Remote Access VPNs establish an encrypted tunnel between your organization’s network and an individual remotely located, making it impossible for hackers to gain access to sensitive data.
Ideal for businesses that employ workers who work from home or remotely, mobile working is a fantastic solution for businesses that rely on remote staffing arrangements.
Security
As business operations become more mobile, employees require access to applications and files stored on corporate servers at headquarters or data centers. Remote Access VPNs protect these connections by encrypting all communications between the user and company network – keeping sensitive information out of hackers’ reach.
The best remote access VPNs come equipped with features designed to streamline IT workflow and support compliance with industry regulations, such as Single Sign-On integration, Two-Factor Authentication and mobile support. The result is an easily managed cloud platform which helps cut costs for enterprises while simultaneously improving employee productivity by decreasing time spent performing repetitive tasks such as troubleshooting software functionalities.
Traditional remote access VPN solutions entail using a virtual private network (VPN), which creates an encrypted tunnel between an employee’s device and corporate networks over public internet, accessible through VPN client software installed on the remote device and protected by data encryptor software installed on it. When the data arrives at corporate servers, it is decrypted and reconstitutes into usable formats that enable remote workers to access corporate applications and files as if working onsite at office.
Traditional remote access VPNs were once effective security solutions; however, in today’s cybersecurity landscape where sophisticated attackers are able to penetrate corporate systems quickly and move laterally across networks with relative ease, traditional VPNs no longer suffice as an adequate means of protection and support for modern workforces. Businesses must therefore invest in next-generation security solutions which offer advanced protection and support services.
Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA), combined with encrypted tunnel technology, is the optimal choice for enterprises. A solution such as NordLayer that’s tailored for remote teams and provides hardware-free digital protection helps remote workers securely connect to critical systems with ease while mitigating risk by employing a “trust none, verify all” policy requiring users and devices to reauthenticate when connecting to new networks.
Accessibility
As remote work becomes more widespread, employees need the ability to securely connect to company systems regardless of their physical location. A remote access VPN offers an effective solution, creating a virtual tunnel between user devices and networks so employees can safely connect to office resources as if they were physically in their office environment.
Remote Access VPN solutions allow employees to securely connect to apps and servers on the network with various authentication methods, giving businesses more flexibility for accommodating different working styles – whether employees prefer working from home, branch offices or on the go.
Strong remote access VPN solutions may be more secure than standard VPNs because they enforce zero trust policies and strict access controls, identify risky devices and require multiple-factor authentication before providing application access. This ensures only healthy devices gain entry to your network, helping reduce productivity-killing breaches or malware infections.
Remote Access VPNs offer more than just secure connections; they also feature strong encryption that scrambles data sent across the internet and restrict access based on device type or operating system – all helping protect sensitive information, avoid leakage of sensitive data, and block malicious actors from intercepting or altering crucial business communications.
Remote Access VPNs usually employ a server-side configuration that requires users to authenticate themselves before connecting to a private network. The server could be any number of network devices such as routers and firewalls that have been set up with this purpose in mind, as well as dedicated servers; in addition, these servers may also act as proxy for users so as to avoid having to go through central management consoles which may not offer as much protection.
Many remote access VPNs can be set to automatically connect when users log in, which can be particularly helpful for companies with multiple employees working remotely. To take advantage of this feature, an administrator may create a client profile which includes various settings controlled by them – otherwise default settings will apply.
Privacy
Since many employees now work from home or other remote locations, it’s critical that data protection measures be in place when connecting remotely. A Remote Access VPN offers this protection by encrypting traffic between an employee’s device and their company network; this prevents hackers from intercepting sensitive information.
Remote Access VPNs typically use SSL, Internet Protocol Security (IPsec), or Wireguard Protocol to establish secure tunnels between external devices and internal networks. These tunnels are protected by a network access gateway or server which authenticates users and their devices before encrypting all communications. Often this gateway or server takes the form of either a router/firewall configured specifically to serve this function or it could be a dedicated server connecting users across their own networks.
Remote Access VPNs feature advanced features to prevent unauthorized users from accessing company networks, including multi-factor authentication and endpoint compliance scanning to ensure only authorized users gain entry to it – protecting data even if devices are lost or stolen.
If an issue with your Remote Access VPN connection does arise, it’s essential that a plan be put in place to mitigate potential performance issues associated with remote connections. This may involve checking internet connectivity, validating login credentials and switching server locations or reaching out to support teams at providers for help. Furthermore, having solutions ready can also help mitigate performance issues due to remote connections.
Companies need to find ways to provide remote workers access to data and applications. VPNs are one way of accomplishing this goal, though other solutions exist which may offer greater security and productivity – including zero trust network access (ZTNA), software-defined perimeter, and Secure Access Service Edge models that may provide more appropriate protection than Remote Access VPNs due to the dynamic nature of modern workplaces.
Entertainment
Many entertainment websites only provide content in certain regions. By connecting through a VPN server in that location, it allows you to appear like you are from there – making your favorite shows, movies and music streaming freely without worrying about regional restrictions.
Authentication–Verifies that login data provided by an authenticated user matches those stored on their device. You can configure authentication settings within a remote access VPN policy, as well as Password Management to manage passwords for VPN users.
Authorization–Controls the services and commands a user is allowed to execute after successfully authenticating. Authorization settings can be configured in either your remote access VPN policy, or using CLI, you can create an authorization server object.
Connection Profiles–Configure the network and Internet addresses where clients connect when using remote access VPN. You can create new connection profiles by selecting “Create Connection Profile” in the Remote Access VPN Policy or edit an existing one by editing its settings within that policy.
Certificate to Connection Profile Mapping–When creating remote access VPN policies, assign a Secure Client image for every remote access VPN policy. Be sure to assign an operating system compatible Secure Client file package so that the correct version of software will be downloaded to each client when a VPN session begins.
