[Term of the Day]: VPN
Term of the Day
“Virtual Private Network”
Definition — What is a VPN and its purpose?
Virtual Private Network, better known as a VPN, is an encrypted connection over the Internet from a device to a network. This encrypted connection ensures that sensitive data is safely transmitted by preventing unauthorized people from snooping on the traffic and allows the user to conduct work remotely.
VPN technology is widely used in corporate environments. It connects business networks together securely over the internet or allows you to access a business network remotely.
How does it work?
Once a device is connected to the internet with the VPN service switched on, it will be connected to one of the VPN provider’s servers.
VPN provider assigns an IP address to the device and masks device's actual IP address thus creates a virtual network.
Traffic on this virtual network is sent securely by establishing an encrypted connection across the Internet known as a tunnel. VPN traffic from a device such as a computer, tablet, or smartphone is encrypted as it travels through this tunnel. Remote employees can then use the virtual network to access the corporate network.
As pandemics like the COVID-19 has brought forward the necessity of remote working, most organizations have remote access strategies in place to allow employees to work remotely and fostering VPN to encrypt the connections and access company resources safely.