What Is a VPN Kill Switch and Should You Enable It?

A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is essential for anyone who wants more security on the Internet because it addresses the top three online concerns: security, privacy, and anonymity. Along those lines, a VPN kill switch is a feature you want on your Virtual Private Network. It helps ensure your IP address isn’t accidentally and unexpectedly exposed. After all, not all VPNs are created equal. Some VPNs have excellent security features, while others are running off outdated code with minimal security. For instance, what happens if, for some reason, your VPN connection were to get disconnected while you were online? Would your device continue to access the internet, broadcasting your real IP address to anyone who wants it? Or would a kill switch immediately shut off your access to the internet to prevent such security leaks. Here’s why that’s important to think about that: Some VPN companies have established certain safety features that help guarantee your information will remain safe, secure and anonymous. But not all VPNs provide a kill switch. Choose the Right VPN Effortlessly with Our Tool! What does a VPN kill switch do? Well, it protects your device from accidentally broadcasting your IP address publicly. A VPN Kill Switch may also be called an Internet Kill Switch or a Network Lock. Whatever you want to call it, the meaning is the same. And if you want the benefits of a VPN , you really need the benefits of a kill switch, too. Without one, your VPN is only partially effective. A kill switch is a VPN feature that automatically disconnects your computer, phone or tablet) from the Internet if your VPN connection is interrupted.  the VPN connection is restored. With a kill switch, there’s no possibility that your IP address accidentally gets exposed. Also, you’re assured that the security and anonymity of your internet connection won’t be compromised. An Active Kill Switch Protocol is designed to know when you are disconnected from the VPN service, send that information to your device, and prevent it from connecting to unsafe networks. Here’s an example: Let’s say that you’re using a VPN while working on sensitive documents for work, and your VPN connection suddenly fails. An active kill switch instantly cuts off all internet access to your device, preventing any data from being sent over an unsecured connection. You’ll need to manually reconnect to the VPN or disable the kill switch to regain internet access. A Passive Kill Switch Protocol, although it sounds tame, is actually more secure. The VPN application doesn’t wait to receive any information from the VPN server; but, the moment it stops receiving a signal from the server, it automatically prevents that device from sending your traffic. How it works:  Like other VPN users, you may have set up firewall rules to only allow traffic through your VPN’s network interface. If your VPN disconnects while you’re browsing, your system won’t have a valid route to send internet traffic. This prevents VPN data leakage without actively monitoring the connection. Internet access is automatically restored when you reconnect to the VPN. A good VPN provider will have a kill switch as a line of defense to prevent your IP address and other sensitive data from unintentionally being sent from an unsecured connection. Here’s a look at some of the most popular VPNs with kill switches. Option 1: Disconnect your VPN Option 2: Force close the VPN application Option 3: Change network interfaces Option 4: Use online IP/DNS leak tests: Option 5: Check your public IP address Option 6: Monitor your network traffic If your VPN doesn’t have a kill switch, it may be time to switch providers. That’s especially important if you are paying for a VPN provider. That said, in the meantime, you can also “rig” kill switch protection for your VPN by trying out the following tools. Hacking a VPN server is practically impossible, so hackers may try spyware, cookies, and other malicious software and wait (and hope) for a VPN’s connection to drop. Then, they may try to mount an attack on your computer, phone, or network. That’s why a reliable kill switch for your VPN is so important. An effective kill switch built into your VPN software is a strong line of defense, protecting your VPN… and, therefore, protecting you.