Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a reliable tool for creating a secure Internet connection. Today, more than 400 million corporate and individual customers use this tool for security and privacy.
VPN software for business works on the principle of end-to-end encryption. Regardless of where employees of the company are located, they can connect to a common database, exchange information online, and over a secure web connection. This means protecting transmitted information and preventing unauthorized access. The VPN application also protects the corporate internet resource from cyber-attacks, from being tracked by government services, competitors, hackers and advertisers.
The only difference between personal and corporate VPN is the format of the network. In the first case, users connect personal devices to the personal network, in the second – to the office network. The use of VPN for personal purposes is usually associated with the need to securely connect to the public Wi-Fi network, to visit web resources with limited access, or to ensure the anonymity of being on the Internet. Business owners resort to this solution to protect trade secrets and confidential data.
Why do you need a VPN
Traveling to countries with censorship of the Internet can be an obstacle to free access to certain resources. For example, Iran, North Korea and China block access to Google. This means that a business owner may face difficulties if they want to view their emails. Thanks to a virtual private network, such restrictions can be circumvented. Other reasons to use a VPN:
- Maximum security. Even if antivirus and firewall applications are used, they cannot provide 100% protection against hackers and cyber attacks. According to statistics, antivirus programs prevent about 75% of malicious software and viruses from penetrating. The effectiveness of an antivirus program depends on regular updates. A VPN application encrypts all data that passes through the system. We are talking about working files, databases, and internal communication between employees. Business secrets of the company are reliably protected if the management invests in a VPN in time.
- Secure data exchange. A secure way to share information with colleagues and other persons who are not employees of the organization is using a virtual private network. The application encrypts all outgoing and incoming information, including emails and online banking transactions.
- Secure access to remote data. Going on a business trip or travel, you no longer need to worry about organizing control over business processes. You can manage your business securely from anywhere in the world if you use a VPN. Many companies prefer to store important business information on the business cloud. A smartphone, laptop or tablet can be lost. In order not to lose important data along with your gadget, you need to copy it to cloud storage. A secure connection to the cloud is the task of a VPN. Remote data is securely protected from prying eyes.
With the help of a VPN it is possible to organize effective protection against industrial espionage, as well as to save money. The company’s costs can be reduced due to the reduction of funds allocated to business telephone long-distance and international conversations.
Advantages of VPN
A virtual private network is a guarantee of security and privacy, the ability to visit any web site without restrictions, leaving no trace on the Internet. VPN software helps to securely connect employees of the company to the office network or to public resources on the Internet. This is an ideal solution for a company that has multiple offices located within the same locality or in different cities and countries.
As an employee connects to the office network remotely through the public Internet network, traffic is subject to external attacks along the way from competitors, adversaries and government agencies. The purpose of the aforementioned individuals is to steal and use confidential data. If the office network is protected by a VPN, the data cannot be stolen – it is encrypted. To decrypt the information, you need a key, which is provided only to employees of the company. The main advantages of VPN:
- Organization of secure remote access for employees of all offices.
- Changing the IP address. The program changes the IP address, so the business owner doesn’t have to worry about someone tracing the company’s online activity history. Work schedules, plans, strategies, and financial transactions are not available to outsiders.
- Increased productivity when transferring large files over the office network.
- Reduced costs. Quick access to data online increases employee productivity and reduces the cost of transferring information in other formats, such as over the phone.
With the emergence of software products such as Firesheep, which is used to steal logins and passwords of users of popular social networks, the urgency of the problem of security and data protection is increasing.
Types of VPNs
Currently two models of virtual private network are used – with remote access and the “network-to-network” type. In the first case, the creation of a secure connection between individual employees and remote Internet channels – the internal network of the enterprise is implied. The two key components of the system are an access server (NAS) and software that is installed on the user’s device (computer, tablet, smartphone).
A NAS access server is a file data repository, which is usually provided as a VPS or a dedicated server. When a company employee wants to access the office database, they turn on the VPN client. This creates an encrypted communication channel between the user and the NAS. The traffic remains hidden from prying eyes.
Network-to-network technology implies creating a single virtual system which is shared by several offices. In this case, the VPN client module is allocated to one office and not to each individual device of all users. The disadvantage of this solution is the loss of the ability to securely connect to the office network as soon as an employee leaves the office.
Limitations
VPN software is a modern alternative to outdated technology. Companies used to buy secure “dedicated lines” from a provider or manually add the IP addresses of remote employees to a “white list” to establish a remote secure connection. However, some problems can arise when using a VPN. Some of them are:
- Security threats. If attackers gain access to the credentials of one of the users on the office network, they can automatically connect to it and view shared sensitive information.
- Request delays between employees and the office network. If the NAS server is used, it is located in a different physical location, which can cause speed and traffic delays in processing individual employee requests.
- The need to adjust NAS capacity as the company’s employees increase. As the number of requests and traffic increases, the load on the server increases, which can lead to hardware failure.
These problems can easily be solved with the help of IT specialists. Today, VPN software remains an effective tool for organizing secure work and communication between employees of the company on the Internet. With the help of VPN it is possible to protect the company’s commercial data, get unhindered access to any web resources and anonymously browse web pages. The program encrypts all traffic that passes through the office network. As a result, network traffic becomes incomprehensible to any interceptor.
