VPNs have also become the go-to solution to protect sensitive company data
We often think of a virtual private network ( VPN) as a consumer service that maximizes Internet freedom while protecting user privacy. For small and medium- sized businesses, VPNs have also become the go- to solution to protect sensitive company data and shield business communications from prying eyes.
“The primary reason that these businesses use a VPN is to keep their data secure when employees are working outside the office,” says Benjamin van Pelt, founder and CEO of global VPN provider TorGuard.
At some point, most employees will find themselves forced to use a public hotspot or Wi- Fi services from a hotel or airport.
“These networks can be easily compromised by bad actors,” says Van Pelt. “A small handheld device known as a Wi- Fi pineapple can scan the area for login requests and then pretend to be the trusted network you want to sign onto. The person sitting next to you at the coffee shop may not just be writing bad poetry — they could be downloading your sensitive business information.”
TorGuard’s business VPN service drills a secure tunnel through the network to securely connect employees with their businesses. Even on insecure networks, hackers will detect nothing of value.
Security is also important at a company’s home base. A TorGuard VPN can encrypt all information shared between users so that this information is undecipherable to outsiders.
“They need to lock down their internal networks with a securely encrypted layer placed over their Internet service,” says Van Pelt. “A VPN encrypts data so it can’t be used or understood by corporate spies. Your Internet service provider ( ISP) might also routinely log anything from sensitive correspondence to contracts and trade secrets that you transmit. Encryption makes the data worthless to anyone who hacks your ISP.”
TorGuard’s services aimed at medium- sized businesses also offer a range of dedicated, encrypted VPN IPs — unique addresses that identify specific users who log onto the company’s business network.
“Each of these unique IP addresses can be assigned to specific employees who have access to sensitive systems,” says Van Pelt. “If I assign a specific VPN IP address to the system administrator, only that person is able to access areas of the network assigned to them. Access using any other IP address will be denied. It’s one of the most effective ways to improve security and protect business portals from unauthorized access.”
In countries such as Russia and China, the noose is tightening on business VPNs, which are either being outlawed or replaced by state- approved services.
The primary reason that businesses use a Vpn is to keep their data secure when employees are working outside the office.
“That’s made it difficult for contractors working for Canadian companies in those countries to secure their Internet usage,” says Van Pelt. “They’re also blocked from using business tools such as Google apps, Slack and Dropbox. We’ve committed a lot of resources to ensure that we offer several approaches to stealth VPN, each designed to overcome a specific form of government control in those countries.”
Each stealth VPN technology features double- layered encryption so that government censors can’t spot the secure VPN tunnel. Once logged in to the TorGuard service, contractors can return to business as usual.
“But my advice to businesses is the same, whether they operate entirely in Canada or internationally,” says Van Pelt. “If you’re not fully in control of your network, then you want to use a VPN.”