Cyberghost

Wherever we go on the Internet, whether searching with Google, browsing web sites or shopping for products, we leave a trail - like tracks in the snow - that companies are able to use in various ways.

Most commonly, this trail is analysed and then forms the basis of targeted advertising ; try researching a new PC over a day or two for example, and you'll notice that - like magic - the web pages you visit will start carrying adverts for new computers. This is because every PC that connects to the Internet has its own address (a bit like a car number plate) which can be tracked and traced. Cyberghost concels your your movements from the tracker by hiding your address - hence, you become anonymous.

It works like this. Download and install the software, register with Cyberghost and choose a monthly pricing plan - these start at around £4 a month, based on the amount and the transfer speed of the data you want to download. After that, load the program, sign in, and then pick one of Cyberghost's VPNs (virtual private networks - a way of concealing the PC's identity) and away you go. Once the connection's made, load your web browser and then carry on as normal. The downside is that some websites can take a little longer to load.

This anonymity has multiple advantages besides ensuring your privacy. Many web sites block people from using them based on their geographical location or time zone. Cyberghost circumvents this by allowing you, for example, to select a VPN in the US in order to view American web sites that would otherwise be restricted. In addition, using a VPN is a much more secure way to access the internet from a pub or cafe Wifi connection.

There are free alternatives to Cyberghost, but these are fiddly to set up and have their own drawbacks. We think Cyberghost is a good choice for anyone who wants to maintain their online privacy - and since there's a free version (with some limitations) there's no reason for security conscious users not to give it a whirl.