Difference between revisions of "Virtual Private Network"
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A VPN can also allow a user to access information that is otherwise not available to them by showing that they are in a different location. | A VPN can also allow a user to access information that is otherwise not available to them by showing that they are in a different location. | ||
====China's Great Firewall==== | ====China's Great Firewall==== | ||
| − | The Great Firewall is a name given to the censorship of the internet in China. By using a VPN, Chinese citizens are able to access information that has blocked by the government. <ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/news/2018/jun/29/the-great-firewall-of-china-xi-jinpings-internet-shutdown The Great Firewall]< | + | The Great Firewall is a name given to the censorship of the internet in China. By using a VPN, Chinese citizens are able to access information that has blocked by the government. <ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/news/2018/jun/29/the-great-firewall-of-china-xi-jinpings-internet-shutdown The Great Firewall]</ref> |
====Netflix==== | ====Netflix==== | ||
Revision as of 15:31, 12 March 2021
A virtual private network (VPN) is a piece of software used to allows users a secure and private connection. This is achieved by creating a private network across a public internet connection.
Main Types of VPNs
Site to Site
A site to site VPN is when a single virtual network is created through multiple local networks.[1] This allows someone to access information from any local network connected to the virtual network while they are on one of the local networks. Once the user is no longer connected to any local network that makes up the virtual network, they are unable to access any of the data. This is due to the VPN Client being hosted on each network rather than a user's device.
Remote Access
A Remote Access VPN allows a user to connect to a remote server securely. [2] This is done by hosting a VPN client on the users device. By using a remote access VPN, an encrypted 'tunnel' is established.
Commercial VPNs
Commercial or consumer VPNs are based on the Remote Access VPN model. A commercial VPN uses a remote connection to have the VPN provider interact with websites on the user's behalf, rather than through the user's internet Service Provider. [3] By using a VPN, the I.P address of a user can be hidden .
Uses
Access Remote Sites
Using a remote Access VPN, users from across the globe can access a singular private network. [4] This can be used by companies and individuals alike. At the University of Michigan, a VPN is used to allow students to access the Universities encrypted data when not on campus internet [5]. This allows students to work remotely on information stored at the university from their home, a conference, or a coffee shop. Throughout the Covid-19 Pandemic, Companies have relied on VPNs to grant employees access to servers, internal applications, and data hosted on site. [6] [1] These actions were taken to limit the exposure of sensitive data from being exposed online.
Privacy
As a VPN encrypts the data between the user and a server, a VPN Can help to keep a user's information private.[1] This is similar in use case to accessing a remote site, as the VPN can help a user access data without having to worry about the WiFi network joined. [7] By encrypting the information, the internet provider can see less of what a user is doing online, which can decrease the number of target ads, and help to hide a users location. [3]
Access Information From Other Countries
A VPN can also allow a user to access information that is otherwise not available to them by showing that they are in a different location.
China's Great Firewall
The Great Firewall is a name given to the censorship of the internet in China. By using a VPN, Chinese citizens are able to access information that has blocked by the government. [8]
Netflix
Test
Ethical Concerns
Pirating of Payed Content
As VPNs can help to keep a user's web access a secrete from their ISP, VPNs are popular tools for torrenting copyrighted material.
