VPNs are truly a cornerstone of today’s digital world. Although a normal user may not have come across one, leading corporations and high-profile jobs require their use. It doesn’t only facilitate the remote working infrastructure of a company, but it also fulfills an individual’s desire for privacy and digital security. Hence, VPNs are the go-to service for your online safety. But is it advisable to do s since VPNs function on trust? Regardless of the features offered and concessions made, a vendor with a blemished record can’t cope in the VPN market.
Thus, only reputable providers that have proven time and time again to be trustworthy can thrive here. But what makes users trust such VPNs? The sole principle of privacy and freedom on the internet drives countless customers into embracing this service. They choose vendors over ISPs (Internet Service Providers) to handle their data. However, is this trust misguided? Can a VPN track your history, and if it does, how to trust them?
Can a VPN track my history?
Honestly yes. But the story doesn’t end here. A VPN can stalk your history, but its use doesn’t necessarily harm you. If you’re wondering how it has to do with how VPNs function. Although they are virtual and private networks, they operate based on conviction. First, let us consider an example of data transmission without a VPN. It will look like this:
- First, the user will enter a domain name in the address bar.
- After that, the browser will resolve the request by looking up the DNS server.
- However, this transmission has to go through the TCP/IP channel, which comes under the observation of the ISP. Similarly, the DNS lookup also falls within ISP jurisdiction as it hosts the relevant servers. Thus, the ISP knows what you do on the internet as all the data travel through its servers.
- Again, any incoming traffic has to travel via the TCP/IP channels.
- No matter the routes are chosen, every data packet has to converge on your ISP routers, and then the ISP will send it to your device. Hence, whatever you do on the internet, your ISP can track it.
Now, let us bring a VPN into the equation, which will replace the ISP. Don’t get us wrong, the ISP will continue to provide you with the internet, and any communication with the ISP will require the TCP/IP channels. However, the VPN will use tunneling to hide the data leaving your device. Therefore, the observing ISP can only view numerous data packets going to a particular server (the VPN server you connect to). But it can’t know what the data is as it will be encrypted within a tunnel.
Hence, your ISP won’t be able to track you. But on the other hand, since the VPN replaced it and the data gets decrypted before leaving the network, the virtual private network provider can track your history.
Different perspectives on VPN being able to track history
Yes, a VPN can track you, but the extent differs depending on the perspective. Against some intruders, a VPN can hide you without causing harm, but sometimes a VPN can result in irrevocable damage.
VPN helps you hide from ISP
A VPN can always conceal your identity and location from the ISP because the origin of any outgoing data traffic is your device. Hence, an effective VPN client that doesn’t leak will encrypt the data before it leaves the device. Thus, when it reaches the ISP, it can’t be decipherable, bypassing any monitoring. Afterward, the VPN server acts as a smokescreen, and your ISP has no way to know which data came from where.
VPN aids in disguising you from your router
Although consumer-grade home routers do not have sufficient memory to log your internet traffic, your office routers or other public ones can. But using a VPN can circumvent such issues. Any data leaving your device undergoes encryption. Thus, a router won’t be able to track your history with a VPN in play.
It assists in hiding you from corporations like Google
Corporations in the internet sector have become infamous for mining and logging unnecessary user data. One such company that recently came under heavy criticism was Google. Allegedly, Google can and does log user data for profit. It uses the data for targeted ads and sells it to interested third parties. However, it is easy to undermine such companies with a VPN. Since the website will only know the VPN server that issues the request, you won’t have to face targeted ads. Also, there is no loss of PII (Personally identifiable information) when the server acts on behalf of the users.
It cannot conceal you from the network admin
Corporate VPNs are somewhat special as they come alongside network monitor tools. Hence, the network admin can, to an extent, monitor and control the VPN network. Thus, you can’t hide from your boss if you use the central network of the company alongside the VPN. Such vendors also make it hard to install other VPNs on the device.
VPNs can’t obscure you from the vendor
VPN clients initiate encryption while the server does the decryption. Thus, the whole process gets concluded within the VPN network. Ergo, it shouldn’t come as a surprise if your vendor is aware of your online activities. Numerous service providers misuse this possibility for profit. They either inculcate adware for a quick buck or sell the data on the dark web. However, it is simple to safeguard against such providers.
First, stay away from free VPN services without a prominent background, and second, only use those with a strict no-logs policy. You can also go for those vendors who promote third-party independent audits. Yes, it is risky to hand over your data to a stranger, but VPNs have always been a belief-based game.
It may not assist you in disguising local browser history
Lastly, VPNs can hide your local logs. Your web browser is a local app, and it records what you do online. A VPN can’t help you with it because the browser logs such data locally on your hard disk or uploads it to the cloud. Hence, if you want to protect your browsing history, the only feasible option is to manually delete records at regular intervals. You can also use the incognito mode on browsers or go for private browsers. In conclusion, to hide your browser history, do this:
- Use private browsers and search engines
- Manually delete history regularly
- Reject cookies
- Change your DNS setting
- Use HTTPS whenever possible, ideally always
- Use a genuine no-logs VPN