What is VPN and why do I need it?

I've been told in incomprehensible terms that I should use VPN when I go on line. Would someone please explain exacrly what that is and why I should use it.

I do a fair amount of financial research and activity online, and also porn.

Would VPN give me better security and privacy without too much hassle?

Thanks!

 

It should be noted, however, that VPN is not the only, or even most prevalent form of encryption available for consumer use on the internet. On the TFP, for example, we force HTTPS encryption, meaning that your traffic to and from our server can't be read by anyone in between. HTTPS is on the rise across the internet, meaning that in more and more cases you have the option of choosing to encrypt traffic (and, indeed, may not have the option to avoid it). Strictly speaking your ISP may be able to figure out who you're talking to by examing your DNS traffic, but depending on how your VPN is configured that may be true either way, and they won't know what you're sending or receiving unless they're engaging in some Very Bad Things. The underlying encryption technology that powers HTTPS can be applied to other types of traffic as well; email, for example, will usually allow you to enable encryption via an option in the configuration settings somewhere on your client.

Commercial VPNs also carry the caveat that you're sending all of your traffic through a third party who may or may not be of dubious trustworthiness. This could easily become a case of trading the devil you know for the devil you don't. In addition, using a VPN adds additional complexity to your setup which can make troubleshooting more difficult if something goes wrong, and also adds a mandatory first hop for all of your traffic that adds latency and can decrease speeds. So it's not without tradeoffs.

I'm not really convinced anyone needs a VPN for their personal internet use. An argument can be made for piracy I guess, but generally speaking if you don't know what it is you're probably just fine without it.

--- Double Post Merged, Aug 19, 2017, Original Post Date: Aug 19, 2017 ---

Regarding the mentioned applications, any financial institution or service worth using will already be applying encryption, and a quick Google shows that all major porn sites support https encryption as well, so mitm snooping on that data isn't easily possible. The one thing a VPN will buy you is sender anonymity; that is to say, Pornhub or wherever you go for naked fun time movies won't know it's you who's viewing their stuff. Of course, that advantage only persists if you don't create an account or give them any other secondary way of tracking you, but if it's compelling to you than maybe that's a reason to have one.

 

Thanks, @martian, I appreciate your lucid explanation.