IPVanish, the popular VPN company, is rolling out its new kill switch app for its Amazon Fire TV app.
Even though most people might not think about it, a Smart TV is still susceptible to hackers who can exfiltrate or steal your data. IPVanish’s VPN circumvents this by wrapping all of your outgoing network data in a protective coating of military-grade encryption to keep it safe from prying eyes.
However, if the VPN loses its connection, new outgoing data loses its encryption and you become vulnerable again. That’s where a kill switch comes in.
Once you turn this feature on, it will automatically turn off your device’s connection to the internet if your VPN connection drops.
Once the VPN is able to reconnect, your internet connection will be re-established immediately, preventing you from having to reconfigure any settings or trying to find the server you were on.
“By cutting off internet connectivity, the Kill Switch app effectively reduces data leakage risks during those crucial moments when the VPN connection is re-establishing itself,” IPVanish said in a blog post.
While it sounds like it can be annoying, it ensures that none of your data gets leaked and you maintain complete privacy and security while using your Amazon Fire TV.
“We’re thrilled to introduce the IPVanish VPN Kill Switch app — a powerful companion to the IPVanish VPN app for Fire TV,” IPVanish said. “It’s versatile enough to work with any other VPN connection you have running.”
To install it, simply download the Kill Switch App on the store. You can use your IPVanish credentials to log in, afterwards, it will sync information between the apps and be ready for you to start using.
Just remember to manually turn on the kill switch through the app, otherwise, you won’t be protected if your VPN loses connection.