PIA uses OpenVPN with UPD transport protocol and 128-bit AES encryption by default. This combination provides a great balance of speed and security on your Mac, so you can connect and start surfing safely in seconds.. For tighter security, you can change your encryption setting to 256-bit AES, which is the strongest encryption standard available. If you want to maximize your speed, you can switch to WireGuard to get the best VPN performance for streaming, gaming, and any other data-intensive activities.