{"id":88628,"date":"2018-04-28T07:30:24","date_gmt":"2018-04-28T14:30:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/securingtomorrow.mcafee.com\/?p=88628"},"modified":"2025-08-13T01:42:49","modified_gmt":"2025-08-13T08:42:49","slug":"virtual-private-network","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/privacy-identity-protection\/virtual-private-network\/","title":{"rendered":"Does Your Family Need a VPN? Here are 3 Reasons it May Be Time"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-88630\" src=\"https:\/\/securingtomorrow.mcafee.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/shutterstock_442887949-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"378\" height=\"252\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/shutterstock_442887949-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/shutterstock_442887949-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/shutterstock_442887949-750x500.jpg 750w, https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/shutterstock_442887949.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 378px) 100vw, 378px\" \/>At one time Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) used to be tools exclusive to corporations and techie friends who appeared overly zealous about masking their online activity. However, with data breaches and privacy concerns at an all-time high, VPNs are becoming powerful security tools for anyone who uses digital devices.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>What\u2019s a VPN?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>A VPN allows users to securely access a private network and share data remotely through public networks.\u00a0Much like a firewall protects the data on your computer, a VPN protects your activity by encrypting (or scrambling) your data when you connect to the internet from a remote or public location. A VPN allows you to hide your location, IP address, and online activity.<\/p>\n<p>For instance, if you need to send a last-minute tax addendum to your accountant or a legal contract to your office but must use the airport\u2019s public Wi-Fi, a VPN would protect \u2014 or create a secure tunnel in which that data can travel \u2014while you are connected to the open network. Or, if your child wants to watch a YouTube or streaming video while on vacation and only has access to the hotel\u2019s Wi-Fi, a VPN would encrypt your child\u2019s data and allow a more secure internet connection. Without a VPN, any online activity \u2014 including gaming, social networking, and email \u2014\u00a0is fair game for hackers since <a href=\"https:\/\/securingtomorrow.mcafee.com\/consumer\/consumer-threat-notices\/need-watch-using-public-wi-fi\/\">public Wi-Fi lacks encryption<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Why VPNs matter<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong> Your family is constantly on the go. <\/strong>If you find yourself conducting a lot of business on your laptop or mobile device, a VPN could be an option for you. Likewise, if you have a high school or college-aged child who likes to take his or her laptop to the library or coffee shop to work, a VPN would protect data sent or received from that\u00a0<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-88629\" src=\"https:\/\/securingtomorrow.mcafee.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/shutterstock_1007352808-300x169.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"419\" height=\"236\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/shutterstock_1007352808-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/shutterstock_1007352808-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/shutterstock_1007352808-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/shutterstock_1007352808-889x500.jpg 889w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 419px) 100vw, 419px\" \/>location. Enjoy shopping online whenever you feel the urge? A VPN also has the ability to mask your physical location, banking account credentials, and credit card information. If your family shares a data plan like most, connecting to public Wi-Fi has become a data\/money-saving habit. However, it\u2019s a habit that puts you at risk of nefarious people eavesdropping, stealing personal information, and even infecting your device. Putting a VPN in place, via a subscription service, could help curb this risk. In addition, a VPN can encrypt conversations via texting apps and help keep private chats and content private.<\/li>\n<li><strong>You enjoy connected vacations\/travel.<\/strong> It\u2019s a great idea to unplug on vacation but let\u2019s be honest, it\u2019s also fun to watch movies, check in with friends via social media or email, and send Grandma a few pictures. Service to some of your favorite online streaming sites can be interrupted when traveling abroad. A VPN allows you to connect to a proxy server that will access online sites on your behalf and allow a secure and easier connection most anywhere you go.<\/li>\n<li><strong> Your family\u2019s data is a big deal. <\/strong>Protecting personal information is a hot topic these days and for good reason. Most everything we do online is being tracked by Internet Service <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-88637\" src=\"https:\/\/securingtomorrow.mcafee.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/shutterstock_486947308-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"240\" height=\"240\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/shutterstock_486947308-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/shutterstock_486947308-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/shutterstock_486947308-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/shutterstock_486947308-500x500.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/shutterstock_486947308.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 240px) 100vw, 240px\" \/>Providers (ISPs). ISPs track us by our individual Internet Protocol (IP) addresses generated by each device that connects to a network. Much like an identification number, each digital device has an IP address which allows it to communicate within the network. A VPN routes your online activity through different IP addresses allowing you remain anonymous. A favorite entry point hackers use to eavesdrop on your online activity is public Wi-Fi and unsecured networks. In addition to potentially stealing your private information, hackers can also use public Wi-Fi to distribute\u00a0malware. Using a VPN cuts cyber crooks off from their favorite watering hole \u2014 public Wi-Fi!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>As you can see VPNs can give you an extra layer of protection as you surf, share, access, and receive content online. If you look for a VPN product to install on your devices, make sure it\u2019s a product that is trustworthy and easy to use, such as <a href=\"https:\/\/safeconnect.mcafee.com\/#!\/\">McAfee\u2019s Safe Connect<\/a>. A robust VPN product will provide bank-grade encryption to ensure your digital data is safe from prying eyes.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-83320\" src=\"https:\/\/securingtomorrow.mcafee.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Toni_headshot2017_FNL-copy-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"toni page birdsong\" width=\"123\" height=\"122\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Toni_headshot2017_FNL-copy-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Toni_headshot2017_FNL-copy-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Toni_headshot2017_FNL-copy-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Toni_headshot2017_FNL-copy-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Toni_headshot2017_FNL-copy-500x500.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Toni_headshot2017_FNL-copy-32x32.jpg 32w, https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Toni_headshot2017_FNL-copy-50x50.jpg 50w, https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Toni_headshot2017_FNL-copy-64x64.jpg 64w, https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Toni_headshot2017_FNL-copy-96x96.jpg 96w, https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Toni_headshot2017_FNL-copy-128x128.jpg 128w, https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Toni_headshot2017_FNL-copy.jpg 1728w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 123px) 100vw, 123px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"s1\"><i>Toni\u00a0Birdsong is a\u00a0Family Safety Evangelist\u00a0to\u00a0<\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/consumer\/en-us\/store\/m0\/index.html\"><span class=\"s2\"><i>McAfee<\/i><\/span><\/a><i>. You can find her on Twitter\u00a0<\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/McAfee_Family\"><span class=\"s2\"><i>@McAfee_Family<\/i><\/span><\/a><i>. (Disclosures).<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>At one time Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) used to be tools exclusive to corporations and techie friends who appeared overly&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":642,"featured_media":158521,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[76,3949,4452,32,4153,142,5472,18,5477,5476,5473,4148,2205,5475,4222,321,5470,5471,4827,5474],"coauthors":[3359],"class_list":["post-88628","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-privacy-identity-protection","tag-cybercrime","tag-cybersafety","tag-cybersecurity","tag-data-protection","tag-encryption","tag-tag-identity-theft","tag-ip-address","tag-network-security","tag-online-banking","tag-online-shopping","tag-passcodes","tag-privacy","tag-protecting-kids-online","tag-public-wi-fi","tag-social-media","tag-social-networking","tag-virtual-private-network","tag-vpn","tag-vulnerability","tag-wi-fi-encription"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Virtual Private Network<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Does your family need a Virtual Private Network (VPN)? 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