The role of VPN in digital business security
In today's world, network security is becoming increasingly important for business. In this area, VPNs stand out as one of the key security tools. VPNs are an internet secure service that allows users/workers to access the internet as if they were on a private network. This is achieved through the use of encryption, which provides a secure connection over the public Internet.
VPN in business: protection, access control and restrictions
One of the main uses of VPN is to protect corporate data and control access to it. They ensure data protection during transmission between the user and various resources on the Internet. An important aspect of data security is encryption, which is used in VPN to ensure the confidentiality of information. When using a VPN, all connections between devices are established through encrypted channels. This allows data to remain confidential even if it passes through public networks.
In addition, VPNs can be used to control access, determining which users have access to which resources. Using a VPN, only authorized users can connect to target networks. This allows companies to control what resources are available to different users, which is key to preventing leaks and unauthorized access to sensitive data.
There are some limitations associated with using a VPN for access control, which include:
- One point of failure. Although attackers cannot intercept traffic encrypted via a VPN from the outside, if they manage to penetrate the network, they will gain access to all resources to which this network is connected. Hacking one account or device can allow an attacker to penetrate the VPN and gain access to all protected information. This situation is similar to the "castle and moat" model, where the security of the "castle" is limited. depends on the integrity of the “moat”, which is the internal VPN accounts. If a user's credentials are compromised, access to internal network data becomes possible.
- The relative complexity of VPN management. Managing multiple VPNs can be challenging, especially in large organizations that require different levels of access for different users. Support for several VPN types may require significant resources, or may require more complex user options and require users to connect to multiple VPNs at the same time, which can be inconvenient and negatively impact network and device performance.
- Insufficient flexibility. VPN capabilities are limited in providing sector-specific access to data. While they can provide access to large groups of users, they are not always able to customize access on an individual level. This means that to accommodate different user needs, such as access to different applications or resources, more detailed configuration may be required, which is not always possible when using a VPN.
So, despite their effectiveness in ensuring security and access control, VPNs have certain limitations that must be taken into account when developing network security strategies.
VPN alternatives for organizing remote work
Since VPN — These are virtual networks, they are often used to provide remote employees with access to the necessary corporate resources. However, this approach often faces the problems described above.
Many identity and access management (IAM) solutions provide more granular controls that are easier to implement. For example, the Zero Trust technology is easily customizable and designed to improve security without sacrificing performance. It provides secure access to internal applications without using a VPN. Instead of a VPN, this global network protects internal resources and data at every point where they are located, and not just along the perimeter, as in a VPN.
Secure web gateways can also help keep remote workers safe by filtering out risky content and preventing data leakage from company-controlled networks. Finally, implementing a software-defined perimeter (SDP) can make internal infrastructure and data invisible to all unauthorized users.
Private VPN server: an important element in access control
When it comes to managing secure access to corporate resources, a private VPN server offers greater flexibility, enhanced privacy, better scalability, and greater control over the infrastructure than conventional VPN services. It allows you to configure access to resources at a more granular level, managing users and their privileges with greater precision.
You can buy a private VPN server on favorable terms on Private VPN server. The same site provides offer, as well as all the necessary information about rental options, payment methods, server geography, etc. .