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Cryptocurrency: Privacy, Anonymity, and Security

By:
FX Empire Editorial Board
Updated: Sep 12, 2018, 09:20 UTC

Have you ever heard about Internet traffic being encrypted? In which context have you heard it? Has it been somehow related to cryptocurrency and Bitcoins, particularly? Actually, there is a direct connection between your traffic being encrypted and your online wallet being protected.

Cryptocurrency: Privacy, Anonymity, and Security

Encryption is the most important step from a cybersecurity perspective. It is a basic level of security, which can be layered further. Before deciding to get a cryptocurrency wallet, think about the ways you’re going to protect it online. Unfortunately, antivirus software and unique passwords don’t have the desired effect. From a cybersecurity perspective, they are not enough, especially when talking about running a business or having a wallet online. Although cryptocurrency becomes more popular from day to day, there are no individual ways of protecting it separately. Thus, applying to a VPN is essential. Read this ivacy vpn review to get a general understanding of the topic.

Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin require from you working with VPN providers all the time. Without a VPN, you put any online transaction at risk even without being aware of it. The only true way to keep it safe is not by providing a protecting shield only but encrypting (coding) it as well. And that is what a VPN can do. So, let’s look at this VPN-Bitcoin connection a little bit closer. What can you get and what can you lose?

VPNs for Bitcoins

It is difficult to protect cryptocurrencies without protecting your data as a whole. You should start with browsing history and online traffic first of all.

Do you know that even now your traffic can be monitored and spied on by someone sitting near you (if you’re using a public network) or your home Internet service provider (if you’re reading this article on your home PC)? If it is not a problem for someone to spy your traffic, then it is not a problem for them to reach your online wallet as well.

How often do you communicate with your business partners online or manipulate your online wallet while being outside your house or office, using a public wifi? Most people do it on a daily basis. Mobile computing and online marketing on the go mean doing business stuff whenever and wherever it is comfortable for you – in the airport, in a hotel, in a coffee shop, in a department store, in a train, and so on. We go online on the public networks without worrying about our personal and business information being stolen.

An increased number of people who are into cryptocurrencies and online wallets has caused an increased number of both professional hackers and beginners with basic hacking techniques. Hackers know when your computer or smartphone is the most vulnerable and reach it to own any kind of sensitive information related to business and finances. And are you aware of the spots in which your mobile phone is the most vulnerable?

The biggest danger for a gadget is a public network. Despite the fact that free WiFi services are very handy and time-saving, allowing you to work from anywhere, they are dangerous for those unprotected devices. If you don’t have a VPN, but you have a Bitcoin wallet online, going on the public network is a huge risk. In this case, cryptocurrency transactions are not recommended at all.

Maybe it’s high time to get a VPN, at least to try one. You can get more info on cybersecurity following the link.

Discover more about VPN

If you have never used a VPN before then you’ve missed a lot of great stuff on the Internet. A VPN is a virtual private network. This software creates a secure connection between your device (computer/laptop/smartphone) and a server. It is an additional layer of protection, which you’re providing for your traffic. A VPN can be represented by an invisible tunnel, which your data is going through while being encrypted. If data is encrypted, it becomes unreadable and unreachable for other devices on the network. A VPN helps to keep your activities online completely anonymous, allowing you to browse the Internet safely no matter how unprotected or safe a certain network is. At the same time, a VPN is a much bigger thing than that. It can solve a lot of issues online.

There are three main functions of any VPN service:

  • Data security and online privacy.
  • The service can change your geographical location and real IP address, allowing to surf the net with a complete anonymity.
  • Unlimited Internet access by opening up those websites, which are closed in your region for some reason.

But in the world of crypto, a VPN takes a special place. There is no antivirus able to both encrypt and change your IP the way a VPN does it. An IP address can tie you to a certain geographical location. If you do transactions somewhere in the airport full of absolutely different people, who can potentially see your traffic, you are recommended to change your IP to make your devices invisible to others.

VPN Principle of Work

A VPN is not a fancy service available for governments and corporations only. It is something everyone can afford on a daily basis. If you don’t have enough money to pay monthly or you don’t want to pay for a VPN at all, you can easily find a free option. The same way you can easily find a paid option. All of the services operate in a similar way with slightly different quality and the number of servers available depending on what you’ve chosen.

So, first of all, you have to pick a service depending on your budget, a number of servers you need, quality of Internet connection, OS, devices you have, etc. Then, you have to download it and register. Here you should know that free VPNs can save logs and passwords. So, think twice before getting a free service, especially if you plan to work with cryptocurrencies particularly.

Now you are offered the list of the global servers to connect to. You choose the country, which you would like to connect to. That’s all. As you can see, there is nothing difficult. The servers offered by a VPN work like a middleman between your device and the Internet instead of connecting your computer directly to the global network. Your traffic goes to the VPN server and back. The VPNs make the requests for you on various content and websites. Thus, it is not your computer or smartphone that is connected to the Internet directly, but a VPN with its server.

There are a lot of things, which can be said about how good and important a VPN is in the 21st century, which is the age of mobile computing and development. No matter how updated your device or software is. No matter what antivirus or password you have. A VPN remains one of the simplest but the most effective tools for keeping your data safe online. So, never neglect it, especially if you run a business or have an online wallet. A VPN doesn’t cost a fortune. At least try a free service to see all the benefits by yourself. Check Bestvpnrating.com if you need help.

About the Author

FX Empire editorial team consists of professional analysts with a combined experience of over 45 years in the financial markets, spanning various fields including the equity, forex, commodities, futures and cryptocurrencies markets.

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