The first virtual private networks or VPNs were developed almost three decades ago, at a time went the online landscape looked very different from today, offering users very little protection. Since then, they have become indispensable tools in the online privacy arsenal of both businesses and consumers. Most people these days either use a VPN or at least have a fair understanding of what they are and the purposes they serve.
But things change fast in the online space, with new solutions emerging all the time and technologies getting more refined. This means that the VPN services we’re using at the moment are not the same as the ones that were designed in the ‘90s. In fact, they’ve changed quite a lot over the years, becoming a lot more efficient at enhancing online security and privacy, and providing a variety of new features that aim to improve the online experience.
So, if you care about your online privacy – and you should, given the increased sophistication and prevalence of cyberattacks – it’s worth learning more about VPNs’ evolution and the transformations they have undergone in recent times.
The emergence of no-log VPNs
As you may already know, the main purpose of a VPN service is to ensure anonymity and maintain your online activity private. A VPN does that by encrypting the data that is being sent or received over the internet and hiding your IP address and location. However, as they deliver these services, VPNs also keep records of users’ online activity in order to improve their performance. These logs contain information such as IP addresses, data usage, sign-in accounts, time of connection, browsing history, accessed sites, app usage, file downloads and so on.
The vast amount of information collected by VPNs via logs has become a cause of concern for many users, which has prompted the emergence of no-log VPNs. As the name suggests, these services don’t track or store users’ sensitive information. But how logless are no-log VPNs really? A few years back, many of the VPN providers that claim to be logless were not being completely honest or accurate about their protocols. Yet today, the majority of VPNs are logless and deliver exactly what it says on the tin.
Advanced encryption
First-generation VPNs used basic encryption to scramble clients’ online data and make sure no one could read it but them. They relied on a 128-bit key length to encrypt and decrypt a block of messages. Even with today’s technology, it’s still impossible to hack data encrypted using 128-bit AES (Advanced Encryption Standard). This doesn’t mean that one day that wouldn’t be possible.
Technology is moving faster than ever before, so one can never know what the next tech breakthrough or innovation might bring. Therefore, VPN providers have embraced the better safe than sorry approach and upgraded from 128-bit AES to 256-bit AES encryption. As you can imagine, the level of protection has increased exponentially following the upgrade.
And if 256-bit AES encryption is not enough to give users peace of mind, double encryption might put all concerns to rest. Old-school VPNs only encrypted users’ data once, while modern-day VPNs take things up a notch by encrypting data twice. A double VPN, also called multi-hop, is basically two VPNs linked together, so your data passes through two servers instead of one, so you get to benefit from extra protection. Although the average user doesn’t usually require such a high level of protection, the feature does come in handy when handling extremely sensitive information or trying to circumvent government surveillance.
Enhanced streaming experience
Even though VPNs are mostly used for their data protection and online privacy capabilities, they also give users the possibility to bypass geo restriction and access content from all parts of the world, regardless of their physical location.
In a day and age when streaming services dominate the entertainment landscape, this feature has become extremely valuable for VPN users. Netflix provides a prime example in this respect, as the platform’s libraries vary widely depending on geographical locations due to territorial licensing. So, if you live in the UK, you won’t be able to access all the titles provided by Netflix USA and vice versa.
That’s where VPNs come into play, allowing users to easily bypass geographical restrictions and view all the libraries they wish. Obviously, this applies to other streaming services as well, as the list of popular streaming platforms continues to expand. It’s important to note though that not all VPNs are effective at going around geo-blocking. For years now streaming services have been in a battle with VPN providers in this respect, with no winners in sight. So, if you want to outsmart streaming services, make sure you choose a VPN that is specifically designed for that.
Cost-effectives
Given the benefits, it’s easy to see why so many people use VPNs these days. But how much does one have to pay to enjoy all the features that these services provide? The short answer is not too much. The longer answer is it depends on the VPN service and the plan you choose.
However, not so long ago, VPNs used to be much more expensive. Today you can purchase a VPN service for as little as $10 per month on a yearly or multi-year subscription. In general, the longer the subscription you sign up for, the cheaper the service. For example, if you break down the costs for a two-year contract, you’ll pay approximately $3 on average. But you also have to make sure you choose a quality VPN that is actually worth the money you’re paying.
All in all, VPNs are much more advanced today than they used to be a few decades ago, when they first emerged in the virtual space. Their evolution over proves that VPNs are still relevant and will probably continue to be around for many years to come. So, if you’re not already using a VPN, it might be time to get one.
