VPN(Virtual private network)

VPN or ‘Virtual Private network’ is exactly what it states – it is a private and virtual connection to your corporate network. While it is easy and comfortable to make use of free and open Wi-Fi in open spaces to access corporate resources, it is highly susceptible to different types of attacks(stealing your password might be the simplest one) VPNs enable professionals to access corporate resources in a safe and secure manner.

So, how does a VPN really work?
A VPN makes use of the existing infrastructure such as the Internet, LAN or WAN to connect to an organization. The data that is to be sent is encrypted on the sender’s end and decrypted on the receiver’s end. Encrypting makes sure none of the data that travels along the Internet is seen in public. There are three simple types of VPNs – they are the IPSec VPN, SSL VPN and the mobile VPN.

What are the advantages of using a VPN?

1. The most obvious reason of using a VPN is the cost factor. Using the public infrastructure such as the Internet to make secure connection is very appealing to many business enterprises.
2. The use of VPN further reiterates two of the tenets of the information security triad or the CIA triad (confidentiality and integrity). The ‘Confidentiality’ of the information that is transmitted through the VPN is safeguarded. The ‘Integrity’ of the data, which means that the data must not be tampered with in transit, is also preserved. And lastly the authentication factor is also taken care of. ‘A’uthentication is making sure that the information has indeed originated from the place it is supposed to have been sent from
3. The last advantage is that VPNs can easily be deployed.

Disadvantages of VPN:
In spite of the advantages listed, VPNs do come with a few disadvantages. Some of them are :

1. The additional overhead that is generated by making use of encryption algorithms is one disadvantage.
2. Troubleshooting the VPN is another disadvantage that has to be given certain thought before installing it.
3.  And the Internet’s availability is the most important requirement for the VPN to function. If it is unavailable, then the VPN cannot function

So, now where can I find the best VPN services?
According to a report from techrader.com, the best VPN services are offered by:

1. ExpressVPN
2. IPVanish
3. VyprVPN

In conclusion, acquiring a VPN for a business enterprise entirely depends on the requirements for the organization. If there are more “road warriors” than on site employees, it would be a good option to invest in one.
This post is for alphabet ‘V’ of the BlogchatterA2Z challenge…the other alphabets are listed below:

1.  ‘A’ – Asset
2.     ‘B’ – What is Blockchain ?
3.      ‘C’ – Caesar cipher
4.     ‘D’ –  Detroit
5.     ‘E’ – Empowering women
6.     ‘F’ – Four concepts of Blockchain
7.     ‘G’ – Go green
8.     ‘H’ – Hyperledger Composer
9.     ‘I’ – India
10.     ‘J’ – Java 101
11.     ‘K’ – Kulambu
12.     ‘L’ – List of Information security certifications
13.     ‘M’ – Michigan
14.     ‘N’ – NIST publications
15.     ‘O’ – Object oriented programming
16.     ‘P’ – Palm tree fruit
17.     ‘Q’ – Quiet
18.     ‘R’ – For the love of ‘Reading’….
19.     ‘S’ – Security
20.     ‘T’ – Time
21.      ‘U’ – Usage of Information security