Back to the definition and interest of a VPN

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VPN (Virtual Private Network) is a service that allows you to access the web in the most secure and private way possible today. The principle is quite simple: The VPN routes your connection to a secure server, while encrypting it. Then, it is the VPN that forwards your order, and the reception of the data goes through this same VPN. To put it simply: the VPN positions itself as an intermediary between your computer and the site to which you wish to connect. In the eyes of the site you are trying to reach, it is the VPN that connects to it, and not you directly.

Why use a VPN?
There are a whole bunch of reasons why you might want to use a VPN, here is a short list of the most common reasons:

Transfer sensitive information, making it significantly more difficult to track
Hide your activities from people who might be interested in them without you wanting them to
Hide your physical location
Simply make you more anonymous on the web
Secure your internet connection, if you use public networks which are generally not very secure
How exactly does it work?
When you want to connect to the internet, you start by launching your VPN client. The latter is, most often, a small software installed on your computer. This software encrypts your data directly on your czech republic whatsapp list computer, before transmitting it via the internet connection you are using (private network, public wifi, 3G/4G, etc.). Once encrypted, your data is sent to the VPN server, then from the VPN server to the server that has the site you want to visit. The site only receives information transmitted by the VPN, and its location. This is one of the reasons why VPNs allow you to access services that are theoretically inaccessible from your country.

Is it legal to use a VPN?
This is a controversial statement, since the concept of VPN is still quite new to the various legislations. In addition, the international nature of the web makes any legislation extremely complicated to standardize. The real question to ask would rather be "is it illegal to use a VPN?", and the answer to this question is: no.

On the other hand, it is important to keep in mind that what is illegal on the web remains illegal, VPN or not. Using a VPN will not suddenly make it legal to download pirated movies, music, streaming, etc. This may seem "stupid and mean", but it is still worth remembering. Illegal downloading remains illegal downloading, VPN or not.

Am I completely anonymous using a VPN?
This is a question that comes up often: No, you will never have the total guarantee of being completely anonymous on the web. While some factors can be attributed to your VPN (such as the data encryption protocol), the worst enemy of your anonymity is yourself. The VPN "only" encrypts the information you give it, to return it to a server without the latter being able to trace you. But if you send personal information to a malicious website, even if it is encrypted, you will have sent it anyway... and your VPN will not be able to do anything about it.

At the VPN level itself, your anonymity can be slightly compromised by your VPN's "logging policy", or in French, the user connection policy. Indeed, your VPN service can store information about you when you use its service, such as your IP address, the orders you send, the devices you use, etc. If, of course, a VPN would have absolutely no interest in redistributing this information, we still cannot consider that using a VPN is a guarantee of 100% anonymity, but you will come very close.