Can You Be Tracked When Using VPN?

It’s becoming increasingly challenging to have privacy online. Even though you’re using your personal computer and your online account to access online content, there are eyes that are watching all your moves.

That’s when people turn towards VPN services. VPN services do a great job hiring your digital footprints and ensuring no one is tracking your online movement.

But can you be tracked while using a VPN? That’s a natural question to ask, and we are here for you to answer.

But, before that…

What Is A VPN?

A VPN stands for Virtual Private Network. It gives the user privacy and online anonymity by creating a private network from a public internet connection. When you are using a VPN, it masks your IP address. That means you are practically invisible online. 

What’s more, it secures a connection that’s encrypted and prevents any fraudulent activity. When you are surfing the internet, it lets your connection pass through an encrypted tunnel that encrypts all your movement and hides the following action:

• Links you click.
• Files your download.
• Business activity.
• Government agencies.
• And other shops that might be trying to track your movement.

If you are reading this article without any VPN, chances are you are being tracked by a third party. If you don’t want others to track your online movement, download VPN software from the pirate bay website for free.

Also Read: How to configure a VPN that offers good internet speed on Windows?

What Does A VPN Hide?

When you connect to a VPN server, your IP address changes, and the data traffic on your device is encrypted. This is done by creating a private network between you and your IP address. Now, you are not accessing the interests directly. Instead, you are taking help from the VPN servers.

Changing the IP address means it changes your IP location. As the location changes, your original IP address is replaced with a fake one. Meanwhile, the encryption scrambles all the data making it look like gibberish to those who read it.

While VPN has so many things to offer privacy, it is not 100% secure. There are a few ways (although they might be complicated) you can be tracked even though you are using VPN services.

How Can You Be Tracked When Using A VPN?

• Browser Fingerprints: The browser you are using can reveal quite a lot of information about you. All the online settings you use while surfing the internet are at risk. While this type of data might not reveal your personal information, it can certainly act as a unique identifier.
• Cookies: Tracking cookies are small pieces of code that are downloaded into the system. They store your information for a limited period of time. This is done to give you a better experience when you visit the website next time. The information on these cookies might be used to offer better services. But it can also be misused if wanted.
• Malware Or Spyware: This happens when you accidentally download malicious software to your system. Itan tracks your online behavior and accesses your sensitive data. The worst part is that some malicious content is not harmful and shows no sign of damaging your data. But they stay in your system and stalk all your online activity.
• Data Collecting Website: Most services that we use online, collect our data to offer more personalized services. In fact, we willingly offer our personal data, likes, dislikes, and interests to make things simpler for them. For instance, when you are using a website and some website asks you to give your email in return for accessing their content.

Also Read: VPN to browse servers abroad with Android

Final Thoughts

The answer is that it might be difficult, but not entirely impossible. When you are online, you are visible. You might use software and tools to mask your presence. But, if someone wants to find you and track you, they will eventually use a better software tool than you to do so.

However, one thing is certain: using a VPN keeps your browsing activity safe. Even if someone sees that you are using a VPN to hide your digital footprint, they won’t be able to access your personal data, real location, or other sensitive information. The most they can do is prevent you from entering the website.