Written by: Lynn Cadet
Edited by: Lillian Castro
TL; DR: VPN.com provides an outlet for internet users to discover VPN services and additional cybersecurity tools and resources. It has reviewed hundreds of VPN tools and allows visitors to compare services to find the right match for their needs. The team also specializes in premium domain name broker services, helping businesses and individuals land top-ranking domain names. We spoke with Michael Gargiulo, CEO of VPN.com, about the platform, tips for digital hygiene, and what’s next for digital health.
More than 1.5 billion people use VPNs worldwide. Their everyday utility helped make their usage prevalent. VPNs allow users to bolster privacy and security and, in many cases, combat censorship in their home countries. So we can see why they’re so essential.
Interestingly enough, the foundations of VPNs began in the 1960s within the confines of U.S. military intelligence research. The research involved developing a secure electronic method of communicating between remote locations.
Today, VPNs are commonplace, allowing the average person to access secure connections between their device and a computer network with only a click of a button. That need for security has become more important than ever with the increase in data breaches.
“Most people in America have had their information breached. Using a VPN is a great way to respond to that because it protects your information every time you get online,” said Michael Gargiulo, CEO of VPN.com.
VPN.com provides an informational hub for all things VPN, including resources and service recommendations. Users can research and compare VPN services to choose the best fit for their needs. VPN.com also helps users find lucrative domain name matches.
“Domains are a different way of protecting a brand and business when they get online. But it’s certainly a way. We’re happy to help entrepreneurs who want to emulate what we’ve done in our industry. We defined our category with the million-dollar domain name,” said Michael.
Why VPNs Are Essential in Your Security Journey
Although VPNs don’t protect users against everything, they are a vital addition to any security toolkit. A VPN is an easy and surefire way to address network security and enhance your internet connection.
“It gives you certainty if you’re getting on public WiFi. If you’re not using a VPN, your information and device are exposed. So VPNs give people that protection to rely on that peace of mind,” said Michael.
Learning how to secure your internet connection can be intimidating and inconvenient, but ignoring it won’t help. VPNs can be a great starting point for non-technical people to enhance their security. They have also become much easier to use and integrate into daily routines.
“For a long time, you had to remember to turn on your VPN whenever you get on your computer or phone. Now it automatically connects,” said Michael.
Michael recommends users leverage a VPN’s kill switch capability. He said most providers have the option. The kill switch ensures your VPN is on before you can connect to the internet. This way, users won’t unintentionally leak parts of their data, which can be detrimental for many.
VPNs have evolved quite a bit over the years, especially regarding speed. Its improved quality can also make it challenging to choose between service providers. VPN.com helps users find the best solution for their needs.
“We review hundreds of different VPNs. NordVPN is a top partner of ours. They fit in most consumer use cases, cover up to 10 devices, and work very reliably on your computer and your phones,” said Michael.
Michael told us NordVPN is the middle ground for VPNs in terms of pricing and capabilities. He recommends users avoid free VPN services and instead look for a reliable solution with a refund policy so they can test it out.
The Best Security Practices for Digital Hygiene
Digital despair or apathy can be difficult to overcome. But Michael said this is exactly where hackers want users to be — subdued by the state of data privacy and security. There are simple ways to protect valuable information beyond VPNs, and Michael shared a few with us.
“I would recommend using a password manager with rotated long passwords. Most people use the same password or some small variation of a password recorded on Excel or Google spreadsheets, which can be breached,” said Michael.
Using a password manager can help users evade these issues with various, longer password strings for their different accounts. Michael said users can also pair that with two-factor authentication on any sensitive account, specifically email.
“A lot of times, hackers want to compromise your personal email first. Once they get your account, they can start resetting passwords to all of the other accounts. A good hacker could have the average person locked out of everything in an hour,” said Michael.
The last tip he gave was freezing your credit. By doing so, hackers can’t steal your credit or access to new accounts using your identity. He also mentioned installing an antivirus firewall and running regular device scans.
Besides these personal digital hygiene tips, Michael also shared how businesses can use VPNs to secure connections. Businesses should set up a service that covers all their devices and train their employees on how to use a VPN and its importance.
“All of this goes toward having a secure experience for your business. The average business loses about $4 million per breach. So if you can take a very cost-effective step to mitigate risks that your business is facing, it usually works,” said Michael.
Pointing Users to Digital Health Solutions
VPN.com is all about helping people promote their digital health. And it seeks to do so holistically. The VPN.com team is currently working on a free tool for users to audit their cybersecurity and digital health.
“So in two minutes or less, you answer a handful of questions. And we will give you an audit of how well you’re doing and how seriously you’re taking your digital health. We’ll give you some tips and recommendations at the end of that,” said Michael.
VPN.com plans to release the new feature by mid-August 2024. Michael said the team wants to make establishing digital health accessible for users. This is why the team has spent extensive time understanding and researching security gaps.
“We want to make it fast and easy for families to see where their gaps are and then connect to great services that can fill those gaps, starting with VPN, but not limited to it. We want to see people have better digital health at the end of the day,” said Michael.
