VPN Service May Be Banned in India, Here's Why

According to reports, India's Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs has suggested banning VPN services due to a cybersecurity threat. VPNs allow criminals to build an anonymous online presence, according to the House panel's suggestion, and India needed to develop a coordinating system to permanently stop the service.

Virtual private networks, or VPNs, encrypt data and disguise the user's IP (Internet Protocol) address while they're online. The latter permits users to access websites that have been banned. Even while using a public WiFi network, the service masks your online identity.

VPN services assist most firms in the nation safeguard their digital assets, in addition to allowing customers to access restricted websites. During the Covid-induced lockdowns, VPNs have proven to be a very valuable tool for facilitating a smooth transition to working from home.

According to the House panel, the Dark Web's technological difficulties and VPN services may circumvent cyber security and allow criminals to remain anonymous online. Many websites offer VPN services, which may be readily downloaded, according to the report.

To detect and disable such VPNs, the panel suggested a joint effort between the Union Home Ministry and the Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. The panel also suggested that ISPs (Internet Service Providers) be enlisted for the task. In effect, the committee has asked the Union government to take action against VPN providers that serve as safe havens for criminals.

The House panel stated in its report given to the Rajya Sabha on August 10 that the Union Home Ministry must move to improve monitoring and surveillance by upgrading and creating state-of-the-art technologies and putting a stop to VPNs and the Dark Web.

Corporations in India would be concerned about the idea since it might jeopardise their data security. If the government follows the House panel's recommendations and bans VPN services in the country, it may be a major source of concern for IT businesses that operate remotely and banks that handle online transactions.