Maintaining your online security is no simple task and using a VPN app is probably the easiest solution available. What that means is that you reroute your internet to get all your information through a private server. However, being reliant on another server means your internet is only as good as the server sharing your data requests to you. And it is no surprise at all that connection failures occur in most VPN services. To mitigate potential privacy problems, almost all VPN services provide a “kill switch” option in their settings. This switch is there to drop your connection immediately if your connection to the server breaks. But why is it there in the first place and why is it necessary? Read on to find out more.
Why Do VPN App Connections Drop?
Before talking about kill switches, let us see why VPN connections drop. You may be thinking that you could simply get a good VPN connection and avoid the problem altogether. However, even if you get a good service like VPN Shazam’s Turbo Dynamic VPN, your connection could still drop. This is because it has nothing to do with the server or the service itself. A lot of external factors come into play including bad weather and faults in international telecom lines laid out in the sea.
How a VPN Kill Switch Works
You already know what a kill switch is but how does it do its job? In simple words, it stops the browser from processing any requests that you may make while the connection to the server drops. Every VPN app operates by creating a barrier between you and the internet. This barrier hides your identity and IP information from services trying to access it. If your connection to the VPN server drops, you end up using your browser directly. This leaves you at risk of revealing your identity to the open internet sites and services. The kill switch automatically disconnects your internet for you so that you cannot send any direct commands to the browser.
Do You Need a Kill Switch?
Well honestly, it depends. If you are using the VPN app just to access geo-blocked content like some YouTube videos, then probably no. You are not doing anything sensitive in this case and having your identity revealed to some extent may not cause any damage whatsoever. However, if you are doing something sensitive, it is probably mandatory. If you do not want anyone to know what you are doing and want to ensure your privacy is retained, you should use a kill switch. The applications of using kill switches can be both personal and professional. A lot of people are trying to access content that their government may have blocked. Having your identity and usage revealed even to your ISP could be a problem for you. Similarly, businesses often need to share sensitive information on the internet and to ensure privacy, they need a kill switch. If their VPN connection breaks, they can stop the sharing process dead in its tracks. So, if you are doing something sensitive and want to retain your online security at all times, using a kill switch is highly recommended for you.
