VPN, which came to the fore again with the blocking of access to Instagram a while ago and whose use has become increasingly widespread, has also caused many question marks. Is it safe to use VPN? Are there any harms to using VPN? Is it a crime? Questions such as these came to mind.
Reza Kalan from Istinye University Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences answered questions about VPN.
Kalan explained VPN, “VPN, which stands for virtual private network, protects its users by encrypting their data and masking their IP addresses. This protection includes passing through the firewall. This provides greater privacy and autonomy by hiding their browsing activities, identities and locations. VPN provides secure communication thanks to its encryption logic.”
FREE VPN TOOLS AND SECURITY
Kalan said the following about the risks of using a VPN:
“Technically, a VPN can protect us from some viruses and malware, but not all. Also, free VPNs may contain malware that can harm the system or data.
“VPN use is legal in most countries, and there is a commercial industry that provides VPN services. However, free VPN tools can compromise user security. Many free VPN tools contain malware that can be used by cybercriminals to steal users’ data or gain unauthorized access to their data or machines.”
“A SECURE VPN CAN PROTECT AGAINST UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS”
“A secure VPN can protect us from unauthorized access. But the question is, how can we trust VPN providers? Therefore, it is recommended to avoid using unknown VPNs and not to use VPNs unless necessary,” said Kalan, and also made the following comments regarding the legality of VPN use:
“Using VPN is legal and most countries including USA, Canada and Europe use VPN service and secure VPN companies also provide VPN services (Masala, Nard VPN, Express VPN, and IPvanish). In some countries like Iran, using VPN is illegal and banned, but everyone uses VPN.”
“DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DNS AND VPN”
Kalan said the following regarding the difference between DNS and VPN:
“DNS does not contain an encryption algorithm. This means that data is transferred in plain text mode. However, VPN encrypts data and sends it over the network. Therefore, it can pass through any filter. Because no one knows what kind of data is being transmitted by the application. Let’s not forget, the first step to prevent users from using VPN is to filter the popular VPN site or application.”
“DNS WAS NOT DESIGNED WITH SECURITY IN MIND”
Kalan gave the following information about the reliability of DNS addresses circulating on the internet:
“DNS was not designed with security in mind. DNS services like Google, OpenDNS, and Cloudflare offer free solutions, and providers often include basic security features like phishing protection and some level of content filtering. Everything we do online can eventually be captured by the service provider, and we know that every service costs something. I believe in the saying: ‘Free cheese is only found in a mousetrap.’”
