This infographic teaches you how setup a VPN in a few simple steps

The vast number of hacks in 2014 have been exceptionally prominent, highlighting the increasing vulnerability we face as more of our personal information gets on the Internet. Whether they’re hacking our postal service or movie studios, hackers are always seemingly one step ahead of the rank and file. That’s not to say that we’re completely defenseless; there are measures we can take.

The VPN — short for virtual private network — is an extremely simple-to-use service that encrypts internet traffic to secure your network connection over a public or private network. In short, all data sent and received is protected, which as result, keeps your browsing habits anonymous. 

Why does this matter? For a number of reason: first, the VPN prevents outsiders from accessing your private server. Second, it protects mobile devices from being intercepted and hacked when accessing public Wi-Fi. Third, it stops websites from collecting data on your Internet use. And last of all, it allows you to access content in countries where it’s usually restricted. For example, the only way to access Google in China is through a VPN.

Bear in mind that not all VPNs are created equal, so ensure you’ve read the terms of agreement — as well as the privacy policy — to determine the level of anonymity the service provides, and whether it logs your online activities. 

For example, HideMyAss VPN maintains a time stamp of when you connect or disconnect from the service, the amount of data transmitted (uploaded and downloaded) during the session of use, the IP address you’ve used to connect to the VPN, and the IP address of the individual VPN server you use. However, HideMyAss does not store the details of what websites you’ve visited or the content you’ve downloaded/uploaded; VPN data logs are only stored for 2 to 3 months before they are completely deleted. 

Other VPN services, such as VikingVPN, are much more conservative, refusing to log any information whatsoever, not even the IP addresses that connect to it. 

Check out WhoIsHostingThis ’ infographic below to better understand how and why you should set up a VPN. Do not take this lightly, because VPNs are virtually a requirement in this day and age.