Until ten years ago, VPNs weren’t that popular and many people around the world didn’t even know what they were. With the tremendous popularity of smartphones, however, and other handheld devices, VPNs have now almost become a household product.
Today, everyone knows what a VPN is, what it does and how it is useful to them online. Apart from encrypting your data, a VPN also bypasses geo -restrictions and overcomes ISP throttling. But with the ever-changing landscape of cybersecurity, what role will VPNs play in the future?
Increase in VPN Users The VPN industry has already boomed in the last decade as people have become more aware of their online privacy. However, owing to some recent developments, we may see a considerable increase in number of global VPN subscribers in the years to come.
A major reason for this trend is the recent data retention and internet privacy laws introduced by governments around the world that allow ISPs and government surveillance agencies to track, log and share personal data of internet users without their consent.
Innovations in mVPN Protocols
Smartphones are the popular choice for internet users today. This may explain why a majority of VPN providers have dedicated applications for leading platforms like Android, Windows, iOS and Blackberry.
Currently, mobile-based VPNs use encryption protocols like IKEv2, IPsec, SSL and MobileIP.
With time, however, we are sure to see them developing more sophisticated solutions like quantum encryption to help their customers counter brute-force decryption techniques commonly used by snoopers, hackers and covert agencies.
Cloud-centric VPNs
With an alarming increase in cyberthreats over the years, Cloud technology has also become a popular source for businesses to protect their sensitive data. So it could be a matter of time before we see cloud-centric VPN services that give their clients’ data 360-degree protection against online threats.
It may seem a bit far-fetched but some of the most popular VPN brands have actually started offering their clients Cloud Storage as a part of their VPN plans. So cloud-centric VPN service could be a reality sooner than we expect.
VPN adblockers
Digital marketing has seen our screens being invaded with annoying pop up ads. These ads are targeted specifically to customers based on their internet usage and search history which is logged and sold by ISPs to other marketing companies.
With a VPN, you can currently prevent ISPs from logging your data. However, with the passage of time, you may even see VPNs integrate features such as ad-blockers that promise you a more private experience.
Over the years, the VPN industry has grown in leaps and bounds. The future of VPNs looks bright and holds much promise, especially since the introduction of stricter data retention and internet privacy laws. Hence, we may soon see newer more user-friendly innovations in some of the world’s leading VPN brands.
- Muhammad Humair is a Cyber Security Adviser for Ivacy VPN.
