VPN ban in India: Here’s all you need to know about it

VPN ban in India: The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs has asked the government to block VPNs (virtual private networks) in India labeling them as cyber threats. The committee brought up the technological challenges posed by VPN services and the dark web and said that it can be used to bypass cybersecurity walls and allow criminals to remain anonymous online. The committee’s proposed solution is that India must develop a coordination mechanism to block VPNs permanently.

Why is VPN important? VPNs or virtual private networks are actually quite useful for internet users. They are used by most companies in India to secure their digital assets and actually “avoid” cyber attacks. VPNs were also of huge help over the lockdown as they facilitated seamless internet and access to private networks without issues in work-from-home situations.

What you need to know about the VPN ban in India proposal

- The committee said that technological challenges posed by VPN services and Dark Web can bypass cyber security and let criminals remain anonymous online.

- That VPNs can easily be downloaded also seems to be a problem with many websites providing such facilities for free.

- The committee recommends that the Ministry of Home Affairs coordinate with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (Meity) to identify and permanently block such VPNs with the help of internet service providers (ISP).

- According to the report, the ministry has been urged to take initiatives to strengthen the tracking and surveillance mechanisms to put a check on the use of VPN and the dark web.

What VPN does? VPN services encrypt data and hide the IP address. This allows people to check blocked sites. VPN services also help hide one’s online identity, even on public Wi-Fi networks which is a helpful security feature to have as it can keep hackers at bay.