Cybersecurity spending from companies worldwide is estimated to exceed a total of $133.7 billion in 2022. No one is exempt from the threat of cyber attacks. Nor small or medium businesses can’t always afford to throw heaps of money at cybersecurity experts and products. But the good news is that not every security implementation comes with an expensive price tag – namely VPNs.
A virtual private network (VPN) is a service that encrypts data sent over the internet, encasing it in a protective tunnel. With proper implementation, VPNs can help protect businesses from many of the security threats they face today. Here are the 5 significant cybersecurity benefits a VPN provides to companies.
1. More Anonymity Online
Anonymity might not seem like the most important thing for a company or its employees, but it can be an asset. Around 66% of SMBs reported having been attacked recently, according to this 2019 Ponemon Institute report.
Part of the reason why businesses get targeted so quickly is that their network’s IP address (or addresses) becomes known. Attackers can abuse this knowledge in several ways that could damage the company’s reputation, digital assets, or bottom line—one of the biggest threats being DDOS attacks.
When using a VPN, however, a network’s IP address gets replaced by the VPN server’s one. It allows companies to keep their real IP address from becoming public knowledge.
2. Increased Protection From Cyber Attacks
A VPN’s encryption protects all data that is shared via a network connection. Encryptions scramble data and make it unreadable to those who don’t have the right key to unlock it.
It means that even if attackers manage to capture any information in transit, they won’t be able to make sense of it. Every encryption algorithm uses a random string of bits (a key) to turn information into ciphertext. So there’s almost no chance for an attacker to decipher it.
A VPN cannot protect against every type of attack, so it shouldn’t be considered an all-encompassing security solution. It’s still essential for the management or information security (infosec) teams to take a well-rounded approach to the company’s digital security.
3. A Greatly Reduced Risk of Remote Working
Remote working and telecommuting are becoming more common worldwide, necessitating stricter security guidelines. Employees are getting the job done from their homes, coffee shops, coworking spaces, and even while on the bus. All of this is fantastic for increased productivity and collaboration, but terrible news for company security.
Home networks and personal devices aren’t as secure as those at the offices. Another problem is that people usually rely on unsecured public networks as well, which are vulnerable to threats like WiFi spoofing.
Using a VPN, the company can ensure that its employees have a secure connection to internal systems. Any crucial files or intellectual property will be protected when shared via the internet.
4. Reassurance Through DNS Leak Protection
A DNS leak is a pretty common security flaw in which ISP-owned DNS servers leak information because they send unencrypted DNS requests. DNS leaks carry information like a device- or network’s IP address, the websites a person visited, and the IP addresses of those websites.
This information might not be attractive to everyone, but it’s interesting to a hacker looking for their next phishing target. All they have to do is look at the websites employees regularly visit, then create a targeted spear-phishing campaign to steal login details.
VPNs are one of the best defences against this type of cyberthreat. Just check a VPN provider’s features before signing in to make sure it offers DNS leak protection.
5. Accessing Business Assets From Overseas
A VPN is a must for any company with employees that travel overseas for business. For security reasons, many companies limit access to their internal network to certain IPs. Some VPNs even offer business plans to help companies manage this.
On top of that, many websites are often blocked in some countries. A VPN can help employees access information and stay connected to their home turf by using a dedicated VPN IP address.
Summary
These days companies face a lot of risk from many digital threats. They cannot ignore the problem any longer lest they fall victim to a bottom-line breaking cyberattack or data breach. VPNs provide network protection and hold many cybersecurity benefits for those who integrate this technology into their digital security procedures.