How VPN Works: A Simple Explanation of Complex Technology

How VPN Works – An Explanation of How It Works

A VPN (Virtual Private Network) is a technology that allows you to create secure network connections over another network, most commonly the Internet. Using a VPN is one of the most effective ways to protect personal information while surfing the Internet.

A VPN uses encryption to protect data transmitted over the Internet from unauthorized access. This can be useful for security when working with sensitive information or connecting to public Wi-Fi networks.

When a user connects to a VPN server, their traffic passes through a secure tunnel that is created between the user's device and the server.

Inside this tunnel, the data is encrypted and remains inaccessible to third parties. In addition, the VPN can hide the user's real IP address and replace it with the address of the VPN server.

Types of VPNs: in brief and in simple words

1. VPN with remote access
   Used to provide remote access to the corporate network. It is typically used by employees working off-site to access internal company resources.

2. Site-to-site VPN This type of VPN is used to connect multiple geographically distributed networks into a single virtual network. This allows organizations to have a single infrastructure despite the physical distance between their offices.

3. Cloud VPN
   Cloud VPN provides VPN as a service. Users can use a cloud VPN to establish a secure connection without having to install and manage their own VPN server.

4. Mobile VPN
   Mobile VPN is designed for use on mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. It provides security and privacy when using public Wi-Fi networks.

5. SSL VPN
   An SSL VPN uses the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) protocol to ensure data security and privacy. It is often used to provide remote access to corporate applications and data.

Each of these types of VPNs has its own unique features and is used in different situations depending on the needs of the organization or user.

Advantages of using a VPN

Using a VPN (Virtual Private Network) has a number of advantages

1. Safety
   A VPN creates a secure connection between your device and the Internet. All data transmitted through the VPN is encrypted, making it impossible for third parties to read or modify it.

2. Privacy
   When using a VPN, your real IP address is hidden, allowing you to remain anonymous on the Internet. This is especially important when working with sensitive information or using public Wi-Fi networks.

3. Improving internet speed
   Some ISPs limit internet speeds for certain sites or services. With a VPN, you can change your location and get faster internet speeds.

And what is the difference when transferring data with and without VPN?

Data transfer without VPN:

1. Data is transmitted directly over the internet without any encryption.
2. Your real IP address is visible to all the sites and services you interact with.
3. Your data can be intercepted and used by attackers.
4. You may encounter restrictions on access to some sites or services set by your ISP.

Data transfer using VPN:

1. Data is transmitted over a secure connection that is encrypted.
2. Your real IP address is hidden and the IP address of the VPN server is displayed instead.
3. Your data is protected from being intercepted and used by intruders.
4. You can access any sites or services.

Security of using a VPN

VPN protocols

The security of using a VPN depends on many factors, including the VPN protocol chosen, the quality of encryption, the reliability of the VPN service provider, and many others. Here are some of the most common VPN protocols and their features:

1. PPTP (Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol)
   It is one of the oldest VPN protocols that offers fast connection setup but has low security. It uses MPPE (Microsoft Point-to-Point Encryption) to encrypt data, but it is easy to hack.

2. L2TP/IPSec (Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol with Internet Protocol Security)
   It is a combination of two protocols: L2TP and IPSec. L2TP provides tunneling and IPSec provides data encryption. This protocol is considered quite secure, but it can be slower than other options.

3. SSTP (Secure Socket Tunneling Protocol)
   Developed by Microsoft, SSTP uses SSL to encrypt data and supports most modern encryption methods. It can work over NAT and firewall.

4. IKEv2 (Internet Key Exchange version 2)
   It is a protocol that is used to establish and maintain a secure connection between two points. It offers good performance and stability and supports mobile devices.

5. OpenVPN
   An open source VPN protocol that offers a high level of security and flexibility. It uses SSL/TLS for data encryption and can run on most platforms.

6. WireGuard
   A relatively new VPN protocol that promises high speed and efficiency. It uses modern encryption algorithms and has a simple design, making it less prone to vulnerabilities.

The law and VPNs

According to data from Editions of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation “there are no plans to completely ban VPN technology in Russia yet. This was reported in early February 2024 by presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov. The information was also confirmed by the head of the Duma IT Committee Alexander Khinshtein. And his deputy Anton Gorelkin said that there will be no direct ban on the use of VPNs, because, in addition to malicious, there are also bona fide services that Russian companies need to protect internal traffic”.

Differences between a VPN and a proxy, DNS and firewall

Proxy server, VPN, DNS and firewall - all these technologies ensure data security while surfing the Internet. They have different working mechanisms and are suitable for different tasks.

A proxy server acts as an intermediary between a user's device and the Internet. It can be used to speed up access to websites as well as to hide the user's real IP address. However, proxy servers do not encrypt data, so they are less secure than VPNs.

• VPN (Virtual Private Network) creates a secure tunnel between the user's device and the VPN service provider's server. All traffic within this tunnel is encrypted, making it impossible for attackers to intercept. In addition, the VPN hides the user's real IP address and allows access to blocked resources.

• DNS (Domain Name System) converts website domain names to IP addresses. Some ISPs may use their own DNS servers to track user activity on the Internet. Using public DNS services can increase privacy and security.

• Firewall — software that controls incoming and outgoing traffic on a computer or other device. A firewall can block access to certain websites or applications and prevent unauthorized access to user data.

Choosing a quality and secure VPN

When choosing a VPN, it's important to consider several factors:

• Server locations. The more countries where servers are located, the better. This will allow you to choose the most convenient option for your needs.
• Connection speed. A good VPN should provide fast connection speeds without significant loss of internet speed.
• Safety. A quality VPN uses strong encryption protocols such as OpenVPN and IKEv2 to protect your data from unauthorized access.
• No ads and trackers. The best VPNs do not collect information about their users and do not show ads.
• Free test period. Being able to try the service before you buy will help make sure it's quality and meets your needs.

Our Zama VPN service offers a wide range of servers around the world, fast connection speeds and strong data encryption.

Zama is a VPN service that provides secure and anonymous access to the Internet. Our service uses modern methods of data encryption, which guarantees protection of user's personal information.

One of the main features of Zama is its high data transfer speed. Thanks to this, users can enjoy fast page loads and streaming videos without lags.

Zama has a wide network of servers around the world, allowing you to choose the best route to connect and bypass geographical restrictions on content.

It's worth noting that Zama doesn't log users' activity and doesn't store their personal data. This makes it one of the safest VPN services on the market. Zama is a reliable and fast VPN service that provides a high level of security and privacy on the Internet.

Conclusion

VPN technology today is one of the most popular and in demand among Internet users. It allows you to ensure security and privacy on the network, as well as bypass geographical restrictions on access to content. We hope that this article has helped you understand how VPN works and make the right choice when using this technology.