When browsing the web, your security should be of the utmost priority. In a world where avenues for cybercrime are becoming more accessible, every browsing session could put you at risk. That’s why using a VPN is always a good idea. It is one of the best ways to better protect yourself online from hackers, third parties, and nosy internet service providers (ISPs). What differentiates a great and reliable VPN is having a plan for potential failure, and that’s exactly what a VPN kill switch is meant for. Here’s everything you need to know.
What is a VPN kill switch?
Even when you’re browsing the internet in the most reliable Wi-Fi spot in your home (likely next to your router), every now and then your connection may go offline. Whether it’s due to network congestion or a nasty rainstorm, even a wired ethernet connection may randomly cease. A VPN needs a reliable internet connection to function properly and may be affected by outages or low bandwidth. But apart from that, a VPN connection may also drop due to issues with the remote server like high latency and network overloads. When this happens, your device may remain connected to the internet despite your VPN connection drops. This exposes the data a VPN is supposed to help keep protected.
This can become dangerous if you’re using unsecured public Wi-Fi and you don’t notice the VPN disconnection. Data like your IP address, passwords, and browsing activity may become accessible to snoopers connected to the same network. A VPN kill switch is designed to terminate your internet connection entirely if your VPN happens to go offline. Not only does this make the issue noticeable so you can attend to it, but it also makes it impossible for you to send any unencrypted data requests. If you want to get the most protection possible out of your VPN, activating a kill switch is imperative to ensure round-the-clock security on all of your devices. At IPVanish, we include a kill-switch feature in our apps and provide a standalone VPN Kill Switch app for Fire TV.
What exactly are the risks of turning a VPN kill switch off?
Perhaps you’re someone who values uninterrupted internet connectivity while staying secure online. You might be hesitant to use a VPN that cuts off your connection entirely in the event of a malfunction. Furthermore, some VPNs may offer limited options for restoring access. This leaves your data exposed for an extended period. You may think that having your data exposed for a few minutes won’t do much damage, but this data can be stored past the point of resuming your VPN connection. This might be a non-issue when using a VPN at home, but when browsing in public spaces, it’s a different story altogether.
Router logs, or router history, are how a router keeps track of the network and how it’s being used. This is necessary for a variety of reasons. It can help the Wi-Fi owner pinpoint an issue in the network or even help law enforcement analyze a suspect’s whereabouts. However, security vulnerabilities may leave the door open for a hacker to view these logs for nefarious purposes. Identifying information is not only available at the time that it is being sent through the web. It can be viewed after the fact with access to these logs.
Top-notch VPN providers offer a variety of methods to address connection issues. This is due to their extensive and flexible remote server networks. Users can switch between servers when their current choice becomes congested or inaccessible. Using free and unreliable VPNs may not even allow you to activate a Kill Switch. And even worse, may require you to wait for service to resume in order to get your security back while browsing. Quality VPNs carry a small financial burden, but the price you pay for getting your identity stolen is much greater in the long run.
Subscribe to a wallet-friendly VPN + kill switch with IPVanish
If you’re in the market for a VPN with a kill switch included, look no further than IPVanish. IPVanish offers strong privacy protection and offers a host of advanced VPN features in addition to our VPN kill switch. From our strict zero-traffic-logs policy to split tunneling, cutting-edge connection protocols, DNS leak protection, automatic startup, unmetered connections, and more, IPVanish provides the peace of mind you deserve while browsing the web.
