantage of a VPN is the high level of security when using public WLAN networks. Normally, there is a risk that other users can read your data traffic due to a lack of encryption of the data within the local network. The use of a VPN can prevent this by providing complete end-to-end encryption of all data traffic. This is especially important for users who frequently work on the road and are dependent on the internet.

Finally, with a VPN you can also access files from your own home network while on the road. All you have to do is configure your home computer accordingly. If you are regularly on the road and would like to be able to use all your documents and media - whether for professional or private reasons - setting up a private VPN is definitely attractive.

Author: Marcel Zimmer

Marcel Zimmer is the Technical Managing Director of EnBITCon. During his time in the German Armed Forces, the trained IT developer was able to gain numerous project experiences. His interest in IT security was significantly awakened by his service in command support. Even after his service, he is an active reservist in the Bundeswehr.

His first firewall was a Sophos UTM 120, which he had to set up for a customer project. Since then, his interest in IT security has grown steadily. In the course of time, various security and infrastructure topics have come into his focus. His most interesting projects included, for example, WLAN coverage in an explosion-proof area, as well as a multi-site WLAN solution for a large