Is your business using a VPN, or are you hoping to avoid becoming the next data breach victim? A VPN, or virtual private network, is a technology that enables you to create a secured network connection while using a public network. It expands the secure network by using encrypted Internet connections.
With small and medium-sized organizations three times more likely to be targeted by cybercriminals, keeping online activities secure is more critical than ever. Consider how frequently your employees fly back and forth to the office – are they using the airport’s free Wi-Fi or an insecure connection to transfer files? Working from anywhere has become synonymous with the modern-day grind, but it can be expensive.
However, there are measures to reduce that risk. A VPN allows users to connect to networks remotely, allowing employees to work away from a physical office while still securely accessing network resources. This is one of the numerous reasons VPN technology is extensively utilized in business.
What type of VPN should I use for my business?
There are many different types of Free VPN services out there. When choosing which is best for your business, you must consider how they will benefit your business operations.
One type of VPN for business is a site-to-site VPN characterized by the internal network it creates between two or more locations.
Let’s look at how this VPN type can benefit your business.
Secure shared resources
If your business has offices throughout the world, chances are your teams use OneDrive or Google Drive to collaborate on projects and access tools like Trello or Workday. These programs hold and save your data, coworkers’, and clients’ data.
A VPN can secure the connection to such resources, ensuring the data remains secure. Similarly, if your organization has service site clients who require access to internal resources, the VPN can ensure that connection is solely available to that client.
Reduce security risks
The best way to reduce security risks is to use a site-to-site VPN, which establishes an encrypted tunnel between the VPN gateways of each site.
As a result, employees in all office locations share a single wide-area network (WAN), which prevents access from outside the network. If you’re utilizing it for clients, the WAN is only shared by those clients and the center hub.
As a result, whether an employee from one office or a client needs to access internal resources, they may do so confidently, knowing that an outside party will not compromise the data.
Save money and time
Companies don’t have to worry about costly physical network connections between their headquarters and various facilities in different places when they use a VPN. This may necessitate additional time, money, and extra work for the company’s IT staff.
What about remote access VPNs?
Remote access VPNs enable employees to connect to your company’s LAN from any location. Site-to-site VPNs do not require a VPN client installed on a device to connect to the VPN gateway and deliver data.
Before granting access, the gateway requires that each user be authenticated. This prevents unauthorized individuals from accessing the company’s network.
Below are a few ways a remote access VPN benefits your business.
Work from anywhere
Using a remote access VPN can help protect your firm from cybersecurity hazards that your employees may unintentionally face while working away from the office.
For example, if people work at a coffee shop or an airport and use public Wi-Fi, their data is susceptible to hackers. And if they deal with the company’s trade secrets or personal data, for example, the breaches are much more harmful because such information is valuable.
Security on mobile devices
If you’re working during your commute and utilizing public Wi-Fi to answer e-mails or access files on the company’s server on your work phone, your device is subject to data breaches.
Perhaps even more than your laptop, numerous others are surrounding you, each of whom could be attempting to steal data over Wi-Fi. The ISP can see if you operate with sensitive material or personal data on the corporate server. That is why it is critical to safeguard data on both business PCs and mobile devices.
Keep in line with data laws
Many businesses must comply with the GDPR and other personal data rules and implement technical safeguards to secure the data they process.
A remote access VPN can limit third-party access to such personal data. The encryption tunnel would also enable your responsible workers to access and process the data safely. If applied appropriately, this strategy can assist you in remaining in compliance with the law.
Wrapping up
Making use of VPN technology is a given in today’s world. Choosing the right VPN service for business depends on what you want to get out of the service. However, a good VPN provider will give you the security and peace of mind to confidently continue your online business activities.
