As the time we spend online on our digital devices increases, so does the danger of falling victim to cyberattacks.
Last year, there was ochenta y dos % ransomware-related data leaks (opens in a new tab) and online censorship and internet shutdowns increased around the world, according to Freedom House (opens in a new pestañita). No obstante, demasiadas grande empresas tecnológicas hacen un mal uso de los datos de los usuarios.
It's no surprise, then, that even the less tech-savvy among us have found ourselves searching for the right security software to download, among the best VPN and antivirus software, proxy servers, and password management tools.
When it comes to browsing the web anonymously, VPN apps, proxy servers, and Tor Browser are the best free options. But which is the most popular?
This was exactly what the web hosting provider Fasthosts wanted to know. In other words, how users have altered their online privacy habits. What they discovered is that VPNs are the ones leading the way.
Read on for each and every detail!
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(Image credit: Google Trends)Proxies down, VPN up
"Given the growing popularity of VPNs as well as the ever-developing interest in cybersecurity, it's no surprise that the technology has seen such a tragic increase in searches," said Michelle Stark, Fasthosts' director of sales and marketing.
Their data shows that interest in VPN companies has been at its peak since XNUMX. Virtual private network providers are reaching more and more people who are looking to safeguard their digital lives.
NordVPN tested a staggering XNUMX% increase in searches. Its closest contender, ExpressVPN, got XNUMX% more pagers, while a XNUMX% increase is what Surfshark has seen since its inception in XNUMX.
At the same time, interest in proxy servers continues to decline. Despite an increase from a year ago, searches for this software fell XNUMX% over the same period. Among intermittent declines in recent years, Tor Browser has also seen a XNUMX% drop in popularity.
Fasthosts thinks there are multiple reasons behind this trend.
The two main factors seem to be the growing importance given to cybersecurity among all types of users and the rise of streaming services.
VPNs are generally easier to use than proxy servers. They can also accommodate a broader range of user cases, while offering extensive security features. It is also worth noting the increase in marketing campaigns by VPN providers in recent times.
Whatever the reason for selecting the tools, the trend shows that little by little more users around the world are concerned about their online privacy and want to learn how to protect their data.
“We even see people using virtual private servers (VPS) to build their VPNs for added security, anything people are willing to do to stay safe in an increasingly digital world,” Stark said.
"I can't imagine interest in these services dropping anytime soon, either for security reasons or to access a myriad of otherwise unfree streaming content, so it's going to be interesting to see how companies will conform to this virtually invisible data blocker.'
Proxies vs Tor vs VPN: which one to choose?
Although the goal of VPNs, proxies, and Tor is ultimately the same: to keep users anonymous to improve their privacy online, the way each piece of software does it is different.
A Attorney It works as a gateway between your device and the servers of the website you access. Since each and every request will go through the proxy server, this allows you to hide your real IP location and bypass geographic limitations.
A VPN it is very akin to a proxy. It hides your IP address and makes you appear in a completely different place on the planet with just a few clicks. However, in such a case, all traffic leaving the device is encrypted in the VPN tunnel so that intruders cannot access your information in transit. You can also ask our Proxy vs VPN explainer for more details.
el Choline browser is a free and open source secure browser run by volunteers. It follows a famous practice like onion routing. It routes traffic through at least 3 servers, encrypting data each and every step of the way to ensure the highest possible privacy.
Although extremely secure, Tor has certain drawbacks. More encryption can slow down your connection, for example. The service also carries the stigma of being associated with cybercrime, meaning sites often block access.
VPNs seem to be more effective at evading oppression using the new obfuscation technology, as Tor proxies and exit nodes are more identifiable. Therefore, a streaming VPN is your best option to unblock foreign catalog on streaming platforms.
However, all this is not to say that there is no use of proxies and Tor.
The latest WhatsApp update now offers unprecedented proxy support to allow users to communicate freely across the Internet outage, for example. And even VPN vendors advise using Tor with the VPN app when privacy is paramount.
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