‘Very Private Ant’ Congratulates Humans for Inventing VPN – Cybersecurity Awareness Month

October is #CybersecurityAwarenessMonth and this year we’ve got another fun campaign featuring nifty little creatures that know a thing or two about privacy and security. We’ll kick off with Very Private Ant, a big fan of virtual private networks (VPN).

Humans have always drawn inspiration from the natural world as we seek to expand our horizons. We studied birds to understand wing design and create sleek aircraft that can glide from one corner of the world to another. We looked at sea creatures to develop ships that can traverse the oceans. Could we look to nature to also improve our Internet experience? Turns out, we can.

Ants use tunnels to stay safe from natural hazards. And while they have a tight-knit society, they also like to stay private. Very Private Ant is here to dispense some advice:

The Virtual Private Network is a fascinating invention! VPNs provide a network of tunnels that keep you safe online, away from prying eyes and harm. No one can see who you are, where you’re going, or what you’re doing. It’s nice to see humans draw inspiration from ant society to optimize and secure their Internet experience. I bow my antennae to you!

Very Private Ant is right. Threat actors can spy on your communications if you don’t take steps to protect your privacy, even if you’re browsing incognito. And it’s especially important to use VPN when you connect to a public Wi-Fi network.

Bitdefender research shows that internet users have accounts with an average of eight online platforms, varying from social media and online shopping platforms to video streamers, utility providers and more. Threat actors are bent on capturing this data and using it against us.

While most websites use HTTPS, the secure version of Hypertext Transfer Protocol, many still don’t, leaving you vulnerable to snoops and hacks. A VPN gives you the upper hand by encrypting all traffic relayed by your device.

Bitdefender VPN not only protects your privacy and security, it also includes an anti-tracker and an ad-blocker. And you can use it to tunnel your way to geo-restricted content like TV shows and games. That’s a decent set of perks!

Until next time, stay safe!