College should be the time when students are concentrating on the important things in life, such as preparing for a career and who makes the best pizza within a one-mile radius of the dorms. Unfortunately, cybercrime can strike anywhere, and you can’t drop your guard in today’s connected world.
Parents – this is exactly why you should invest in and encourage your college-bound young adults to use a high-quality VPN service.
Students – statistics don’t lie. If you are careless with your online browsing your information will be compromised at some point. This isn’t meant to scare you, but it is important to understand what you are up against every time you open a browser or app.
This information is meant to spark a conversation so everyone is on the same page. With the awesome tools available to you today, it doesn’t make sense to be unsafe online.
A VPN is a secure, encrypted connection between your computer and a server belonging to the VPN company. Its purpose is to provide you with anonymity and protect any information you pass over the web.
When you log onto the web, websites and even your ISP won’t see your location information. Furthermore, because the connection is encrypted, any information you send through is hidden. People won’t be able to read your passwords, identity, or any other send information.
Most college campuses have their own Wi-Fi network and it’s secured by a simple username/password system. Often, that is the only security provided by the college.
If the password is compromised or bypassed, hackers may access not only that account but, with a basic set of programming skills, enter the entire school system. It’s even possible for them to get into databases containing personal information about the students and faculty.
Despite this threat, many schools and universities still require their students to use only the school’s VPN when accessing the internet.
While limiting use to one VPN may seem to be the safest route, it actually limits the amount of protection given to the students.
What Could Happen Without a VPN
Criminals are becoming more sophisticated with their attempts to gather people’s information. For instance, instead of trying to hack into your computer directly and steal your information, they will hack into the signal between you and the internet.
As you send data to the internet they will launch what is called a “man-in-the-middle” attack. This attack allows them to capture your information as you send it out. They do this without interrupting your activity.
You would have no idea they are there!
The VPN encryption service cloaks your activity, and hackers won’t be able to read your information.
What’s The Matter With My School’s VPN Service?
You might be thinking, “The college or university my child goes to already has a VPN service set up for me. What’s the matter with that?”
Maybe nothing.
However, when you trust somebody else’s, or a public, VPN service you are putting the control over your internet safety in somebody else’s hands.
Think about your school’s service for a moment. Do you know:
The name and rating of the service?
Do they, or the school, keep logs? Who reviews the logs? What happens with the information?
Do they block access to certain websites?. Or block certain websites from particular on-campus buildings? How will this affect your day-to-day activities?
How do they ensure your privacy?
Without answers to these questions, you have no idea who you are trusting when you go on the web.
When you use your own VPN service you know exactly how it works, and who can access your information.
At the very least you may want to reach out to the school’s IT department to inquire if there are specific protections available for your student’s Internet traffic while on campus.
Which raises another question: what happens when off campus? The school can do little to protect you outside of its perimeters.
“There’s a cafe (library, restaurant, etc.) around the corner, I log onto their network.”
Many students like to study in cafes and restaurants, and they log onto the free Wi-Fi offered by the business.
Again, how do you know who is looking at your information? What has the business done to protect your information?
Many simply have a simple password/login concept. Again, considering the type and amount of information you have, this may not be the best option.
Furthermore, these VPN services may not support mobile devices. The number one way people are accessing the internet today.
The Best Option For Students
The best option for students is to use a VPN service of their choosing. This allows you to know who has access to your information, where your information is going, and who to turn to if there is an issue.
Additionally, you will be able to surf the web without oversight. Privacy might be a right, but it’s one you have to vigorously guard.
By using your own VPN service you will:
Know what VPN service is being used and how it operates
Access sites, including social media and media sites, without fear of being blocked
Use a service optimized for mobile technology
Netsanity VPN Service-Started By Parents For Their Kids
Netsanity is a U.S.company with a proven track record of creating effective solutions for internet security and safety. The company was formed by two dads and a mom who wanted to help their kids control their internet activity and ensure they were safe when surfing the web.
Netsanity VPN was created with a similar goal, allowing adults to safely surf the web without losing their privacy or freedoms.
The Netsanity VPN Solution
Netsanity VPN is a service perfect for business people, students, travelers, and tourists. Here’s how it works:
You don’t need to download an app.
Turn on the VPN on your Apple iOS or Android mobile device.
Access the web or apps with a new, secure IP address.
Whether you are a student or parent, we understand your concerns. We had the same concerns and it’s why we started Netsanity.
When you are away from home, living in communal dorms or apartment, it’s hard to maintain your privacy and security. You shouldn’t have to worry about it when you go to the web to either study or simply relax.
