We hear about VPNs in advertisements on tv, radio, and online. They sound like they will keep us safe from all harm online. How much of this is true and how much is hype? For that matter, what is a VPN?
A virtual private network (VPN) is an encrypted connection from a device to a resource (often a corporate network) over the internet. The encrypted connection means that even if someone is eavesdropping on the communication channel, they cannot read the data. This secure, encrypted connection over the internet is known as a tunnel. The security piece takes place when the connection is established using tools like multi-factor authentication.
When using a VPN, the information you are sending and receiving online is not useful to anyone trying to collect it. The sites you visit, the data you enter on sites, and the data you receive from sites are not readable. This increases your privacy. That is the reason so many individuals pay for a VPN service to use at home.
There are two types of VPNs based on the connection being established. One is a remote access connection. These are what many people used during the height of COVID when they needed to work from home and keep corporate data secure. VPNs are an ideal way to do this. The second type of VPN is site-to-site. These connections are between two corporate locations like a headquarters network connecting to a branch office network. The data passing between the two needs to be secure and stay confidential.
Now, for a big twist, there are several countries where VPNs are illegal. Violators have even been jailed for using VPNs. In China, North Korea, and Iraq, VPNs are illegal and jailable offenses. In Russia and the United Arab Emirates, VPNs are legal, but with restricted use. One must be very careful not to use them in a way that rouses the interest of the authorities. With the exception of the UAB, the primary reason for the control on VPNs is information control. All four of these countries have strictly controlled and limited access to information. The use of VPNs would countermand their ability to monitor internet activity.
For more information, check out Cisco’s webpage on VPNs: https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/security/vpn-endpoint-security-clients/what-is-vpn.html
For more information on illegal VPNs: https://www.security.org/vpn/illegal/
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