Compliance glossary
Glossary of productivity, time management, & work-life balance terms.
AES-256
Advanced Encryption Standard with 256-bit keys. Military-grade encryption algorithm used by governments worldwide. Considered computationally infeasible to break with current technology, requiring billions of years to crack through brute force.
Bandwidth
The maximum rate of data transfer across a network connection. VPN services may throttle or limit bandwidth on free tiers. EdgeVPN provides unlimited bandwidth on all plans for unrestricted streaming and downloads.
ChaCha20
Modern stream cipher encryption algorithm used by WireGuard and some V2Ray configurations. Performs excellently on mobile devices without hardware AES acceleration, providing security comparable to AES-256.
Cipher
Algorithm used to encrypt and decrypt data. VPNs use strong ciphers like AES-256 and ChaCha20 to protect your traffic. The cipher determines how data is scrambled into unreadable ciphertext and back to readable plaintext.
Censorship
Government or organizational restriction of internet content and access. Countries like China use sophisticated systems to block websites and VPNs. V2Ray and obfuscated protocols bypass censorship.
Cipher Suite
Combination of cryptographic algorithms used together for secure communication. VPN cipher suites include key exchange, authentication, encryption, and integrity check algorithms.
DDoS Attack
Distributed Denial of Service attack that overwhelms a target with traffic from multiple sources. VPNs protect against DDoS by hiding your real IP address, preventing attackers from targeting your connection directly.
Deep Packet Inspection (DPI)
Advanced network analysis technique that examines data packets to detect and block specific traffic types, including VPNs. V2Ray and obfuscated protocols defeat DPI by disguising VPN traffic as normal HTTPS.
DNS (Domain Name System)
Internet service that translates human-readable domain names (like google.com) into IP addresses that computers use. DNS queries can reveal your browsing history, which is why VPNs route DNS through encrypted tunnels.
DNS Leak
Security vulnerability where DNS queries bypass the VPN tunnel and go directly to your ISP's DNS servers, exposing your browsing history. EdgeVPN includes DNS leak protection to prevent this privacy compromise.
Double VPN
Feature that routes traffic through two VPN servers instead of one, encrypting data twice for maximum privacy. Provides enhanced security but significantly reduces speed. Also called multi-hop or cascading VPN.
Data Retention
How long service providers store user data. Some countries mandate data retention. EdgeVPN's no-logs policy means we don't collect activity data to retain in the first place.
Encryption
Process of converting readable data (plaintext) into scrambled, unreadable code (ciphertext) that only authorized parties can decrypt. VPNs use encryption to protect your data from interception by ISPs, hackers, and surveillance.
End-to-End Encryption
Encryption where only communicating parties can decrypt messages—not even the service provider. Used in messaging apps like Signal. VPNs encrypt device-to-server, not end-to-end across the entire internet.
Firewall
Network security system that monitors and controls incoming and outgoing traffic based on predetermined security rules. Some firewalls block VPN connections, which OpenVPN TCP on port 443 can bypass.
Geoblocking
Practice of restricting access to internet content based on user's geographic location. Streaming services use geoblocking to enforce licensing restrictions. VPNs bypass geoblocking by providing IP addresses from different countries.
Great Firewall
China's sophisticated internet censorship system using deep packet inspection to block VPNs and foreign websites. V2Ray protocol specifically designed to bypass Great Firewall restrictions.
HTTPS
Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure. Encrypted version of HTTP that protects data between your browser and websites. While HTTPS encrypts website content, it doesn't hide which sites you visit—VPNs provide that additional privacy layer.
Handshake
Initial exchange between client and server to establish secure connection and negotiate encryption keys. WireGuard's 1-RTT handshake is much faster than OpenVPN's multi-round-trip process.
IKEv2/IPsec
VPN protocol known for stability and native mobile support. Good for network roaming (switching between WiFi and cellular) but slower than WireGuard. Commonly used in enterprise VPN deployments.
IP Address
Unique numerical identifier assigned to every device on the internet, like 192.168.1.1 (IPv4) or longer IPv6 addresses. Your IP reveals your location and identity. VPNs hide your real IP by showing the VPN server's IP instead.
IPv6
Latest version of Internet Protocol with vastly expanded address space compared to IPv4. IPv6 can leak outside VPN tunnels if not properly handled. EdgeVPN includes IPv6 leak protection on all platforms.
ISP (Internet Service Provider)
Company that provides your internet connection (like Comcast, Verizon, or BT). ISPs can see all your unencrypted browsing activity, sell your data to advertisers, and throttle connections. VPNs prevent ISP monitoring.
IP Leak
Vulnerability where your real IP address is exposed despite VPN connection. Can occur through WebRTC, DNS leaks, or IPv6 leaks. EdgeVPN includes comprehensive leak protection on all platforms.
Jurisdiction
Country where VPN company is legally based, determining which laws apply. EdgeVPN operates from Netherlands with strong GDPR privacy protections outside invasive surveillance alliances.
Kill Switch
Security feature that automatically blocks all internet traffic if the VPN connection drops, preventing accidental exposure of your real IP address. Essential for torrenting and maintaining consistent privacy.
Latency
Time delay between sending data and receiving a response, measured in milliseconds (ms). VPNs add some latency due to encryption and routing. WireGuard protocol minimizes latency impact for fast, responsive connections.
Logging
Recording of user activity, connection times, or traffic data by VPN providers. Many claim 'no-logs' while still logging connection metadata. EdgeVPN maintains true zero-logs policy verified by privacy policy.
Man-in-the-Middle Attack
Attack where attacker secretly intercepts and relays communications between two parties. Common on public WiFi. VPN encryption prevents MITM attacks by making intercepted data unreadable.
Multi-Hop
Routing traffic through multiple VPN servers for extra privacy. Also called double VPN or cascading. Provides additional security but significantly reduces speed due to multiple encryption layers.
No-Logs Policy
Commitment by VPN provider not to track, collect, or store any data about user activities, connection times, or browsing history. EdgeVPN maintains strict zero-logs policy—we can't share what we don't have.
Obfuscation
Technique that disguises VPN traffic to look like normal HTTPS web browsing, bypassing censorship systems that block VPNs. V2Ray and obfuscated OpenVPN use obfuscation to defeat deep packet inspection.
OpenVPN
Mature, open-source VPN protocol with proven security through decades of audits. Slower than WireGuard but excellent for firewall bypass using TCP mode on port 443. Gold standard for reliability and compatibility.
P2P (Peer-to-Peer)
Decentralized network architecture where users directly share files with each other, commonly used for torrenting. Many ISPs throttle P2P traffic. VPNs hide P2P activity and bypass throttling for faster downloads.
Ping
Measurement of latency, showing how long it takes data to travel to a destination and back. Lower ping is better for gaming. VPNs add some ping, but WireGuard's efficient design minimizes the impact.
Poly1305
Message authentication code used with ChaCha20 encryption to verify data integrity. Part of WireGuard's cryptographic suite, ensuring data hasn't been tampered with during transmission.
Port
Virtual endpoint for network connections, identified by numbers (like 443 for HTTPS or 1194 for OpenVPN). OpenVPN can use port 443 to disguise traffic as regular web browsing, bypassing firewalls.
Protocol
Set of rules governing how data is encrypted and transmitted through VPN. EdgeVPN offers three protocols: WireGuard (fast), OpenVPN (reliable), and V2Ray (censorship-resistant). Each has specific advantages.
Proxy Server
Intermediary server that forwards requests on your behalf, hiding your IP but typically without encryption. Less secure than VPNs. Free proxies often log data or inject ads. Use VPNs for real privacy protection.
Public WiFi
WiFi networks in hotels, airports, cafes open to anyone. Inherently insecure as others on network can potentially intercept traffic. VPNs encrypt all data, making public WiFi safe to use.
Router
Device that connects your home network to the internet. Installing VPN on router protects all connected devices automatically, though setup is more complex than using VPN apps on individual devices.
Shadowsocks
Lightweight SOCKS5 proxy protocol designed for censorship bypass. Pioneered censorship evasion techniques but increasingly detected by modern DPI. V2Ray evolved from Shadowsocks with better obfuscation.
SOCKS5
Internet protocol that routes traffic through proxy servers. More versatile than HTTP proxies, handling any traffic type. Shadowsocks uses SOCKS5 protocol for censorship bypass.
Split Tunneling
Feature allowing selection of which apps use VPN and which connect directly. Optimizes performance by routing only sensitive traffic through VPN while local apps use regular connection.
SSL/TLS
Cryptographic protocols that secure internet connections, used by HTTPS and some VPN protocols. TLS 1.3 is the latest version, providing strong encryption for data in transit.
Server
Computer that VPN routes your traffic through, providing an IP address from its location. EdgeVPN operates 70+ Server Locations worldwide. Connect to servers near you for speed, or distant servers to access geo-restricted content.
Streaming
Watching video content online from services like Netflix, Disney+, or Hulu. Many services use geoblocking to restrict content by region. VPNs bypass geographic restrictions for access to global content libraries.
TCP (Transmission Control Protocol)
Reliable connection-oriented protocol that guarantees data delivery. OpenVPN TCP mode is slower but works through firewalls, especially on port 443. Better for stability than UDP on poor connections.
Throttling
ISP practice of intentionally slowing specific types of traffic like streaming, torrenting, or gaming. VPNs prevent throttling by encrypting traffic so ISPs can't see what you're doing to selectively slow it.
Tor (The Onion Router)
Free anonymity network routing traffic through multiple random volunteer relays. Provides stronger anonymity than VPNs but much slower. Useful for maximum privacy or accessing dark web (.onion sites).
Torrenting
Method of peer-to-peer file sharing where users download pieces of files from multiple sources simultaneously. ISPs monitor torrent activity. VPNs hide torrenting from ISPs with encryption and IP masking.
Tunnel
Encrypted pathway between your device and VPN server through which all internet traffic flows. The tunnel protects your data from interception, making it unreadable to anyone monitoring the network.
UDP (User Datagram Protocol)
Fast, connectionless protocol that prioritizes speed over reliability. VPN protocols like WireGuard and OpenVPN UDP offer better performance than TCP. Recommended for streaming and gaming.
V2Ray
Advanced proxy framework designed to bypass sophisticated censorship. Disguises traffic as normal HTTPS to defeat deep packet inspection. Most effective protocol for accessing blocked content in China, Iran, and UAE.
VPN (Virtual Private Network)
Service that creates encrypted connection between your device and internet, protecting privacy and security. VPNs hide your IP address, encrypt traffic to prevent monitoring, and allow access to geo-restricted content.
VPN Protocol
Set of rules determining how VPN encrypts and transmits data. Different protocols balance speed, security, and compatibility differently. EdgeVPN offers WireGuard, OpenVPN, and V2Ray protocols.
WebRTC
Browser technology enabling real-time communication. Can leak your real IP address even when using VPN if not properly blocked. Modern VPN browser extensions include WebRTC leak protection.
WireGuard
Modern VPN protocol with exceptional speed, security, and efficiency. Only 4,000 lines of code (vs OpenVPN's 400,000+) make it highly auditable. Best protocol for everyday VPN use with minimal speed impact.
Zero-Knowledge
Architecture where service provider has no knowledge of user data. Zero-knowledge VPNs (like EdgeVPN) cannot access or decrypt user activity even if compelled, as encryption keys exist only on user devices.