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VPN For Teachers: Privacy, Security, And Internet Freedom
Technology has transformed teaching. Many teachers now rely on online resources to create engaging curriculums, organize their work, and expand their skill sets.
Thanks to global connectivity, teachers can now even deliver lectures to students thousands of miles away! However, the online world poses many security threats. Cyberattacks are prevalent, with hackers tirelessly developing new ways to steal users’ digital data. Taking the necessary steps to stay safe online is essential — especially if you store student data on your devices.
In this article, we’ll cover what a VPN is and why it is essential to your digital security.
What is a VPN?
A VPN (or virtual private network) is a tool that helps boost your online privacy and security. A VPN encrypts your internet connection and hides your virtual location and IP address.
In simpler terms, a VPN creates a secure and private tunnel between your device and the internet. As a result, no one can see what you’re doing online or access your sensitive data.
Using a VPN is completely legal (as long as you’re not doing anything that breaks the law). Governments, businesses, and millions of individuals worldwide use VPNs daily to increase their digital security.
See also 15 Technology Tools To Engage Students
The benefits of using a VPN in teaching
Whether you work on-site or remotely, a VPN offers many benefits to teachers.
Schools, colleges, and universities can easily become a cyberattack target. Educational institutions typically store large volumes of sensitive data. However, due to limited budgets, they tend to have vulnerable computer systems. This combination of factors makes schools an attractive target for phishing, social engineering, and ransomware attacks.
If you’re a remote tutor, using a VPN to secure your work devices is even more important. Malicious actors often target individuals, too. If the wrong people gain access to your device, the consequences could be dire: from losing intellectual property to having your sensitive information leaked and sold to criminals.
Here are the ways using a VPN is beneficial for teachers.
Increased online privacy
Everything you do online is linked to your IP address – the websites you visit, your search queries on Google, and the ads you click on. All this information adds to your digital profile, which can be sold to marketers.
A VPN changes your IP address so that when you browse online, these activities can’t be traced back to you. You can browse the internet with more privacy, making it difficult for government agencies, internet service providers (ISPs), and hackers to track your digital moves.
Improved online security
Because your connection is encrypted, it’s also more secure. All data transmitted between your computer and the VPN server is encrypted, making it unreadable to someone trying to intercept it.
Avoiding censorship
Many countries have heavy internet restrictions. People may struggle to get uncensored news and escape heavy government surveillance.
A good, reliable VPN solves these problems. It hides your IP, virtual location, internet traffic, and the very fact you’re using a VPN. Look for a VPN provider that offers obfuscated servers to access the internet without restrictions.
See also 30 Examples Of Education Technology
Secure access to online resources
As a teacher, you’re always looking for the best resources for your students. A VPN can give you more online freedom and help you securely access online resources (e.g., educational websites, teaching apps, and media platforms).
Teach from anywhere
With a VPN, you can access your most-used websites and platforms from anywhere in the world. If you’re a tutor looking to teach from abroad, a VPN can help you continue working without interruptions.
Secure public Wi-Fi access
Public Wi-Fi typically has poor security measures that may expose your sensitive information. A reputable VPN protects your data with strong, practically unbreakable encryption. All data you send and receive is safe and secure. Even if a criminal somehow managed to intercept your connection on public Wi-Fi, they wouldn’t be able to understand your data. A VPN makes it unreadable to unauthorized parties.
Reduced bandwidth throttling
Bandwidth throttling is when your internet provider deliberately slows down your internet speed. The ISP could do this for several reasons (like managing network congestion).
A VPN can help you avoid throttling based on your traffic type. When you use a VPN, all your ISP sees is that you’re connecting to a remote server. If it doesn’t know whether you’re streaming a course or browsing in an online shop, the ISP can’t slow you down based on your online activity.
Educate students about cybersecurity
Students also need to know about digital safety and the importance of remaining cautious online. Using a VPN and explaining its benefits to students can help create lifelong cybersecurity habits and prevent students from falling victim to cyberattacks.
You may also want to educate your students about password security. Weak passwords can lead to several types of cyberattacks, from brute force to credential stuffing.
Passwords should always be complex, unique, and long to protect your accounts. Here are some password security tips you can share with your students:
- Create passwords of at least 12 characters long.
- Use lower- and uppercase letters and a combination of letters and numbers.
- Include at least one special character.
- Store passwords safely. A reliable password manager stores your passwords in a secure, encrypted place. Password managers can help avoid human errors and make accounts more secure.
About NordVPN
NordVPN is a leading VPN provider created by Nord Security – a global company specializing in cybersecurity solutions. Nord Security also offers:
- NordPass – a highly rated password manager
- NordLocker – a file encryption and storage service
- NordLayer – a business VPN
- NordWL – a toolkit for building VPN products.
NordVPN has 5,500+ global servers in 60 countries, making it easy to change your IP address to most countries with a click.
NordVPN doesn’t track your online activity or share your information with third parties. A triple-audited service, it keeps your online activity confidential.
One NordVPN account protects up to six devices. You can also secure your browsing with Chrome, Firefox, and Edge browser VPN proxy extensions.
NordVPN supports OpenVPN, IKEv2/IPsec, and NordLynx (WireGuard) VPN protocols.
NordVPN’s customer support is available 24/7 by live chat or email. NordVPN also has advanced cybersecurity features like Threat Protection and Meshnet that go beyond a VPN and offer additional security benefits.
What is Threat Protection?
Threat Protection is an advanced cybersecurity feature that:
- Blocks intrusive ads and trackers.
- Prevents you from visiting malicious sites.
- Protects you from malware by scanning the files you download.
What is Meshnet?
Meshnet is NordVPN’s latest feature that lets you access devices remotely via a secure, encrypted connection. With Meshnet, you can access files on remote devices and allow others to securely access your local web server.
About NordPass
NordPass is a highly rated password manager that allows you to store, autosave, and autofill unique, complex passwords to secure your online accounts. Users can also securely store credit card information, notes, and other sensitive information.
The NordPass Premium has a handy Password Health tool for detecting weak, old, and reused passwords. The built-in Data Breach Scanner checks if your passwords, email addresses, or credit card details have been leaked so that you can protect them immediately.
NordPass operates under zero-knowledge architecture, meaning only you know what you keep in your password vault. All your passwords and sensitive information stored in NordPass are protected with XChaCha20 encryption for advanced security.
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