Using a VPN is not always safe. It is true that they are very useful programs to protect privacy when surfing the net, but we can also find applications that are not so reliable. Everything will depend on how well we choose. Sometimes users go for free or low-cost VPNs, but it can actually go wrong and become a major security concern. We are going to talk about this in this article.
A free or cheap VPN can be a problem
We basically have two options to install a VPN: opt for the free ones or pay a subscription for it. In addition, within the second option we can find a wide range of prices. Some are really cheap, practically free, while others involve a higher cost.
What about the free ones or those with a very small cost? Although we do not mean to say that this is the case for 100% of the programs, we could find that the real source of income is collecting our data . For example, the sites we visit, where we connect from, what devices we use …
After all, personal data has great value on the net. They can be used to include us in advertising campaigns, Spam or even sell them to third parties. They don’t always end up in safe hands, as they could end up in an attacker’s database.
Therefore, when starting to use a VPN, you must be aware of the importance of choosing well. We should only install applications that we can trust and, whenever possible, avoid those that are free. This is why we say that a free VPN can end up being expensive.
The problems of a bad VPN
We have explained that a free or very cheap VPN can be a major problem. Now, what really can happen? On the one hand, there is the fact that they can collect personal data . This information can be used to profit and obtain economic benefit.
But you also have to take into account that they could malfunction . Although it is not specifically designed to steal data, it could have problems that expose our information on the network. Let’s think that we are browsing from a public Wi-Fi network and we use a VPN to be more protected. That program is malfunctioning and, unbeknownst to us, it is leaking browsing data.
Therefore, when choosing a VPN it is essential to know how it is going to work, what are its possible limitations and how it will really come in handy to be protected on the network and that everything works correctly. You can see a tutorial to choose a VPN well.