New Delhi, July 20 -- In a report released this month, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF)-the global watchdog on money laundering and terrorist financing-raised concerns about how virtual private networks (VPNs) are being misused to facilitate terror financing and evade surveillance.

A VPN is a way to access the internet without revealing your IP address or leaving behind a browsing history, while encrypting your data, and sidestepping website blocks and firewalls. VPNs are widely used-for business and personal reasons, with intentions noble and ill.

On the one hand, VPNs serve as vital tools for individuals in countries with strict internet censorship, enabling access to restricted content. On the other hand, they can be exploited ...