2020 has seen people around the world confined to their homes and forced to work remotely if this is an option for them. With a high number of people suddenly shifting to this new working arrangement with little time to make preparations, IT security has increasingly been an issue, and authorities like Interpol have warned of a sharp rise in cybercrime during the global pandemic. This has put more pressure on businesses of all sizes to enforce cybersecurity practices to the highest level.
When it comes to choosing a virtual private network (VPN) service, there are a number of things to look out for. Those with a good reputation are more reliable, with a high number of servers that can be found around the globe. They need to perform well and have strong encryption, as well as offering packages that have a range of different features. Employees working from home must always ensure that when they access corporate data or connect to the network remotely, they always make use of a reliable VPN so malicious actors have less chance of breaking in.
For UK-based businesses that need to implement and maintain advanced IT solutions, finding reliable managed IT services in London could be the first step towards safer and more efficient operations.
NordVPN
A well-known security giant that is secure and focus on privacy. It has more than 5,200 servers in over 80 locations in 59 different countries. It boasts an impressive 2,048-bit double encryption and with strong connection speeds that allow you to stream various services abroad. The company did suffer a security breach in 2019, but they have taken action to address this with a full audit and no-logs policy. It is not quite as easy to use the interface on a smaller mobile device, but this is a relatively minor issue. Round-the-clock support is available, and the VPN extends to six different devices. There is also a 30-day money-back guarantee.
CyberGhost
An international VPN that is a Romanian company based in Germany, CyberGhost has over 6,300 servers in 89 countries. It has a wide range of features and an interface that is easy to use, with buttons in the client software for streaming, avoiding censorship, and protecting Wi-Fi transmissions. It has a wide range of features, excellent customer service, and a powerful Windows client. Seven devices can be supported and there is a 45-day money-back guarantee. The performance is not always at its best and the apps can be difficult to use, but overall, this is a reliable VPN.
ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN’s name is a big name in VPNs for good reason. It is easy to use with excellent apps, fast speed, great customer service, and wide compatibility. It has more than 3,000 servers with 160 locations in 94 countries. It has military level encryption, DNS leak protection, split tunneling, and a kill switch. ExpressVPN offers fantastic performance that makes it possible to stream content or connect to corporate networks securely. It offers support for five devices and a 30-day money-back guarantee is available.
IPVanish
This is a well-established VPN service with a long history, with more than 1,500 servers and over 75 locations in 52 countries. It supports a maximum of 10 devices and offers 24/7 support. The desktop apps have a wide range of features that operate at quite impressive speeds. There is a no-logging policy, so it doesn’t gather or track browsing activity. It doesn’t have a kill switch and the subscription price is relatively high, but it has a 30-day money-back guarantee if the service is not up to your expectations.
Surfshark
This is a fast and affordable VPN service that is easy to set up and use. It has more than 1,700 servers and more than 100 locations in 63 countries. It has efficient live chat support and there is a 30-day money-back guarantee. Surfshark does not have all of the fancy features of other VPNs and the apps are quite simple, but it usually offers fast connections and it is one of the cheapest services available. It also supports an unlimited number of devices.
Private Internet Access
Another VPN service that comes at a very low cost, PIA has years of experience and a dedicated following. It has over 2,600 servers at 68 locations in 47 countries, it supports up to 10 devices and it has round-the-clock live chat. On most servers, the connections are very fast, and there is a Detect Best Server function that automatically selects from those available. It does not have the best support and unblocking capabilities, but the apps are reliable, the service is cheap and easy to use.
Hotspot Shield
This is well-known for its free VPN, but Hotspot Shield also has an impressive subscription VPN with full features. This has more than 3,200 servers at over 130 locations in over 80 countries, and it supports up to five devices. There is a 24/7 live chat and a 45-day money-back guarantee. Hotspot Shield offers some of the fastest VPN speeds at an affordable price and it is user friendly. Some of the apps are lacking in support and the logging policy allows it to gather some user information, but it is otherwise a fast and reliable VPN.
Even before COVID-19 made us more dependent on internet services, VPNs had been growing into a vital tool that we will all need to become more familiar within the near future. The security of sensitive data is at risk every day, and we will all need to learn more about the essential cybersecurity practices.
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