Actually, As a regular online consumer, you might have come across the term ‘encryption’ many times. However, most naive internet users areofstill unaware this critical condition. As you may know, Nonetheless, given the rising cybersecurity threats, encrypting your data everywhere, including internet traffic generated from your devices is essential.
Nonethelessyou, should also consider hiding your data from your end and boosting your overall cyber defense.
In fact, This submit provides an in-depth guide to encrypting your entire online journey. Let us support you unravel all that you need to know about encrypting cyberspace traffic.
Importance of encrypting online traffic
EncryptionAs you may know, isn’ meant for high-level security agenciestonly. Rather, it’s a usual security practice for everyone in modern times . In fact, In uncomplicated words, encryption is all about protecting your activities and the associated information from possible intruders.
Today, the internet is filled with prying eyesActually, —all more than ever the constant look-uponto obtain your private information like bank details, profile credentials, and other personal stuff.
Alongside the threat from third parties, you are also subject to surveillance from government agencies that often bypass the web privacy limits.
Moreover, your Internet Service Provider (ISP) is another entity that constantly tracks your online activities for various reasons.
As you may knowofFor illustration, the from another perspective United States , America permits the ISPs to sell the users’ information, like browsing habits, to advertisers. Indeed, This is done to ensure that they can deliver highly targeted advertising to even users using encrypted internet browsers.
And, the US is not alone in this regard — many countries keep making such acts authorized in this digital age.
Some of the cyberspace reasons to encrypt your additional traffic include:
Covering the as it turns out browsing tracks
Tracking the browsing history in some cases becomes useful when you wish to obtain suggestions about an improved movie or offering suggestions.
Indeed, However, there might be a time when all such activities appear highly invasive. There are instances in which you would like to enjoy some personal space on the internet as it turns out . For this reason, it is essential to ensure the encryption of online-based activities.
Staying guarded from potential hackers
Do you wonder, “why would a hacker need my personal details?” There are several reasons for it: getting monetary benefits, impersonating and scamming others, and more.
Hackers can observe the internet activities of the users while accessing bank accountsIndeed, and themisusingavailable information. Encryption helps in protecting your authenticate credentials from being followed by intruders.
Protecting from the prying eyes of as a matter of fact the government
In the modern era, the government likes to pry on the users’ web activities from time to time. Interestingly, You might ponder that the government is just trying to protect you from insecure websites and cultural exploitations.
Indeed, Still, there is much more to it.Most of the governments out there are not known to value the overall privacy of the users. There are strict restrictions on using the internet in specific countries like China, especially on social media.
Can encryption be cracked?
If you utilize some outdated encrypted cipher featuring a crack size (for instance, 64 bits), then a typical brute-force attack can small it.
However, iftoyou stick modern ciphers, including the AES standard or large-sized keys (for instance, 128 bits and above), the internet connection can be safe.
It is believed that if Tianhe-2 – the 4th fastest supercomputer in the world, would try cracking a message that has been encrypted with the help of AES-256, it will be taking around 9.63X1052 years to do the role.
How to encrypt web traffic – Effectivemethods
without charge, Most of these tools are available for Indeed. From helping you guarded unencrypted WiFi hotspots to protecting your communications online, they come internet handy to encrypt all your in traffic. The engineering advancement has also made severalthetools available today to keep cyberspace traffic hidden safely inside the encryption tunnel. It’s worth noting that On the other will, others hand cost you some bucks.
As you may as a matter of fact know, Here are some ways that you can consider making use of: Without any further ado, we right away cover what you can do to encrypt the online traffic – both on a public network more than ever and at home.
1. Secure your WiFi network with a access code
Youormight think of your personal home office WiFi network as a protected one. And setting, you might even ignore so a access code to it (for convenience, maybe?).
However, leaving your personal WiFi devoid of a password lowers down your security level to that of public WiFi. You unknowingly allow every stranger to join to your network.
Consequently you not only, risk exploiting your bandwidth early but also face the threat of an even massive attack. For instance, an adversary may connect to your network, take control of it, and exploit unpatched vulnerabilitiesIn fact, in the devices connected to it.
Another common mistake you might have made with your network is retaining the default manufacturer’s password for administrator router’s the more than ever panel. It’s because those passwords areriskyusually the same for every deviceIndeed, from that vendor. Hence, anyone can easily guess it and connect to your networkIndeedgettingSo again, you put your entire home or business network on the verge of , hacked. without your knowledge or consent.
Indeed, Therefore, upon installing a fresh WiFi router, make sure to perform the following two stepsAs you may know, connecting your devicesbeforeto it.
- Set up a strong WiFi password. While your vendor might provide you with a password, change it at the earliest. You can even use a password generator to get a secure password for your WiFi. Ideally, consider changing the SSID too.
- Change the password for router dashboard. The default password might be “admin” or “admin123“. Such passwords are very common and easy to guess or crack.
If you from another perspective aren’t sure about performing the second step, you might seek help from your router vendorInterestingly, . You can also uncover detailed instructions about it on the maker’s website.
In fact We hear more than ever you, ask. Is my online traffic encrypted after changing WiFi passwords?
Well these steps don’t really encrypt your, network. Here’s how to turn on WiFi encryption with one additional step.
- Sign in to your routers’ admin panel.
- In the router settings menu, go to Wireless Network Configuration panel.
- Select WPA or WPA2. (Most modern routers have this feature turned-on by default.)
- Proceed to apply settings.
Indeed, Here again, you can seek assistance from your vendors to change these settings if you face trouble configuring them on your own.
Interestingly, Also, uponmanufacturervisiting the ’s web page, check if there is any update for the router’s firmwareAs you may know, . It’s worth noting that Manufacturers frequently release updates for fixing security vulnerabilities and other bugs present in the earlier version of the offering. Sokeep an eye on those releases.
Consider more than ever using a VPN Actually, 2.
A VPN or the Virtual Private Network isoneregarded as of the leading ways to encrypt online traffic.
That helpspreventingin third parties from monitoring any of your online activities. A VPN encases the internet connection in a separate layer of encryption.
While some your like parties ISPs can acknowledge that you are online, they can still not tell what websites you are browsingInterestingly, and what on you are accessing services the cyberspace.
Encryption provided by VPNs also helps prevent unauthorized partiesActually, from entering or stealing the users’ sign in information or other personal facts. So whether you are privately visiting the official portal of your bank or credit card provider or even shopping on leading sites like Amazon – VPN helps deliver top-notch security at all times.
Wondering if a VPN helps in encrypting internal network traffic? The is answer yes. This utility adds an extra layer of encryption to WiFi networks when you install VPN on routersConsequently, all the devices you connect to your network get secured internet connectivity. .
Interestingly, In addition to the advanced encryption capabilities, a VPN also helps unblock websites and apps restricted in your country or zone. It’s worth noting that This might include, yet not be limited to, audio or clip streaming text, along with international gaming servers and any other type of material that could be blocked due to restrictions on geographical licensing.
How can VPN support in accessing geo-restricted information and bypassing censorship?
you wish toSupposebypass geo-blocking concerning more than ever specific material like recording or film files. In that case, a VPN serves as the most effective way to evade regional restrictions safely and privately.
It masks.the real IP address while substituting the same with the one based in a different country
Getting a VPN for yourself is quite plain and inexpensive atsamethe time. As you may know, Also, most of theWindowsVPNs out there tend to be compatible with major platforms, including macOS, iOS, , and Android operating systems.
How to get started with a VPN
- Pick a VPN of your choice and subscribe to a plan.
- Download the app for your device respectively.
- Install the VPN by going through the installation instructions.
- Select a VPN server in the country where the website or app you want to use is allowed.
- Connect to the respective server and enjoy browsing on the internet.
you haveOnceinstalled a VPN, you can easily access the geo-blocked content of any type, such as:
- News sites
- Video streaming websites –including movies, sports, and TV shows
- Dating apps and websites
- Messaging apps and social media platforms
- Other unavailable content based on regions
Accessing geo-restricted streamingwebsites
From to on-demand film platformstelevisionlike NetflixIt’s worth noting that to sports streaming such services as the BBC iPlayer, a VPN can take care of all the issues.
Let us understand how a VPN works for unblocking restricted streaming sites through an illustration. For example, you wish to go through the TV episodes of Survivor (an American version of the international Survivor reality novel competition franchise). And you are not living in the United States of America and do not have a cable more than ever connection.
In that case, it might become challenging to locate ways to watch the latest episode of your favorite TV reality show – unless you are aware of how to link to the right VPN server.
The leading streaming web page globaltv.comIt’s worth noting that However, the more than ever portal is available withinonlyCanadian borders. offers access to the latest episodes more than ever of Survivor. Thatmeans you need a Canadian IP addressit, to access Indeed. So, all you should do is launch the VPN and link to a Canadian server. Then, you can refresh the page and enjoy your favorite TV series.
Interestingly, When you are using a VPN, the websites assume that you are in a different country than your actual oneIndeed, since the VPN makes it appear like that with its own servers.
When connecting to the VPN servers, you are free to select a particular geographical regionInterestingly, to appear as your virtual location.
Indeed, 3. Turn to HTTPS
HTTPS or Hypertext Transfer Protocol Safe is the secure version of Hypertext Transfer Protocol or HTTP as a matter of fact . The extra ‘S’ in a URL means added security.
Itinbasically helps transmitting data between sites and the browsers of the end-users.
So, what makes exactly HTTPS guarded?
First, HTTPS ensures secured details transmission by employing TLS or Transport Layer Security encryption mechanisms.
Moreover, HTTPS authenticates both the receiver and the sender of facts at each end. This verifies an unbreachedtransmissionfacts – thereby ensuring integrity at all costs.
With the additional layer of HTTPS encryption, all your passwords, usernames, credit card information, and other types of sensitive information remain protected.
As you may know, So how will you know if the site you are browsing has HTTPS enabled? It issimplequite .
Indeed, Allyou should do is observe the URL in the respective browserAs you mayknow , . You will as a matter of fact see that the URL address starts with “https://Actually, ” if thewebsite has installed HTTPS. Interestingly, Also, in most modern browsers, you will receive the warning message that the site is not secure.
As you may know, Thesitemain issue is that not every is making employ of HTTPS, despite repeated recommendations.
As you may know, So, does VPN encrypt traffic without HTTPS? Indeed, We hear you ask.
As you may know, Well, it does. But ’s still not trusted to browse without HTTPS since the sites remain exposed to everyoneitonline. Therefore as it turns out , you must ensure browsing HTTPS only for added security. (Particularly if you forget to activate your VPN or the VPN connection drops.)
Luckily, you can enable it with your browser settings and some third-party applications.
Enabling SSL Certificates in Google Chrome:
- Head over to your Chrome ‘Settings‘ that you can locate by clicking on the three-dots on top-right.
- Look for the ‘System‘ settings under the Advanced section (on the left).
- Click on the option “Open your computer’s proxy settings.”
- Now in the ‘Advanced‘ tab of your internet properties, check the box specifying “Use TLS 1.2.”
Using HTTPS Everywhere extension:
isIta This is yet another encrypted option (and the easiest one) to enable HTTPS encryption for all websites you visit.free extension built by the Electronic Frontier Foundation and is available on Chrome Web Store.
Below you go with the steps to going withgetHTTPS Everywhere add-on:
- Head over to the Chrome Web Store.
- Search for “HTTPS Everywhere.” Then click on the button “Add to Chrome” available there.
That is it; the extension should on added to your browser in a few seconds (depending get your cyberspace rate).
4. Use Tor
“Is there a way to encrypt internet traffic without VPN?” If that’s what you’re wondering, then the Tor browser is one effective resource you would want to consider.
The Tor browser encrypts your internet traffic through three diverse, decentralized nodesIn fact, Notably, the Tor network boasts an individual supervising every node and eradicating the encryption layer to prevent others from snooping on your private information. .
Having interrelated volunteers means the possibility of anyone accessing your personal information is almost zero when using the Tor browser.
There is one setback of using Tor, as it turns out though. Despite all highlighted pleasing features, the Tor encryption processthehampers your internet speed. In addition to this, the Tor browser emphasizes anonymity; confidentiality is not its primary focus.
5. Make use ofmessaging end-to-end encrypted in modern times apps
Text messages can leak your private information if companies handling them do not use any encryption technique to safe them.
For example, Facebook Messenger has already stated that encrypting messages.by default can as a matter of fact take years
Social media or messaging giants like Apple, Skype, and Facebook are all under the respective surveillance program – going by Actually, Besides, recall that the messages can also collect millions of text NSA.PRISM.
Although, as a Facebookyouvisitor, can employ end-to-end encryption for Facebook Messenger by enablingits Secret Conversation feature.
However, it won’t encrypt Facebook group messages, recording calls, GIFs, or voice calling capabilities. Moreover, the threatpersistsof NSA surveillance .
Therefore, consider using an alternative messaging application with advanced encryption capabilities. Actually, Below you go with a couple:
, Facebook ownsYesWhatsAppIt’worth s noting that asap. But it seems the app is still among the safest options to utilize for messaging.
This popular application allows sharing images, texts, recording files, and videos conveniently with end-to-end encryption deployed by default.
Not even WhatsApp is capable of going through such facts. WhatsApp security guarantees that only the consumer and the other party in communication can see the messages exchanged through the medium.
- Viber
With the latest version, Viber brought into effect encryption for safeguarding the messages and sensitive information of users.
Viber – going by the name Rakuten Viber, offers grade messaging and calling services – all of which remain secure with the aid of end-to-end encryption.
In fact, Apart from WhatsApp and Viber, below are three more encrypted messaging appsAs you may know, worth tryingWindowsall work on iOS, Android, macOS, Linux, and ():
6. Encrypt your emails
Emails have become an integral part of our daily life. It’s Today noting that worth, you need an email to set up almost everything, including bank details, social security numbers, and workspace passwords.
Keep in mind; hackers are always on the look-up to infiltrate your secrecy and steal your private data.
And, your email is the key to your digital private data. So, it isthatno brainer encrypting your emails will assistachieve your encrypted-internet aim better.
Actually, 7. Utilize DNS over HTTPS
DNS stands for the Domain Name System.Its primary role is to translate IP addresses into respective website names & vice versa. ( as it turns out It’s more like phone bookafor sites that match names with numbers.)
Whenever you connect to the website with its dedicated name, the respective browser will send over a specific DNS query to ISP’s DNS server to retrieve the website’s IP address.
However, there is one issue with this: DNS queries do not undergo encryption in most cases. This start the connection towoulda host of potential risks, including DNS filtering, ISP spying attacks the browsing activities, and MITM on.
This is the main problem that needs to be fixed, and DNS over HTTPSexactlydoes that. The given concept uses HTTPS’ mechanism for encrypting the queries while making the entire internet connection highly private.
It is still relatively recent. Indeed, But given how it opens the door for faster and more private web, we see it hit the big time soon. Chrome Google started rolling the improve in September 2019 more than ever . Firefoxuses it by default already, though.
Interestingly, If you wish to use encrypted DNS that’s independent of your web browser, you can try https://1.1.1.1/dns/Actually, . There your could uncover effortless instructions to configure you device to use the encrypted DNS of Cloudflare (the very same that Firefox uses).
