A VPN allows you to create a secure network connection when you are using a public internet connection. As basic as the concept sounds, not many people understand how VPNs work and the benefits which come from using them. This is perhaps the reason why so much data is left hanging out and very vulnerable in case of attacks from hackers and other forms of malware. Here are some of the benefits which you are likely to get when you decide to invest in VPN, especially when you are self-employed.
Reduced risk of cyber-attacks and security breaches
The first and the biggest benefit that you will be getting when you invest in reliable VPN is that you will be less of a target to hackers and other people who do online scams such as phishing and others. While it may sound like it is the huge companies which have to deal with such complex threats, studies have shown that hackers prefer dealing with individuals because they are the ones who pay the least attention to their cybersecurity. As a matter of fact, research by the Symantec Reports also seems to confirm that zero-day vulnerabilities have increased by more than 200 percent over the past year. When you keep all your internet work off the public network, you are protecting yourself from becoming a victim of vicious hackers.
You will be more productive
The second huge benefit which you get from investing in a VPN is that you and your team will become more productive than you would be when you are on the public networks. Being on the public internet makes employees a little bit cautious about where they log in and their online activity. Most of the time, they will even stay away from logging into their accounts from home or when they are on the move in order to safeguard their data security. However, when there is a VPN that everyone is connected to, they will have the confidence to log in and do all of their work regardless of where they are located and this will increase productivity and have a very positive impact in your company’s bottom line.
VPNs are the best way to make clients feel secure
Another aspect of the business that few people think carefully about is the value which VPNs add to the experience which they are giving their customers. When you are working in an industry where you collect a lot of data from customers and other clients, it will be necessary to assure them that their information is safe with you. The best way in which you can make this happen is ensuring that all of the information is shared through a VPN and that nothing is leaked to the public networks. Getting the clients to switch from using the public systems to send emails and other important documents may prove tricky, but you have to take time and educate them on the importance of the VPN in their data security and they will be on board.
VPNs are the best way to stay in the country when traveling
Another perk which comes with VPNs is that they connect you to a remote server whose IP address is within the country. This means that even if you are traveling to another country when you log into the network, your IP address will still place you inside the country. This comes in handy in situations such as when you are doing research and you need the search results to be geotargeted. When you aren’t using a VPN for instance, and you are trying to look for houses when you are in the UK, the results will be localized to the UK, which means that you will not get the specific information that you need. Another crucial thing to note is that there are countries which restrict various types of data and there are also local websites that you are not allowed to access when you are outside of the country. However, when you are using a reliable VPN, you will have a very easy time freely accessing all the information that is important to you.
Online anonymity
There are certain parts of your jobs which may need you to have online anonymity. For instance, if you are doing some kind of research and you do not want anyone to trace it back to your IP address, there is no better way to mask your actual IP than using a VPN. When you log into the VPN, the IP address of the host is what is recorded as the person who accessed certain types of information. If you are doing a business of a sensitive nature, it means that you will not have compromised your own safety in the process. To learn more about online VPNs go here.
VPNs are affordable
People who shy away from the use of VPNs normally do it because they are not aware of how surprisingly affordable VPNs are. The package that you get and the cost depends on the number of computers which will be connected to the network, the level of protection that you need for your network and the length of time that you want to be served by the VPN. VPNs go for as little as $10 per month, and when you change the plan to three months, six months or a year, it becomes even cheaper per month. It is the best way to mind privacy when you are self-employed.
Those are the ways in which investing in VPN can help you when you are self-employed. Note that VPNs will only be completely effective when everyone whom you are working with is on board with the plan. If there are some people who are still sending and receiving information outside of the network, you cannot be assured that everything is secure. Educate your team on the reason why you are adopting the use of VPN networks and they will understand and start using the network, hence protecting your company data and that of your clients at all times.
