With cyber threats on the rise in the modern digital landscape, arming your iOS devices with robust cybersecurity tools has become the norm. The most popular technology is a VPN (Virtual Private Network), a rising star among Apple users.
Though the most recognized perk of a VPN is the ability to change location to bypass geographical restrictions, there’s much more to it. After all, it is a prominent cybersecurity stalwart employed by users and businesses alike.
Apple has indeed taken several commendable steps to protect users. For one, the latest iOS devices come with an end-to-end encrypted messaging app or the privacy-forward Single Sign-On feature.
However, such in-built tools can only go so far in safeguarding against online dangers. That’s because nefarious parties and hackers are reacting to the rise in protection with advancing phishing, ransomware, malvertising, and other kinds of dangerous campaigns.
Using a VPN on an iPhone can bolster overall privacy and security, even improve battery life and decrease data usage. To put it simply, a reliable VPN service can fill in the cracks left by Apple developers regarding online protection. In this article, we elaborate on the benefits of using a VPN on an iOS device for users that seek security-related solutions.
What is a VPN and how does it work?
A VPN is a technology that creates a secure connection between you and the internet. Employing the industry-standard AES-256 encryption, all the routed web traffic is concealed from prying eyes, including your ISP (Internet Service Provider).
In addition, a VPN provides you with a different IP address, allowing you to browse the internet without constraints. However, since a VPN is often used to bypass geographical restrictions and access otherwise blocked content, the technology is surrounded by the recurring question: are VPNs legal? In short, yes.
VPNs are perfectly legal in most jurisdictions around the world. Its use is, on the contrary, often encouraged, specifically in the context of cybersecurity. Likewise, it’s essential to choose a verified and dependable provider rather than dubious free VPNs and not to use the software for cybercrimes.
However, there’s more to a VPN than just access to geo-blocked content for streaming or online shopping. Here are the key points of using this kind of software for protecting yourself online:
- Disguising your whereabouts. VPN’s ability to change location and mask your actual IP serves various purposes. One of the primary goals is to conceal your whereabouts to maintain online anonymity.
- Encrypted web traffic. The industry-standard AES-256 encryption, which routes all your internet traffic, would take millions of years for a computer to decipher the code in case of a cyber attack. Needless to say, your data is perfectly safe with a VPN on.
- Secure data transfer. This is especially important for people working remotely that need to transfer sensitive data from point A to point B. A VPN does an excellent job, which is why many businesses employ this technology in their workplaces.
- Protecting your device while traveling. Whether you work remotely, travel, or happen to connect to a public Wi-Fi network, a VPN actively protects your iOS device. Public hotspots are too open and therefore welcoming to invading hackers and whatnot.
Encryption of web & app traffic for online confidentiality
Numerous iOS users end up experiencing “the Apple syndrome” because, unlike its competitor Android, Apple iOS is a closed platform. While it’s true that open-source code is more prone to dangers, it’s also much easier for developers to note bugs or cracks in the system.
While Apple operating systems are indeed safer than Android, relying on the iOS in-built features is not enough for safe online browsing. Suppose you connect to a public Wi-Fi network.
In that case, you become an easy target of various snoopers looking for some data to mine. In fact, even browsing on private networks doesn’t guarantee safety so long as you interact with the internet.
Mobile users are even more vulnerable since we use these devices for daily banking transactions, in-app purchases, and such – iOS devices are loaded with sensitive data.
A VPN on your phone safeguards against those attacks, in the same fashion it would if you were browsing the web on your PC gadget. You get the same security and privacy boosts, no matter the device.
While most websites are now served over HTTPS (the secure form of HTTP), many are not and pose risks. Many people think that offline interactions are much safer.
They couldn’t be more wrong. First of all, your iOS apps interact with the Apple cloud or other online sources on a round-the-clock basis to install updates, check notifications, and similar.
And how many third-party apps on iOS devices are poorly configured? Too many. Ultimately, your apps and all the traffic in them are still vulnerable to threat vectors.
Fortunately, routing all your web and app traffic through a VPN connection encrypts your activities, protecting it from any overly curious eyes. In fact, many advanced VPN apps offer a variety of additional security features, like obfuscated servers or Dedicated IPs, for an added layer of protection on iPhones and iPads.
Ultimately, a VPN can fill in the gaps in Apple’s security so you can navigate the digital world and defang most dangerous factors.
Getting in the way of personal data monetization
Most of the time, when you browse online, you encounter ads. These advertisements don’t just flash into your eyes, irritate or hook you up on the product.
In reality, most ads are infused with trackers, which collect your online behavior and send the data to respected companies. They, in turn, either use the data to design targeted ads or sell it to other marketing and advertising businesses.
However, your data is also sneakily collected by some mobile service carriers. For instance, in the US and certain other countries worldwide, services like AT&T or Verizon harvest and sell users’ data, such as their location and online habits.
An iPhone VPN counters such trespasses by encrypting all your web and app traffic through a protective and impenetrable tunnel. Even if your ISP tries to see what you’re up to while using a VPN, they’ll see a jumble of nonsensical number sequences.
Apart from advertising companies and mobile services, your mobile data is collected by government agencies, your phone manufacturer, in this case, Apple, and hackers. Yes, it does reek of Orwellianism, but that’s the reality we are in; thus we must be conscious about our digital footprint and reclaiming privacy.
Conclusion
Using a VPN on iOS devices should become a daily habit. After all, such cybersecurity software safeguards user privacy round-the-clock in the modern digital landscape, where data mining has become a norm.
While Apple’s in-built security features are commendable, they aren’t enough to prevent evolving cyber threats from targeting your iPhone or iPad. A VPN’s impenetrable AES-256 encryption shields data from snoopers, including your mobile service carrier, government agencies, and third parties or app manufacturers.
In most cases, it can even protect you from sophisticated threat vectors. Therefore, a reliable iOS VPN can help you reclaim privacy and stop your data from being stolen and monetized by complementing Apple’s protective measures.
