Rejecting technology today is rejecting the advancements society has made since its beginnings. Consequently, many have embraced what technology has to offer, and rightly so.
Nowadays, we can easily do things that would have been considered impossible 50 years ago, such as paying bills through an app, shopping remotely and receiving purchases in the comfort of our homes, or even sending money to others with just one click.
Technology has evolved, but so have malicious practices. Today, no one is 100% safe, and confidential information can be exposed through hacker attacks. One proposed way to address this is to use a VPN, such as a free VPN trial. But ultimately, does a VPN really protect your data?
What is VPN?
VPN is a virtual tool that allows you to use the internet more securely by encrypting sensitive data such as passwords, card numbers, and your device’s IP address – a prime target for hackers.
This data then goes to a VPN server which, even before leaving a device, alters the digital location and IP address. Thus, this new information reaches its final destination, and it’s impossible for the recipient to know where the data came from. VPN protects data so that it cannot be used in a harmful way.
Do VPNs protect banking transactions?
It’s important to emphasize that VPNs are not the only form of data protection available. Most websites nowadays have some form of data encryption that protects them from malicious attacks. Therefore, a VPN in this case would only serve as an extra layer of protection.
Any bank or service that directly handles users’ personal data is obligated to prove that:
Any data received from the user is properly processed and stored.
It complies with the LGPD (Brazilian General Data Protection Law), which stipulates that personal and sensitive data must be processed and stored securely.
A VPN alone would already guarantee all of this, but since banking applications themselves do this, it serves as an additional layer of protection.
In what situations is a VPN indispensable?
Although VPNs provide additional protection, there are situations where you should consider using them to protect your banking data.
Access via public Wi-Fi.
Accessing your bank’s app or website through a public Wi-Fi network carries considerable risk. This is because, since anyone can access the Wi-Fi network, anyone could install malware on the network to collect data from potential victims.
If this happens and the data is exposed, a VPN encrypts it, so it does not pose a risk to the banking security of customers.
Access from another country
For data security, the bank may choose to block access originating from a country other than the account holder’s country of origin.
So, when people are traveling and access a bank’s app or website from another country, it’s possible to block access if a malicious attack is suspected. A VPN can help here, as it allows you to choose the server in the country you want to connect to.
In short, VPNs can be very useful in protecting browsing data in general, and this also applies to all online transactions.