Why You Need a VPN Service on Your Mac
VPN applications create an encrypted connection between your Mac and a remote server run by a VPN company. All your web traffic is sent through this encrypted connection.
The encryption prevents anyone on the same local network as you – even the person managing the network – from seeing what you are doing online. A VPN also protects your online activity from Internet Service Providers (ISPs). Most of us are already paying a significant amount to our ISPs, but now those same companies are trying to profit from their customers by selling anonymous user data.
There is a strong argument that the widespread adoption of HTTPS protects your data, making VPNs redundant. True, HTTPS prevents eavesdroppers from intercepting your information. VPNs also protect your DNS requests, preventing ISPs from gaining insight into your activities.
VPNs also help protect your privacy in other ways. A VPN will hide your real IP address with the IP address of the VPN server. This is useful because an IP address can be used to track your movements online and approximate your location. Advertisers and anyone else interested in monitoring your online activities will find it much harder to track you while using a VPN.
You can also use a VPN to spoof your location. For example, I live in Atlanta, but if I connect to a VPN server in Canada, it appears to anyone who cares that I’m in Toronto. Journalists and activists have used this feature to bypass restrictions imposed by repressive governments. PCMag does not rate VPNs based on their ability to bypass censorship due to the serious consequences our readers may face if our test results are inaccurate.
Location spoofing with a VPN can also be used for more mundane purposes. You can access streaming content that is available in other countries using a VPN connection. If you live in the US and connect to a VPN server in London, you can watch Netflix content that is only available in the UK. For this reason, Netflix and other streaming services work hard to prevent access through VPNs. However, VPNs and streaming services are locked in a constant struggle, so a VPN that works today may be blocked tomorrow.
What VPNs Cannot Do on Mac
A VPN is primarily meant to protect your privacy, not to guard against malicious sites or malware. Some VPNs monitor known malicious sites, but you should still protect your device with antivirus software. The best antivirus software provides some protection against new attacks that are not yet known and can protect against malware that infiltrates your computer from sources other than dangerous sites.
Some attackers do not even care about malware; they design clever scams aimed at tricking you into voluntarily providing personal information. Once you enter your login information into a counterfeit site that looks like PayPal, someone else instantly has your credentials. Many VPNs offer forms of fraud protection, but malicious sites are not static and disappear quickly just as they appear. Antivirus applications can help block phishing attempts, but it’s also important to pay close attention to web addresses to ensure you are browsing a legitimate site.
After fraud, perhaps the most dangerous attack an average person can face is account takeover. This occurs when a bad actor has guessed or purchased your login information and can take control of your account. This is especially dangerous if it’s your email account. The attacker can use the password recovery feature on other sites to access more of your accounts. VPNs can’t help much here. Instead, use a password manager to create unique and complex passwords for all your online accounts. Finally, enable multi-factor authentication (MFA or 2FA) wherever available. When your account is protected by MFA, an attacker cannot access it even if they know your password.
Finally,
Using a VPN will not make you completely anonymous online. Changing your IP address and spoofing your location is great, but advertisers (as well as spies and law enforcement) have a variety of other ways to track you. We recommend using a tracker blocker like Privacy Badger from EFF and enabling privacy protection available in most modern web browsers. You will need to use the free Tor network to further enhance your anonymity, but this significantly slows down your internet connection more than a VPN.
What features should a VPN service for Mac include?
At its simplest, a good VPN service should allow you to connect five devices simultaneously. It should work on multiple platforms. Your subscription payment for your Mac should provide VPN functionality for your iPhone. If the VPN forces you to jump through hoops to secure all devices in your home and charges you extra fees, that’s not a good value.
When we review VPNs, we like to see services that have excellent and easy-to-use clients. Frankly, many security companies prioritize usability. You could have the most powerful and secure VPN ever, but it won’t matter if the average person hates using it. We test each VPN on several different devices to see if it can be used on every platform.
We take note when a VPN has features that alleviate some of the pain points of using a VPN. For example, automatic split tunneling allows you to designate which apps send traffic through the tunnel and which do not. You may want to protect your browser traffic, but your favorite games might not need that much protection and could suffer from increased latency.
Money should not be a barrier to security, and there are several deserving free VPN services. You can save a significant amount of money by choosing a long-term VPN subscription, but we recommend testing the service on the shortest plan before making that leap.
Stay Safe and Private on Your Mac
While Apple has polished macOS to a shine, it has paid special attention to privacy and security. This is great because advertisers and internet service providers do not care what kind of device you are using online. Using a VPN can help reclaim some privacy.
While considering privacy for your Mac, you should also think about security. If you are not protected yet, you should read our summary of antivirus programs for Mac.
Source: https://me.pcmag.com/en/vpn/19220/the-best-mac-vpns-for-2023
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