stay secure on public wi-fi
Use a virtual private network to encrypt your traffic and hide where you are
Connect your iPhone to a free, encrypted service
If you want to keep your data secure, you should use a Virtual Private Network (VPN).
This is a method by which internet-connected devices can encrypt their communications when using an untrusted public network.
A VPN encrypts the links between your device and a website’s server. This means that your Internet Service Provider (ISP) can’t see the websites that you’ve visited, only that you’ve connected to the VPN. A simple analogy is imagining a VPN like a tunnel. Your ISP can see you enter the tunnel, but can’t see where you go once you exit it.
This gives you a level of anonymity over your IP address, as well as greater protection against hackers looking to gain access to your data, especially when you’re using a public Wi-Fi networks – but be warned, if you’re using an unencrypted connection your details can still prove to be vulnerable.
VPNs can also get around governmental blocks on the internet, but use them with caution; in some countries, such as the United Arab Emirates, using a VPN is illegal. The UK government recently passed the Investigatory Powers Act 2016, which mandates that ISPs record the websites you visit, and obliging companies to decrypt that data. Learn more about this legislation at bit.ly/2jjwxAu.
Choose your VPN
There are many VPN tools on the App Store, so it can be difficult to choose the best one. Hotspot Shield and the premium NordVPN are popular, the latter especially since it claims its US, Canada and UK-based servers are fast enough for video streaming.
In this tutorial, though, you’ll learn about CyberGhost (apple.co/2iyuvKK), which offers a free service for iOS devices, and the company behind it publishes a transparency report every year to prove it isn’t tracking your activity. You can read more about that at bit.ly/2iHmXII. Whichever VPN you choose, it’s vital that it’s with a company you trust – if you can justify it, go for a premium product.
As you’ll see in the walkthrough, trying out a VPN adds its configuration profile to your iOS device, which you can see in Settings > General > VPN. If you remove the CyberGhost app from your device, its configuration profile is removed along with it.
There are many VPN tools on the App Store, so it can be difficult to choose the best one