What does a VPN primarily provide?

A VPN, or Virtual Private Network, primarily provides a secure connection over insecure networks. It achieves this by creating an encrypted tunnel between the user's device and the VPN server, which protects the data being transmitted from eavesdropping and interception. This is particularly important when using public Wi-Fi networks, where the risk of data theft is higher.

By encrypting the data, a VPN ensures that even if the data is intercepted, it remains unreadable to unauthorized parties. This enhances privacy and security, making it a crucial tool for individuals and organizations concerned about their data integrity and confidentiality while connected to the internet.

While improving security is the core function of a VPN, it does not inherently provide a faster internet connection; in fact, the additional encryption can sometimes slow down the connection. Similarly, while it can assist in accessing restricted websites by masking the user's IP address, this feature is secondary to its primary role of ensuring a secure connection. Lastly, a VPN does not function as a platform for cloud storage; instead, it is a service that facilitates secure access to the internet and private networks.