07 Oct What Are VPN Services & Why Do You Need One For Your WordPress Site?

Image Credit: “VPN & Internet Security on Your Computer” (CC BY 2.0) by mikemacmarketing

Due to growing privacy and security concerns experienced by people using the internet all around the world, VPNs are becoming more popular than ever. Recently, WordPress users have been employing VPNs to ensure their blogs and websites are as safe as possible.

What Is A VPN?

Put simply, Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) are services that can help users secure their internet connection, information and identity.

Usually, internet traffic is sent through a number of different servers located all around the world. A trail is left behind as the information travels and can be viewed by hackers, your internet service provider and even the government or police services. A VPN stops this by creating a private network and server, stopping your information from bouncing all over the place.

There are a number of VPN services available, it all depends on what you want from your VPN. Factors to consider when choosing are ease of use, the service’s bandwidth usage, the location of servers and what privacy and security levels they offer. Because of these variables, there are services like Best Online Reviews which compare VPNs and provide a full view of what works best.

After a VPN is set up and you go to visit a website, that information is encrypted before being sent straight to the VPN server. The same server then loads the website you’ve requested, encrypts it and sends it back to you to browse. Throughout the entire process, your internet connection is made more secure and completely hidden from hackers.

Image Credit: “Internet Security Padlock for VPN & Onli” (CC BY 2.0) by mikemacmarketing

Why Is Having A VPN Service For Your WordPress Site Important?

We live in a world where accessing public internet Wi-Fi and connecting multiple devices to the same Wi-Fi is considered normal, but doing this can often be unsafe. For instance, a public Wi-Fi without a VPN can be easily compromised by hackers who will then be able to get personal information such as passwords, banking details, browsing histories and even addresses from anyone who connects to the Wi-Fi. 

If you’re an active WordPress user, chances are your login details will be stored on whatever device you connect to the public Wi-Fi. This enables the hackers to access your WordPress account, install malware and completely ruin your website or blog. Chances are they will also gain access to your social media sites as well, so rebuilding your audience will be difficult if they are to delete your accounts. 

Unfortunately, it isn’t just public internet spots that should have VPN services enabled. Home and work Wi-Fi connections can also be hacked if left vulnerable, allowing hackers to see data transferred to and from devices. This is especially dangerous if you have quite a few devices all connected to the same Wi-Fi, such as your smartphone, tablet, laptop and PC. By setting up a VPN service, though, you eliminate the majority of these risks.

Setting up a VPN may be a daunting task, especially if you’re new to the idea, but if you choose the right service and get it set up, you’re sure to feel better knowing you are protected.