With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, many organizations were forced to transition to remote work, even though they would have preferred to keep operations within the office. While the transition was rough at first, these organizations may have found that remote work offers certain flexibilities that were impossible in the traditional office environment. That said, one looming threat was (and still is) a major concern for the remote workplace: security.

One of the major ways that businesses can protect their organization while working remotely is through the use of what’s called a virtual private network, or VPN.

What is a VPN?

When you connect your device to a virtual private network, what exactly is happening to the connection? It’s actually much more simple than it sounds; what it boils down to is that the device connects to an encrypted network over the Internet. This encryption allows for the secure transfer of data to and from the device, preventing onlookers from observing (or stealing) the data.

Think about it like looking at a pipe that is transferring something to and from a location. If the outside of the pipe is solid, onlookers cannot see what is in the pipe. When it is clear, you can see exactly what is inside it. Encryption in this case acts like an opaque pipe, obfuscating contents to the point where they cannot be seen clearly, but you still know that something is there. In VPN terminology, the pipe in the above scenario is referred to as a “tunnel.”

How Does It Help Your Business?

You can see how this would benefit the remote employee. Since the employee is not in-house working on the company network, they do not have access to the in-house security solutions that you may have implemented to keep your data safe. This is why encryption is so necessary; if you fail to protect your company’s assets through unsecured connections to your network, you are unnecessarily risking your company’s future.

Now, think about the possibilities that open up when you don’t have to worry about network security while out of the office. Employees can travel for business trips (when it’s safe to do so, of course) without fear of data being stolen while communicating with your home office. They can perform work from anywhere at any time, allowing for enhanced productivity without sacrificing security. They will not need to rely on public Wi-Fi connections or other unsecured networks to connect to your office.

We don’t want to beat a dead horse, but from a security and longevity standpoint, it just makes sense to implement a VPN.

Get Started with a VPN Today

If you are ready to take the leap and implement a virtual private network for your business, don’t wait any longer. 415 IT can help you deploy a solution that is specific to the needs of your organization. We’ll work with you to get the most secure solution at the best price point. To learn more about how a virtual private network can benefit your business, reach out to us at (415) 295-4898.