Best Mobile VPN: Cybersecurity on the Go

When it comes to cybersecurity, it is not important which device is your daily driver, just that the device is secure. An increasing number of people are using their smartphones for things other than communication. From things like banking, as well as productivity, we need to find the best mobile VPN that will protect these devices.

Most of the basis between general cybersecurity and the one on mobile phones and tablets are the same. But, there are a couple of differences that we need to look after. Unlike your desktop, you will carry your smartphone outside every day, and can easily forget the device somewhere altogether.

Also, as smartphones and tablets are not as easy to tamper with from the user’s side, you will need a good VPN app that will deal with most of the issues. Anything from the connection selection to a kill-switch needs to be incorporated into the app. Otherwise, it would be next to impossible to change all of these settings in the phone without compromising the device.

Thankfully, premium VPN providers like Le VPN have both good apps and good services to compliment your mobile cybersecurity. This way, you will be able to have the same online security on your phone as you have on your laptop or desktop.

Just, take care, some risks concerning mobile devices can’t be solved by software, and you will still need to stay vigilant and disciplined.

Is Mobile VPN Different?

Well, yes, but actually no.

The basics when it comes to mobile VPN systems is the same as before, but there are a few glaring differences. While stationary devices keep a single connection to the ISP that needs to be masked, a mobile VPN needs to switch between multiple data towers and Wi-Fi networks.

Also, there is a distinct possibility of leaving your Bluetooth or NFC connection after you have finished with them. This can also become a security issue that can even compromise some VPN apps from your side.

Unlike your VPN connection, the VPN app on your smartphone needs to be much more adaptable. This is why the best mobile VPN systems need to have professionally designed apps that have passed numerous tests.

Risks for Mobile Devices

Risks for mobile devices can be separated into two categories. The goal is the same when building your cybersecurity for both is the same. But, the tools you need to use, as well as the tactics, will be different.

The first are the offline risks for the device itself. Smartphones are small and portable, meaning that they can be stolen, hacked, or the information swiped in passing. You will need to protect the device and the data on that device simultaneously.

The second are the risks you can find online. Aside from the regular snooping and collecting data, smartphones suffer from apps collecting data that they don’t need and spreading them around. You will need access to VPN online wherever you go, regardless of the connection type.

These are similar to the risks you can find on your desktop, but as you have worse oversight on your phone, you will need to prevent these leaks, rather than to treat them.

Thankfully, with a bit of care and a few good apps, you will be able to prevent any leaks of your private data and to use your phone freely on all occasions. The best mobile VPN should protect your identity and your device, and a few modifications in behavior concerning cybersecurity and cyber hygiene will deal with the rest.

Offline Risks

You think that you are safe because you don’t have any cash on you, and all of your money is digital? You can’t be further from the truth.

The more things change, the more they stay the same. Just how pickpockets replaced highwaymen when money became paper, digital pickpockets replaced the “analog” ones. And the worst thing is that it might be days, or even weeks before you ever realize that someone has robbed you.

Finally, unlike your quite stationary office desktop, or a robust laptop, a phone can be stolen as a whole. Ironically, losing the whole device is less risky than being swiped, as you will be able to act immediately. But if you haven’t remembered to set up your flashing software and haven’t kept with your security, this will cost you much more than a new phone.

Theft

Theft of the device is maybe the most stressful thing that can happen to you but is far from the most dangerous. There are a couple of things you need to take care of in advance. But, if your device is secured from the inside, there will be no threat to your data.

Acting quickly is the key when it comes to device theft. But, as most of us hold our phones at least a couple of times every hour, we will notice very soon if the phone was silently taken from our pocket or purse.

First of all, bulk private data should be taken off your phone and placed on an external drive as often as possible. Once a week should do the trick. This includes all of the photos, videos, as well as documents that you might have. Don’t rely on iCloud or other cloud-based services to protect your data.

Then, secure the phone itself with a biometric unlock. The best one is the sonic fingerprint reader, followed by a face-unlock, and lastly the regular fingerprint. This will ensure that you have at least an hour before the thief can attempt to break into your device. By that time, you will be able to geo-locate your device, call the police, and delete all the data remotely.

NFC Swiping

Digital pickpocketing is quite dangerous, as you can be 100% clueless that anything has happened. You will usually see these data thieves in shopping malls or places where a lot of people will use their NFC payment options.

A person with a pre-set data decoder will approach you, simply approach your device with theirs and BAM! They have your data. This can be done even through a wallet or fabric.

Thankfully, it is rather simple to protect your data from this attack by using wallets made from materials that are impenetrable by NFC. This can be a casing for your phone as well, making it necessary to open the casing to pay.

Proximity Hacking

Proximity hacking is not as popular now as it was a few years ago. Mostly because the native cybersecurity in our phones and tablets became a bit too strong from most hackers. Still, it should not be dismissed as a non-issue.

The best mobile VPN apps will be crucial for your defense, as it will encrypt all of the data someone would attempt to intercept. Additionally, having a good anti-virus and keeping your device OS up to date will be as important.

Thankfully, premium VPN providers like Le VPN have apps that are easy to install. These don’t use a lot of resources and work perfectly with the best anti-virus and anti-spyware software.

Online Risks

Online risks are far greater than the ones we can experience IRL. If nothing, the rule of large numbers dictates that there are a lot more bad people online than you will ever meet face to face.

Thankfully, there are also a lot more tools to help us fight these risks and prevent anyone from doing us any harm. Additionally, it is next to impossible for someone to find you online if you are using a virtual private network. Even the best mobile VPN service has become quite affordable for anyone, and you can now install them on your phone or tablet with ease.

Regardless if you need a VPN for iPhone, Android, or even Windows for Mobile, you will be protected and concealed by this app.

Data Harvests

Data harvests became the scourge of the internet in the last few years. They are small, virus-like bots that attach to browsers, apps, and websites, and then spend enormous amounts of data to wherever programmed them. These bots don’t copy or analyze anything; they just send all the information they can access.

These bots can infect both individual devices and multi-billion dollar companies, creating all sorts of problems for anyone involved.

Man in the Middle

Man in the Middle, or MITM, attacks can be placed somewhere in between offline and online attacks, but still, need an internet connection. They are cyberattacks that coopt the Wi-Fi networks that you want to connect to and copy all the data you send and receive online.

As they use public Wi-Fi connections, they are hard to notice and even harder to predict. They will usually show themselves as “Free Wi-Fi” or as belonging to a café or restaurant. Only when using VPN mobile apps with military-grade encryption, you can avoid your data from being seen by these hacks.

With a VPN, even if you connect to such as scam, you will still be protected, and your data will be safe.

Trojans & Viruses

Although these two threats sound like something we had to deal with a decade ago, trojans and viruses haven’t gone anywhere. They just mutated in a new sinister form where they wait for you to download them and then slowly spy on everything you are doing.

Basically, each app you download and install has a chance of having some spyware capabilities. Some apps even publicize this openly, expecting that you will not read the terms and conditions. This is why we see weather apps and calculators that ask permission to see your contacts and have access to your settings.

Once you have a virus embedded in your device, cleaning it out would require nothing less than fully clearing everything you have in your phone.

Spying & Snooping

There is little difference between what is VPN on iPhone or Android phone, as they both need to protect you primarily from spying and snooping.

And the number of entities on the network that are engaged in this behavior is impossible to count. From governments interested in surveillance to companies wanting your info in the app store to people engaged in identity theft and planning a ransomware attack; all sorts of issue pop out.

Thankfully, premium VPN providers like Le VPN have both an iPhone app or an Android app. These will connect to a VPN server and encrypt everything you send, making all of these attacks obsolete.

‘’Metadata’’ Collection

A couple of years ago, the American NSA said how they were not spying on their citizens, but just collecting ”metadata”. It came out how this data included IP addresses, physical locations, phone numbers, and a lot more information that is considered to be private.

The biggest problem is that this sort of government surveillance is completely legal.

While it is not common for the institution to misuse this data in some FEMA-camps type scenario, it is quite possible to have security breaches where the files would leak. And a disgruntled government employee can simply sell the info off to the highest bidder.

How to Select the Best Mobile VPN?

While it is obvious that not all virtual private networks are the same when it comes to mobile VPN, they could be seen as different species.

On the low end, there is the free VPN option, which is insufficient at best and malicious at worst. Even in the best-case scenario where the service provider is an enthusiast who believes in the free internet, there will be security breaches. The server will fall, the android app will stop functioning, and your browsing history will become exposed.

But, even when it comes to premium VPN providers, some are good only to connect one device with a stationary IP and those that can be considered best mobile VPN options.

To find the latter, there are a few things to look for.

Availability on Different Platforms

VPN technology is a tricky thing, and not all developers can make a stable app that will ensure our privacy and security and still be easy to use.

The best mobile VPN must be available on all of the platforms you own. This includes your standard Windows and Mac OS systems, as well as all types of mobile platforms.

Additionally, mobile apps should be easy to use and have a simple user interface. While most users will figure out anything in time, there shouldn’t be a learning curve for a security tool.

Quality of the App

While the beauty of the app and its UI is important, it is not as essential as the quality of the app itself. The ease with which you can select servers, the options to connect or disconnect quickly, as well as quick adjustments behind the scenes are necessary.

A high-quality app must be able to adapt to different circumstances. It should calculate for different connections, as well as different attacks if it wants to be viable for mobile devices in urban settings.

Connectivity & Choice

Variety is the spice of life, and you want your mobile VPN to be as spicy as possible.

Having a wide selection of servers means that you will be able to reach different types of content from all over the world. Additionally, it means that you can instantly transfer to another server if there are any issues with your current one.

For instance, Le VPN has servers in more than 100+ locations, and it takes less than five seconds to change between them using the app.

Kill-Switch

It may sound ominous, but a kill-switch is the most important feature on a mobile VPN.

If you are a normal human, you will seldom (if ever) check on the type of your connection once it has been established. Unless you lose your internet for some reason, you will not check it out.

The best mobile VPN app should disconnect you from the internet if you are not using a VPN. If the app failed, the connection is lost, or there is any other issue, the internet should just stop rather than to make you unsecure.

Speed and Connection Quality

Finally, between two good VPN providers, both with exactly the same level of security and quality of the app, you will choose the faster.

Any VPN that can guarantee speeds at least as close to your ISP as possible will be the one that you will finally opt for, provided that their security is on point. This means that you are looking for a provider that has their servers close to where you are.

Servers with a lot of bandwidth combine with physical proximity to get a lower ping. This way, you have an option that can easily be used for mobile gaming, or similar high-resource demands.

Conclusion

Having good cybersecurity is necessary for the current day and age. And, with an increasing amount of our data being stored on our smartphones and tablets, it is crucial to select the best mobile VPN available.

This selection is not very hard once you know where to look. Premium VPN providers like Le VPN offer high speeds, military-grade encryption software, as well as an easy to use app. Finally, it will be up to you and how you surf the internet to pick out the best service, but you always need to put safety and security as your priority.