VPN Security: How Secure Is It & Do You Need One? | Fortinet (2024)

Using a reliable virtual private network (VPN) can be a safe way to browse the internet. VPN security can protect from IP and encrypt internet history and is increasingly being used to prevent snooping on by government agencies. However, VPNs won't be able to keep you safe in all scenarios.

If you are askingwhat is VPN, it is a virtual network that enables an internet user to protect themselves and their organization by creating a private web browsing session. This is especially important when using public Wi-Fi to prevent other people from eavesdropping on the user’s online activity and the data and information they share. A VPN creates a secure tunnel between a user’s computer and the VPN server, which hides their online activity and location.

VPN security enables users to protect their online privacy and prevent their internet service provider (ISP) from tracking their browsing activity. It works by connecting a user’s device to the VPN server, then passing their internet traffic through the VPN provider’s internet connection. This hides browsing information and makes it more difficult for bad actors to gather or monitor the user’s online activity.

You might be asking yourself. "Do I really need a VPN when my browser has private browsing?"

Popular web browsers include a feature called private browsing, which enables users to browse the web without saving their history, search information, and temporary local data like cookies. Private browsing is available through top browsers, such as Apple Safari on Mac and iOS, Google Chrome’s Incognito mode, Mozilla Firefox, Opera, and Microsoft Edge’s InPrivate Browsing.

A browser's private browsing mode will prevent data from being stored on a user’s local device or computer. However, it does not necessarily prevent information from being shared between the user’s device or computer and their ISP. Furthermore, third parties may be able to detect users’ activity through private browsing sessions, which they can use to exploit their operating system.

"Is VPN safe?" is a question everyone should be asking, and the answer is straightforward. Using free software is not an effective solution for ensuring VPN security because it often will not protect data and browsing activity on the internet. Key reasons not to use a free VPN include:

1. Free VPN tools compromise user security:Many free VPN tools contain malware that could be used by cyber criminals to steal users’ data, gain unauthorized access to their data or machine, or launch a cyberattack.Research report from the ICSI Networking and Security Groupfound that 38% of the 283 Android VPN apps studied contained some form of malware presence. Therefore, a VPN application may not always be safe when using free tools.
2. Free VPN tools track online activity:A secure VPN should protect a user’s activity while they browse the internet, but some free VPNs do the opposite by tracking users’ online activity. The same ICSI researchfound that 72% of the free VPN services analyzed embedded third-party tracking tools in their software. This enables VPN tools to collect user information and sell it for a profit to the highest bidders, which allows advertisers to target free VPN users with ads. Some free VPN tools hide information about whether they share or sell user data, but others say so in their privacy policies.
3. Free VPN tools limit data usage:VPNs are great for protecting data or hiding a user’s location when watching a movie from a streaming service that is not available in their region. However, a free VPN typically limits the amount of data users can use through the tool. This could include limiting the amount of data they can use per month, limiting the amount of time the VPN is available per browsing session, or unblocking certain websites only. Therefore, free VPN tools are not ideal for people who want to protect their data or mask their location for a considerable length of time.
4. Free VPNs slow down users’ internet speed:Similar to the data-limiting issue above, free VPNs may provide slower internet speeds than premium tools. Even free VPN options from reputable vendors will provide a slower internet connection than available through their paid-for options. They will also prioritize internet speeds for their paying customers, which can further slow down their free services.
5. Free VPN tools target users with ads:Free VPNs also use advertising to generate revenue, which means users’ data can be shared or targeted without their permission. This is frustrating for users because ads can also slow down the user’s internet connection or contain malware. The presence of ads on a free VPN service can also be a privacy concern because it is likely the provider is sharing users’ online activity with third-party services. Paid-for VPNs include ad-blocking tools, as well as features like malware protection and unlimited bandwidth, which keep users’ data secure.

In today’s rapidly evolving cybersecurity environment, VPN alone may not be enough to secure sensitive data and keep your organization’s network safe. Whether users are in the office, at home, or on the road, they need consistent and secure access to applications in the cloud, data center, and SaaS platforms.

Fortinet helps organizations to secure and connect their work-from-anywhere employees and devices to critical applications and resources. Fortinet Universal ZTNA is a robust security solution that offers businesses flexibility, granular access control, and ongoing verification. It enables policies to be enforced for users regardless of location. With granular access control, access is granted to specific applications only for that session, providing better security. With the client-initiated model, the IT team has more visibility and control of the endpoint while providing users with a faster, easier experience. Universal ZTNA requires no additional licenses and is a free feature in FortiOS and FortiClient, allowing customers to shift from VPN to ZTNA at their own pace. With Fortinet’s added flexibility, you don’t need to choose exclusively between VPN or ZTNA; you can adapt to the solution that’s right for you.

Because of continual movement between on-premises, home network, and public network environments, zero trust, endpoint, and network security must be connected through a centralized security and management framework. Solutions unified by a common set of APIs and integration points ensure users can seamlessly shift from one location to another, enjoying a consistent user experience that is appropriately protected with contextual security. Fortinet is the only vendor capable of delivering this unified approach, enabling proactive, integrated, and context-aware security that automatically adapts to where users are, what device they are using, and what resources they are accessing.

Using a broad portfolio of zero trust, endpoint, and network security solutions within the Fortinet Security Fabric, Fortinet can deliver security, services, and threat intelligence that can automatically follow users across distributed networks. The Security Fabric can also adjust enforcement to the perceived risk of every interaction—whether on the road, at home, or in the office to enable consistent enterprise-grade protection and enhance productivity end-to-end.

Learn moreabout how Fortinet ZTNA improves secure access to applications anywhere, for remote users.