Virtual Private Network (VPN)

A virtual private network, or VPN, is an encrypted connection over the Internet from a device to a network. The encrypted connection helps ensure that sensitive data is safely transmitted. It prevents unauthorized people from eavesdropping on the traffic and allows the user to conduct work remotely.  VPN technology is widely used in corporate environments.

A virtual private network  (VPN ) is a secure connection between two points, such as your laptop and your organization’s network. A VPN acts as a tunnel that you can use to send and receive secure data on an existing physical network. For example, a telework employee can use a VPN to send data that is encrypted until it reaches its destination (e.g. work server, teleworker).

VPN working Principle

The encrypted data is sent through a “tunnel” that protects it from threat actors. VPN tunnel ends once the data arrives at the organization’s firewall  or VPN gateway . Most VPN gateways are built into the firewall.  

Types of VPNs

Site to Site (Gateway-to-Gateway) is used to connect two networks by creating a VPN over a public network, and securing all of the traffic between them. Typically used to connect remote office sites to HQ or between two companies sharing data such as Banks

Remote Acces (Host-to-gateway): Used to provide remote access (such as a remote worker’s laptop or mobile device) to an enterprise network.

Host-to-host: Similar to remote-access VPN, but connecting a host to a specific resource on an enterprise network or another specific host.

Third-party privacy: Used to secure a connection from a public access point (such as an airport or hotel Wi-Fi hotspot) to a third party VPN provider and redirect the user’s traffic to make it appear to originate from the third-party’s network