VPN usage soars across the world
Remote work has lead to a rise in VPN usage
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As more employees areworking from homedue to the coronavirus, global VPN usage is on the rise.
According toExpressVPN, since the end of February, it has seen average global usage of its service increase by 21% with double-digit growth occurring in both Europe and North America.
In Europe, Belgium and France saw the highest growth rates at 43 and 34 % respectively, butVPNusage is up across the region as employees working remotely are using such services to protect themselves online or to securely access their companies' networks.
In North America, the US led the charge at 26 percent followed by Canada (24%) and Mexico (18%).
VPN usage
ExpressVPNalso revealed that the Asia Pacific region has seen the least amount of growth but this likely because it has been experiencing the effects of the coronavirus since January. However, the only exceptions are the Philippines and Malaysia which have been imposing stricter lockdown measures in the last few weeks and because of this, they’ve seen above-average growth in consumer VPN usage at 27 and 23 percent respectively.
Vice president of ExpressVPN,Harold Liexplained why the service is seeing increased demand, saying:
“We are seeing strong demand in our services as more people spend more time indoors and employees around the world telework. Beyond using a VPN, we encourage users to practice good cybersecurity habits while working remotely.”
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In addition to using a VPN to stay safe online while working from home, remote workers should also haveantivirus softwareinstalled on their systems and update them regularly to avoid falling victim to the recentsurge in cyberattacks.
After working with the TechRadar Pro team for the last several years, Anthony is now the security and networking editor at Tom’s Guide where he covers everything from data breaches and ransomware gangs to the best way to cover your whole home or business with Wi-Fi. When not writing, you can find him tinkering with PCs and game consoles, managing cables and upgrading his smart home.
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