What is a VPN primarily used for?

A VPN, or Virtual Private Network, is primarily used to provide a secure connection over the internet, which plays a crucial role in protecting user privacy. When users connect to the internet through a VPN, their data is encrypted, creating a secure tunnel that safeguards against eavesdropping, hacking, and data breaches. This is particularly important when using public Wi-Fi networks, where personal information can be vulnerable to interception.

Moreover, VPNs can mask the user's IP address, making their online activities more anonymous. This added layer of security helps users maintain their privacy and protects sensitive information from potential cyber threats.

The other options, while they touch on relevant aspects of networking, do not accurately capture the primary function of a VPN. Enhancing network speed, for instance, may occur as a byproduct in some scenarios, yet that is not the primary purpose of a VPN. Similarly, while VPNs can connect multiple networks, their main function is about securing a user’s data during transmission rather than merely establishing network connections. Improving hardware performance is not something that a VPN addresses at all, as it focuses on software-level security rather than affecting hardware capabilities.