VPN: What is a Kill Switch? Without this function, your data is at risk

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VPN

More and more VPNs are advertising a kill switch. This is intended to ensure your anonymity and data security. The emergency stop switch is often the last resort.

It sounds dangerous, but it’s extremely practical and sometimes a real lifesaver: We’ll show you why and what you need a kill switch for. (Source: Netzwelt/Background with AI)

The term kill switch may sound dangerous at first, but it has nothing to do with the word “killing”. Casually translated, the function could be translated as “emergency stop switch”. VPN providers in particular are increasingly relying on this function and are therefore putting it in the spotlight on their websites. And not without reason.

What is a Kill Switch?

The Kill Switch is a function for VPN services that is usually activated by default and then works fully automatically. The emergency stop switch in digital form additionally secures your data traffic.

If you surf the internet anonymously with your VPN as normal, the kill switch doesn’t do anything at first. It only comes into use if your VPN connection suddenly breaks down. The kill switch will then automatically cut off your internet connection until the connection to the VPN server is restored.

A kill switch ensures that you only surf the Internet with active VPN protection. Without a kill switch, however, you usually won’t even notice if your VPN connection has been temporarily disabled. In the worst case scenario, you will simply continue surfing without noticing the crash. And that can have serious consequences.

Kill Switch as a savior in an emergency

VPN services promise security and anonymity, but even with the best services unexpected problems can arise. VPN connection drops can have various causes.

It can happen that another installed program blocks the VPN on its own. In particular, security software such as antivirus programs or firewalls classify some VPNs as dangerous and make it impossible to establish a connection. With the firewall, this problem can be solved by enabling ports; with antivirus programs, you usually have to enable the service manually in the settings.

But a weak or unstable internet connection can also cause connections to drop out. Even the hardware can be responsible. Without appropriate updates, routers, for example, often block the VPN. And then there is the risk of cyberattacks. Since problems like these always happen and affect pretty much everyone, a kill switch can often be a savior in such cases.

Episodes without a kill switch

A VPN service only hides your IP address and therefore your location and your internet activities if you are also connected to it. If the connection breaks down, that’s it for the anonymity and possible security advantages that many VPN services now offer. Even if the cancellation only lasts a second, you can be clearly identified online at that moment.

This can be a problem especially in public Wi-Fi networks, as these are usually not protected by passwords (or only by very simple passwords) and hackers have an easy time accessing your data via the connection.

It’s even more annoying if you use the VPN tunnel to send or manage sensitive data. These could be confidential documents for work or information that should not be seen by anyone for other reasons. Of course, anyone who engages in file sharing (torrent files) does not want third parties to know about these activities.

However, if you only use a VPN for a little more general security or to bypass country restrictions, the consequences of a VPN connection being lost are bearable. Nevertheless, without a kill switch you always have a security risk. That’s why, when in doubt, it’s always worth using a VPN with a kill switch.

This is how a kill switch works

As long as it is turned on, the Kill Switch will continually monitor your VPN connection and check for any changes. If a VPN connection is lost, the network status and the IP address usually also change. The kill switch notices this change and disconnects from the network and thus the Internet.

As soon as a secure connection between you and the VPN provider is possible again, the Kill Switch will automatically restore the previous connection. So you don’t have to set up the connection again manually.

Kill Switch in two forms

A kill switch doesn’t always automatically cut off your entire internet connection. This depends on whether this is a system-level kill switch or an app-level kill switch. While the former actually disconnects the entire Internet, with the latter you can specifically decide which services should remain connected to the Internet despite the VPN connection being lost. Most VPNs offer system-level kill switches, but some also offer a combination of both. In any case, the system level kill switch is safer.

Activate kill switch

If a VPN service has a kill switch, it is usually already activated by default. However, you can deactivate it manually at any time in the settings of your VPN service – and then activate it again if necessary. For the reasons mentioned, we generally advise you to always use your VPN with the kill switch active.

The best VPNs with Kill Switch

Do you want to be sure that your VPN has a kill switch? A glance at the functions on the provider’s website is usually enough to provide clarity. However, if you don’t want to research all potential providers, you should choose one of the market leaders in the VPN sector. The kill switch is practically de rigueur here.

Cyberghost VPN, ExpressVPN and NordVPN, among others, offer a built-in kill switch, but with Surfshark you don’t have to do without this practical feature either. But the kill switch is also becoming more and more popular with services that are not so well known. Please note, however, that the function is not always included in all subscriptions from the respective provider.

VPN services in comparison 2024: Safe and anonymous access to the Internet with our test winners

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Of course, you shouldn’t base your choice of VPN solely on the kill switch. Other functions, general security standards, the number of servers and user-friendliness also play a major role. Our large comparison of the different VPN providers shows you which services provide the best overall package.

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