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I think he's using the VPN because he's accessing the banking site through an open wireless Internet connection at his coffee shop. I don't know enough about wireless security to say if the VPN is protecting him or not, though.

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The encryption should be between your browser and the bank's servers, not between your network driver and the VPN provider. You do this with TLS/SSL (it's that little lock icon or security information panel you see when you're at an https:// URL).

Ah, I understood that SSL encrypts the data, but I always assumed there was still a risk of it being intercepted (before encryption) if I was on an open WiFi network.

OP here, that was my worry. But, I admit I didn't thoroughly look into whether bank-side encryption eliminates my risk from a public network.

Maybe it does, but there are enough other unencrypted sites that I'd rather have the VPN.

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