What VPNs Protect Against: The Security Strengths
Understanding VPN safety requires examining both what VPNs effectively protect against and what threats they cannot address. Let's start with the positive - the genuine security benefits that quality VPN services provide to Australian users. These protections are substantial and address some of the most significant privacy and security threats facing everyday internet users.
✓ VPNs DO Protect Against
Your internet service provider cannot see which websites you visit or what data you transmit when using a VPN.
VPNs prevent your ISP from collecting the metadata required under Australian data retention laws.
Encryption prevents other users on public networks from capturing your sensitive data.
Websites see the VPN server's IP address rather than your real location and identity.
Encryption prevents ISPs from identifying and slowing specific types of traffic.
Access content and services blocked based on your Australian IP address.
✗ VPNs Do NOT Protect Against
VPNs don't scan for or block malicious software from infected websites or downloads.
Social engineering and fake websites can still trick you regardless of VPN usage.
Websites track you through browser cookies that aren't affected by VPN connections.
Logging into Facebook or Google identifies you regardless of your IP address.
Advanced tracking techniques identify you through browser and device characteristics.
VPNs don't protect accounts with weak or reused passwords from compromise.
This distinction is crucial for setting appropriate expectations about VPN security. VPNs excel at protecting your internet connection and preventing network-level surveillance and interception. They create an encrypted tunnel that shields your traffic from observation by ISPs, network administrators, and potential attackers on shared networks. For Australians concerned about mandatory data retention or those who frequently use public WiFi, these protections are invaluable. However, VPNs operate at the network layer and cannot protect against threats that operate at other levels - application vulnerabilities, social engineering, malicious software, or tracking technologies embedded in websites. Understanding how VPN encryption functions helps clarify why these limitations exist.
The Trust Question: Are VPN Providers Themselves Safe?
One of the most important security considerations is often overlooked: when you use a VPN, you're shifting trust from your ISP to your VPN provider. Your ISP can no longer see your internet traffic, but your VPN provider potentially can. This makes choosing a trustworthy VPN provider absolutely critical to your security. Not all VPN services are equally safe, and some may actually compromise your privacy rather than protect it.
| VPN Provider Characteristic | Security Impact | What to Verify |
|---|---|---|
| Jurisdiction | Critical | Choose providers based outside Five Eyes countries; check data retention laws in their jurisdiction |
| No-Logs Policy | Essential | Look for independently audited no-logs claims from reputable firms like PwC or Deloitte |
| Encryption Standards | Critical | Verify AES-256 encryption and secure protocols like WireGuard or OpenVPN |
| Ownership Transparency | Important | Research who owns the company and whether they have concerning privacy histories |
| Security Audits | Important | Check for third-party security audits and how recently they were conducted |
| Warrant Canaries | Helpful | Some providers publish transparency reports indicating if they've received government requests |
Common VPN Security Risks and Vulnerabilities
Even quality VPN services face potential security risks that users should understand. These vulnerabilities don't necessarily make VPNs unsafe, but awareness helps you take appropriate precautions and understand the realistic security posture VPNs provide.
DNS Leaks
When your DNS queries bypass the VPN tunnel and go directly to your ISP, they can see which websites you're accessing despite the VPN connection. This is one of the most common VPN security failures.
Mitigation: Use VPN services with built-in DNS leak protection and test your connection regularly using leak testing tools.
Connection Drops
If your VPN connection unexpectedly drops, your device may revert to your normal internet connection, exposing your real IP address and activities to your ISP.
Mitigation: Enable the kill switch feature to block all internet traffic if the VPN connection fails.
IPv6 Leaks
Some VPNs only protect IPv4 traffic, allowing IPv6 connections to bypass the VPN tunnel and expose your activities and location.
Mitigation: Choose VPNs with IPv6 leak protection or disable IPv6 on your devices when using VPN.
WebRTC Leaks
WebRTC technology in browsers can reveal your real IP address even when connected to a VPN, particularly during video calls or peer-to-peer connections.
Mitigation: Use browser extensions that disable WebRTC or choose VPNs with WebRTC leak protection built in.
Outdated Software
Running outdated VPN client software may contain security vulnerabilities that have been patched in newer versions.
Mitigation: Keep your VPN software updated and enable automatic updates when available.
Weak Protocols
Older VPN protocols like PPTP have known security vulnerabilities that can be exploited to decrypt your traffic.
Mitigation: Use modern protocols like WireGuard or OpenVPN; avoid PPTP and L2TP when possible.
VPNs and Malware: What You Need to Know
A common misconception is that VPNs protect against malware and viruses. This is not accurate. VPNs encrypt your connection and hide your IP address, but they don't scan the data travelling through that connection for malicious content. If you download a file infected with malware whilst connected to a VPN, you're just as vulnerable as without the VPN. The encrypted tunnel doesn't prevent malware from reaching your device - it simply means your ISP can't see that you downloaded it.
Some VPN providers have begun including additional security features like ad blockers and malware blocking, but these are separate features from the core VPN functionality. They work by maintaining lists of known malicious domains and blocking connections to those addresses. Whilst helpful, these features shouldn't replace dedicated antivirus software, cautious browsing habits, and regular software updates. For comprehensive security, Australians should combine VPN protection with quality antivirus software, browser security extensions, and educated awareness of phishing and social engineering tactics.
The Anonymity Myth: What VPNs Can't Do
Perhaps the most dangerous misconception about VPN safety is the belief that VPNs make you anonymous online. They do not. VPNs provide privacy and security, but anonymity is a much higher bar that requires far more comprehensive measures. Understanding this distinction is crucial for setting realistic expectations and avoiding false confidence in your security posture.
Why VPNs Don't Provide Anonymity
When you visit a website whilst logged into your account (Facebook, Google, Amazon, etc.), the website knows exactly who you are regardless of your IP address. Your VPN hides your location from the website, but your account login explicitly identifies you. Websites use cookies, browser fingerprinting, and tracking pixels to follow you across the internet. These techniques identify you based on your browser configuration, installed fonts, screen resolution, and dozens of other characteristics that remain constant regardless of your VPN usage.
Payment methods also identify you. If you purchase something online using your credit card whilst connected to a VPN, the merchant knows exactly who you are from your payment information. Email addresses, phone numbers, and shipping addresses all identify you personally. VPNs hide your IP address, but they don't conceal the countless other ways you reveal your identity during normal internet usage.
True anonymity requires combining VPN usage with the Tor network, anonymous payment methods like Monero cryptocurrency, careful operational security to avoid behaviour patterns that might identify you, anonymous email and communication services, and meticulous attention to not revealing identifying information. For most Australians, this level of anonymity is unnecessary and impractical. What VPNs provide - privacy of your internet connection from ISP monitoring and protection on public networks - is sufficient for typical security needs. Our article on practical VPN usage discusses realistic security goals for everyday users.
Ensuring Your VPN Connection is Actually Safe
Having a VPN installed doesn't automatically mean you're protected. Configuration errors, DNS leaks, and connection failures can undermine VPN security without obvious symptoms. Testing and verification are essential components of VPN safety.
Essential Security Verification Steps
Visit dnsleaktest.com or ipleak.net whilst connected to your VPN and verify that DNS queries are being handled by your VPN provider, not your ISP.
Check whatismyipaddress.com to confirm websites see your VPN server's IP address rather than your real Australian IP address.
Deliberately disconnect your VPN whilst browsing and verify that internet access is blocked until the VPN reconnects.
Visit browserleaks.com/webrtc whilst connected to verify that WebRTC isn't exposing your real IP address.
Test at test-ipv6.com to ensure IPv6 connections are either protected by the VPN or disabled entirely.
Check your VPN application's connection details to verify strong encryption (AES-256) and secure protocols are in use.
VPN configurations can change after software updates or network changes. Test your connection monthly to ensure ongoing protection.
The Bottom Line: Are VPNs Safe?
After years of analysing VPN security and consulting with Australians about privacy protection, my assessment is nuanced but ultimately positive. Quality VPNs from reputable providers with verified no-logs policies, strong encryption, and proper security implementations are indeed safe and provide substantial security benefits. They effectively protect your internet connection from ISP monitoring (addressing Australia's data retention concerns), secure your data on public WiFi networks, and hide your IP address from websites. These protections are genuine and valuable.
However, VPN safety comes with important caveats. Not all VPN providers are trustworthy - free VPNs and services from questionable jurisdictions may compromise rather than protect your privacy. VPNs don't protect against all threats - they won't stop malware, prevent phishing, or make you anonymous. VPN effectiveness depends on proper configuration and regular testing to ensure features like kill switches and leak protection are working correctly. For a thorough examination of whether these security benefits justify the investment, see our analysis of VPN value for Australian users.
My recommendation for Australians is straightforward: yes, use a VPN from a reputable provider as one component of your security strategy. Combine VPN protection with strong passwords managed by a password manager, two-factor authentication on important accounts, regular software updates, quality antivirus software, and educated caution about phishing and social engineering. This layered approach provides robust security far superior to relying on any single tool, VPN or otherwise. VPNs are safe and valuable when used appropriately as part of comprehensive security practices, but they're not magic shields that provide total protection on their own.