CYS-102: Assignment – VPN
What is a VPN?
VPN is an abbreviation for virtual private network. VPN is important because it prevents unauthorized individuals from intercepting the web traffic. It goes a long way in guaranteeing internet privacy and anonymity while shopping, surfacing, and even banking on different social media pages (Juma et al. 102593).
How does a VPN Work?
A VPN works by routing a device’s internet connection with the aid of a private service provider. In this case, the VPN acts as the intermediary between the user getting online and connecting to the internet by hiding their IP addresses (Juma et al. 102594). When a user uses a VPN, an encrypted tunnel is developed that aids in the hiding of personal information, location, and other sets of data.
How Secure is a VPN?
A VPN can protect the user from IP and encrypt internet history to reduce government agencies’ tendency to snoop on an organization’s operations. The VPN’s safety lies in the hidden browsing information, making it more difficult for hackers to collect information about the user’s online activity (Juma et al. 102595).
Is It Legal to Use a VPN?
It is legal to use a VPN. Citizens in the U.S. and U.K. are allowed to use VPNs to protect their online presence.
What are VPN Logging Policies?
VPN logging policies are categorized into three broad categories: activity logs, connection logs, and aggregated logs. Activity logs remove any anonymity that a VPN would otherwise enjoy. It includes DNS requests, browsing requests, usage metadata, and URLs visited (Liu et al. 25). The data from connection logs also enhances network performance. It includes bandwidth usage, originating IP address, dates and times of connection, and VPN server IP address. Aggregated logs, on the other hand, involve data that is to a great length anonymized and impossible to associate with a specific user.
Which is Better, a Free VPN or a Subscription VPN?
A subscription VPN is better because it keeps the user’s data safe. On the other hand, a free VPN is detrimental because it could compromise the user’s security by selling the data to third parties, leaving them susceptible to malware (Liu et al. 27).
When Should a VPN be Used?
The right time to use a VPN is when one is online. This ensures that the user’s data is protected from individuals with malicious intentions. Surfing the internet without a VPN exposes one to close monitoring of online activity.
When Should a VPN Not Be Used?
The user should turn off his or her VPN while accessing the local content or devices. For instance, when users need to access streaming services unavailable in countries they are virtually connected to, they need to turn off their VPN.
Are there any content types that VPNs Don’t work with?
Yes, there are content types that VPNs don’t work with. VPNs are not able to access the content on websites that have implemented measures directed towards blocking VPNs from operating (Liu et al. 33). This setting is often done on some websites to prevent incidents of users bypassing censorship or geo-blocking.
Are there any Practical Alternatives to VPN?
Yes, there are various practical alternatives to VPN. These alternatives are software-defined perimeter (SDP), Identity and Access Management (IAM), and Privileged Access Management (PIA) (Liu et al. 44).
Works Cited
Juma, Mazen, et al. “Hybrid end-to-end VPN security approach for smart IOT Objects.” Journal of Network and Computer Applications, vol. 158, 2020, p. 102598, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnca.2020.102598.
Liu, Dale, et al. Firewall policies and VPN configurations. Elsevier, 2006.
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Question
For each of the questions below, provide a brief explanation or description as an answer. There is no minimum word count for each answer, but your answers should be complete and provide the key points, issues, or facts that are relevant to the topic.
1. What is a VPN?
2. How Does a VPN Work?
3. How Secure is a VPN?
4. Is it Legal to Use a VPN?
5. What are VPN Logging Policies?
6. Which is better, a free VPN or a subscription VPN?
7. When should a VPN be used?
8. When should a VPN not be used?
9. Are there any content types that VPN doesn’t work with?
10. Are there any practical alternatives to VPN?