Online Banking with a VPN – Is It Safe

“… using a VPN for online banking is not only safe but is encouraged. It helps you stay under the radar of hackers. It also gives a secure layer of protection, especially if you need to use an open network for banking purposes.”

One of the most important things the Internet has changed is how users engage with their banking processes. Gone are the days when you had to wait in lines. You can easily open your bank’s app and complete most of the daily processes in just a few minutes.

However, there has been an ongoing debate about whether you should open your online banking application or website when connected to a VPN. Many users have shown serious concern about the importance of the network used while surfing the net for banking purposes.

Some believe that using a VPN while you are on your banking websites can be risky, while others strongly stick to the fact that it is the safest practice you can do. So which one is it?

In this post, we are going to answer just that. Since most users’ opinions are divided, we’ll try to address both concerns to conclude.

Ensure you stick around until the end, as we also have a solid recommendation for you!

How a VPN Helps Secure Online Banking?

Using a VPN can secure your online banking experience. Some of the benefits of using a VPN and reasons why accessing online banking with a paid VPN can be a good idea are given below.

Benefit #1 – Keeps You Under the Radar

While visiting your banking partner online, numerous prying eyes can wait for you to make a wrong decision. On your network, the chances of getting hacked for personal information are significantly higher than when using a VPN.

This means you go undercover online if you use a virtual private network. Your IP address is spoofed, making you skip the radar of any hacker or attacker waiting for you. Phishing is one of the most common cyber attacks that has cost users thousands and millions.

Using a VPN, you can stay under a spoofed cover, and the one tracking your online activity might not even get a chance to snoop on you.

Benefit #2 – Allows You to Access Banking Freely, Even on Public Networks

One thing that is more crowded than the busiest streets of Manhattan is the Wi-Fi network in a coffee shop. Almost every other person visiting connects to it; since it is open, there’s no security to what you access on it.

Now what would you do if you had an emergency need to transfer funds and had no option but to use a public network that is busy and unsecured? Using an encrypted VPN is the only solution that seems viable.

The idea behind encrypting your network is to create a firewall so there is zero intrusion. You can make the most of any available network using a VPN client with proper encryption. Currently, the 256-bit encryption is the best you can get. So make sure when you look for a VPN, you check for the encryption it offers.

Benefit #3 – Helps You Enhance Banking Security

When you visit your banking website without any filter or VPN client, the website and your network are prone to getting hacked. Your data might go to someone intercepting the network. If you are not a regular online banking user, someone might trick you into getting all your credentials by forwarding a false link.

That’s right, there have been several cases where users were tricked into believing the link they used was from a genuine banking website and lost their credentials. Thanks to a VPN, your data is safe even if you click such links.

All in all, using a VPN for online banking is safe and encouraged. It helps you stay under the radar of hackers. It also gives a secure layer of protection, especially if you need to use an open network for banking purposes.

However, the only condition that applies here is you must use a legit VPN client that actually works. But why?

Why should one only go for a paid VPN to gain the best security? Well, probably because the services on the free side of the spectrum can appear to be problematic. How? Check out the next section!

Problems with Using a VPN for Online Banking

While it all seems to make sense that you must use a VPN for online banking, it is not easy to use a VPN for online banking. Especially If you use a free VPN service, you should avoid connecting to it while carrying out a transaction. Why? Because certain problems may take over and put your personal information at risk. Let’s take a look at some of those errors.

Problem #1 – You Might Become a Victim of Data Logging

When using a free VPN, you first compromise your data history. Keep in mind that whenever you get something for free, it is you at a price for it. There are hundreds of VPN clients that tend to offer free VPN services but are not transparent about their data logging policies.

For those who do not know, data logging is keeping an account of your browsing history and online data while connected to the VPN client. Your VPN provider might sell your logged data to the highest bidder, putting all your personal information, including your banking details, at high risk.

Remember that going for a free VPN service is useless, as they also lack data encryption, which is the fundamental requirement to appear anonymous. If you want to change your location or switch your server, a proxy is better than going for such VPN clients.

Problem #2 – Some Banks Block VPN Connections

Another VPN issue can be from your banking partner’s server. Due to norms, you might face a website block while visiting your bank’s website. There have been incidents where the website’s firewall has detected suspicious activities using a VPN. Hence, websites prefer to know their user’s exact location before allowing them to have transactions.

Unfortunately, this issue also aligns with the type of VPN you use. How? Well, the free servers you get while using a cheap VPN service reflect directly on the website you visit. Since these free servers are used by multiple users, both good and bad, the bank cannot identify if you are visiting the website in good faith, and hence, a free VPN might end up blocking your access.

These problems have only one thing in common, i.e., cheap free VPN. Online banking might not be the smoothest process if you use a free VPN in 2023.

Does that mean using a paid VPN service can create a difference? Well, it certainly can. You see, the entire idea of using a virtual private network is to enhance online security. And when you are using banking services, the first thing you are worried about is your privacy. So there’s a connection between both services.

However, the only condition that applies here is you must use a legit VPN client that actually works.

Which VPN to Use for Online Banking?

Knowing what you can get out of a VPN while using an online banking server, it is clear that you need one. The question that arises here is which one to go for.

To clear things up, you should not opt for a free VPN. But then again, some options take a huge premium. The only balanced VPN client name that pops up in mind is Systweak VPN.

The VPN has the finest selection of high-speed servers and the best army-graded 256-bit encryption. The Systweak VPN also has a kill-switch feature allowing you to disconnect instantly!

Download the Systweak VPN today and enjoy the perks of using online banking securely!

Thanks for reading the post. That’ll be all of this one. Good luck.

Dishank Sharma

A creative tech-writer who loves to explore latest tech-trends & convey them to his readers in the simplest way possible. He loves to blend the crispness of technology with a pinch of creativity while curating best practices for the readers. In his free time, he likes to scribble poetry, listen to rap & travel.