Does a VPN replace the need for an Antivirus Program?

VPN’s are all about securing your Internet connection through high-level encryption. Some people make the mistake of thinking that using a VPN can eliminate their need for an antivirus program. While a VPN does not function as antivirus software and cannot remove infections from your device, it can greatly reduce the chances that your computer will be affected by malware or computer viruses.

VPN + Antivirus=Superior Protection on the Internet

In order to establish top-notch security on your Internet devices, using a two-pronged approach is highly advised. A VPN and antivirus protection are two different things, but they can complement one another in making your device iron-clad and impervious to attacks.

The first step of a good security plan is to buy a VPN for Internet browsing. This will give you one of the most important tools in your security toolkit—encryption. Encryption cloaks the data transfer between your device and the Internet by using strings of random characters which are impossible to decipher. At VPNaccounts.com, we use the latest encryption technology and are constantly improving our technology to offer greater levels of protection.

Encryption alone will not prevent your device from becoming infected. Malware and spyware can be placed on your computer by many different websites, and the end result is that these harmful programs and scripts can really slow down your browsing. Because they run in the background, malware programs are hard to detect. That is why you need to implement frequent antivirus scanning of your machine to identify and remove harmful programs. This is prong two of your approach.

Using either of these technologies—VPN or antivirus protection—alone is not as effective as combining the two of them for superior protection. Think of them both as different layers of the same overall process. The more layers you have in place, the harder it becomes for someone to peel those layers back and infect your machine.

Intelligent VPN browsing

By making a few small changes to your browsing habits, you can increase the security of your device and the power of your VPN. Here are a few suggestions:

1. Always connect with your VPN. This is just common sense. Using a VPN won’t do you much good unless you get in the habit of connecting to it every time you surf the Web. Make connecting to your VPN a part of your regular routine. You can also configure your device to automatically disconnect from the Internet in case your VPN connection is dropped without warning. This rarely happens with our VPN servers, but it is still a good idea to adjust your device settings in this regard. Remember, there is nothing you cannot do with your VPN connected that you can without it, so always keep it on.
2. Disable JavaScript. This is an easy thing to do, but many people don’t do it. Simply go into your browser settings and change them to disable JavaScript. Why? JavaScript is responsible for the transmission of numerous malware programs. Whenever you visit a site you trust you can always enable JavaScript for that site only.
3. Reject Cookies. Cookies are bits of technology that were originally developed for a noble purpose. They enable faster load times when you visit a page that you have visited in the past, and they also can store login data which keeps you logged in to sites like Facebook and Twitter. Unfortunately, cookies can also be used to track your Internet activities and profile your interests. Go to your browser settings and choose to reject them. Once again, your browser will prompt you to accept these cookies from sites you trust so you shouldn’t be worried about blocking them across the board.

Intelligent Antivirus use

To get the most out of your antivirus software, make sure you follow a few simple tips:

1. Update your antivirus regularly. Your antivirus program requires frequent updates in order to provide maximum security. New instances of malware and viruses are discovered almost daily, so check for updates to your antivirus program at least once a week.
2. Develop a regular schedule of scans. Most antivirus programs will allow you to configure a set time for scanning your device. The best time to do this is once a week (minimum), at night while you sleep. This will minimize any disruptions of your browsing activity. Full scans can take several hours, so make sure you allot adequate time for the antivirus program to scan your system
3. Scan all downloaded media and programs. Whenever you download a program or media from the Internet, take a few moments to scan the file with your antivirus software before you open it and install it on your computer.

By combining the use of a VPN and good antivirus software, you can increase the life of your device and not have to worry about compromising your data. We sell many VPN accounts, come get yours!