Are we addicted to our phones, or are we addicted to the internet? That’s a tricky question to answer. It’s a little bit of both. One of the most common questions you ask when traveling is about the Wi-Fi password. You might think you’ve got a jackpot when you see an open public network in a restaurant.

There’s no need to use hand gestures to explain what you want if there’s a language barrier. Since there are places that charge Wi-Fi on the bill, a public one might seem like a breath of fresh air. But it can also lead to a new world of problems.

What are the digital risks when traveling?

Being alone in a foreign country means you don’t have any control if things go wrong. If someone steals your wallet, getting back your ID and credit cards will be tough, but it will not be impossible. However, if someone steals all of your passwords on your phone, that’s a much bigger problem. The government, foreign embassy, and bank can’t help much in that situation. Sure, you’re going to freeze your credit cards, but you’ll need to get a new phone, mail, social media, and banking profiles.

Hotels, restaurants, coffee shops, train stations, and airports are the most popular places where hackers want to spend their days. Not many people know about the dangers of public Wi-Fi, which is why they sit calmly and prepare to strike unsuspecting victims. As soon as they see someone who looks like a tourist, they can launch a man-in-the-middle attack and steal all the information from their device. A few minutes is all they need.

How do you avoid them?

One of the ways to avoid hackers is to never connect to public networks. That’s especially true when traveling because you don’t know much about the local population. That kind of information isn’t available online because no one knows they’ve been hacked until a few weeks pass. Hackers have all the time in the world. They wait and exploit your data when you least expect it. Because of so many events of this kind, more and more people are turning to VPNs as a solution.

What is a VPN?

Virtual private networks help you stay anonymous on the internet and browse privately. Whenever you connect to a public Wi-Fi, it’s going to look like someone from a different corner of the globe just joined the network. That way, hackers will immediately know that you’re using a VPN, and they won’t even attempt to launch an attack.

That’s because your actual IP address gets bounced to multiple servers in different countries. They will have to hack six to seven servers before they get to the real device. For the FBI or the CIA, such a maneuver could be possible, and it will take a lot of effort from their side too. But a regular hacker sitting in the corner of a coffee shop won’t stand a chance.

Why should you use one?

First and foremost, security. That’s the main feature of VPNs. Many governments have issued safety programs to raise awareness about the dangers of public wireless networks. Encrypting your connection means that cybercriminals can’t do any harm. With a virtual private network, your personal data will never leak online.

However, there are additional benefits. If you’re visiting Asia, specifically India or China, you might not be able to access YouTube, Facebook, or Instagram. These countries have banned these applications because they have their own versions.

Since you can mask your IP address to any part of the globe, you can pretend to be in your home country and still use social media like you always do. This same benefit applies to streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, or HBO.

Over the past few years, they’ve been enabled in most countries worldwide. But the repertoire is not the same. You could arrive at your travel destination and feel jet-lagged. Binging on your favorite series will help you fall asleep, and you log in to your account only to see that it’s unavailable in your country. With a VPN, you can bypass geographical boundaries and browse the web just like at home.