[zeestephen]

Re: "NYT secure line"

I do not understand how Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) are secure.

My understanding of computers and software is very basic.

My first impression is that EVERY website and every computer in the world can be hacked!

[Dr. Sivana]

I do not understand how Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) are secure.

I would not say secure. I would say "more secure", or maybe "less insecure".

A VPN is another computer. Your connection to that computer is encrypted (the communication back and forth and disguised). The VPN makes the connection to the final destination.

So, let's say you are logging in to Free Republic by a VPN. The Internet Service Provider (ISP), sees you log into the VPN. Once logged in, it sees activity between you and the VPN, but it doesn't know what the VPN is connected to, which in this case is FR. The info between the VPN and the user is scrambled, but the destination is also disguised by the go-beween (the VPN).

VPNs are also good at making you look like you are somewhere else, which is sometimes good for accessing things not available in your "real" location (e.g. baseball games, certain YouTube videos, etc.) The folks on the other end can likely figure out that you are using a VPN, and may choose to block you, but they won't know who you are.