The reasons why companies use VPNs
You’ve probably heard the term VPN in one or another context recently. Virtual private networks use encrypted channels to reroute network requests via remote proxy servers.
They are immensely popular with individuals but have also seen a great deal of use by businesses looking to maintain network security. Here is why.
The move to ‘Bring Your Own Device’
A great deal has changed in recent years when it comes to computing technology in the workplace. Gone are the days when employees would be entirely reliant upon the desktop systems offered by the corporation they worked for.
Today, many companies allow or encourage their employees to bring their own devices to work. Personal laptops and mobile devices are essential in the modern workplace.
This proliferation of non-standard devices in the workplace presents a problem to businesses when they plan their security measures. The number of variables involved increases with the amount of non-standard equipment connected to a network.
Virtual private networks ensure that networks are harder to compromise than if they were left bare.
Remote access issues
The coronavirus pandemic greatly accelerated the adoption of remote and hybrid working practices. Remote working was already on the rise before the outset of the pandemic – with new technologies such as video conferencing permitting companies to distribute their workforces.
If the ‘bring your own device’ culture created problems, remote working amplified those problems in a big way.
Not only did the number of variables on a network increase, but the identity of end-users became all the more ambiguous. Routing inbound network requests to a proxy server allowed for some degree of digital safety to be achieved.
When remote work is taken to its logical end-point, workers no longer even have to be within the same country as their place of employment. This kind of geo freedom would not be possible without the use of VPNs.
Workers operating outside of their home country use VPNs to assume the IP address of a server within that country – no matter where they are. Workers that have not been provided with a VPN through their business but who still want to work abroad can begin a VPN free trial while they negotiate.
Cyber attack proliferation
Hackers are an ingenious bunch. As soon as new antivirus software is issued and new countermeasures are developed, hackers get to work trying to find ways around it.
Not all hackers work on their own. Some cybercriminals are funded by government agencies and criminal organisations. One such group of hackers – the Lazarus group – is notorious for working alongside the North Korean government.
Businesses need to invest in VPN technology due to the staggering proliferation of cybercriminal attacks.
The value Of Big Data
Data is more important than ever for businesses looking to make accurate strategic decisions. Unfortunately, this means that data is immensely valuable to people looking to hold businesses to ransom.
They often use the appropriately named ‘ransomware’ to encrypt important data sets – demanding money for a decryption key. VPNs encrypt all files in transit, preventing hackers from getting their mitts on data as it travels to and from servers.
