What Is a Kill Switch in a VPN and Why Is It Important?

To safely navigate the Internet we can make use of multiple services and applications. We have antivirus, firewall, add-ons for the browser… But we can also protect the network itself thanks to tools such as a VPN. However, they do not always work well and we could also have security problems. In this article we are going to explain what a Kill Switch is for and why we should always configure it to avoid problems.

What is a Kill Switch for in a VPN?

A VPN allows us to encrypt our connection. It is very interesting if we want to hide the real IP address or to connect to a public Wi-Fi network and prevent the information we send from being filtered and compromising our security.

 Kill Switch in a VPN

But sometimes VPNs don’t work properly. There may be outages and this means that, at least for a few moments, we would be surfing the net without protection. If, for example, we are connected to a public Wi-Fi in a shopping center and we use a VPN to protect ourselves so that our information is not exposed but suddenly the program we are using stops, the connection would continue but without protection.

The function of a Kill Switch in a VPN is to simply stop the connection. As soon as there is a problem, whatever it is, and the VPN stops working properly, this feature would prevent us from being connected to the Internet. It basically acts as a safety switch. An automatic button that is activated as soon as the VPN is disconnected.

Mitos en el uso de VPN

Why configure a Kill Switch on the VPN

Many of the top VPNs on the market have a built in Kill Switch feature. We can configure it to protect us in case of need if the service is interrupted. It is something very useful and that we can configure both on desktop computers and mobile devices.

Connect to public networks safely

One of the main reasons to use a VPN tool that has the Kill Switch function is to be able to connect to public Wi-Fi networks with total security. A single second in which this type of program is disconnected would be enough for the connection to be not secure and we can be victims of attackers who are connected to that wireless network.

What this VPN switch would do is automatically stop the connection. If we try to connect but do not have access to the VPN, we will not be able to navigate. We could not access any services that the Internet needs.

Prevent our IP address from being leaked

Of course it also serves to prevent the real IP address of our connection from being leaked. Ultimately, it is the main function of a VPN. It allows us to navigate without showing the IP, modify the location where we are.

But in case there is a problem with that VPN, the real address would be exposed. All the pages that we visit and the services that we open would know what our IP address is.

Keep identity hidden

In addition, it is essential to keep our identity hidden . In case of surfing without protection through an insecure network, our personal data could easily be filtered. For example, if we log into a page, send messages from unencrypted applications, etc.

Once again, a VPN Kill Switch is the best solution to reduce the risk of having some kind of problem of this type.

Download torrents safely

If we download torrents without hiding our connection, all those downloads could be exposed. A third party, with the necessary information, could know what we download. A VPN allows you to hide this and prevent it from leaking. Therefore, a VPN Kill Switch could help us avoid torrent-related problems.

In short, these are some of the main reasons why we should always use a Kill Switch when using a VPN. One more way to maintain our security in the network and not to commit problems that damage our privacy. Today there are many VPNs that have this feature, so when choosing one we must take this point into account.

How to choose the best VPN

We have seen what the purpose of setting up a Kill Switch on the VPN is for . It is something very important to improve security. Now we are going to see what are the main points to consider when choosing the VPN. We are going to explain what we can take into account when using this type of tool that is increasingly widespread.

Avoid free VPNs

Something important to use the VPN with total security is to avoid the ones that are free. Ultimately they can be used to obtain personal information and profit in return. This can be a major problem and we must avoid it. The ideal is to use a safe, reliable service that has all the guarantees.

Using a VPN with many servers

It is also important to choose a VPN that has many servers . This will avoid speed and connectivity problems. The more you have, the better. In addition, so we can choose which one to use in case we need to connect to a specific country. We can have a range of options at our disposal and this is something very useful.

Choose an updated program

Of course, you have to choose a tool that is up-to- date , that is currently used by many users and that, in short, has a good service behind it. This way we will avoid not only security problems, but also performance problems that could affect our systems, the way we connect to the network.

Therefore, another important tip is to choose a good VPN that offers guarantees to users. It is essential that it is current, that it has everything necessary for it to function properly.

These are, in short, some of the points that we must take into account to choose a good VPN. In addition, the fact of having a Kill Switch is also very important to avoid problems that affect security.