Can you really trust your VPN?

Is a VPN safe to use? What’s your best alternative? When you’re exploring ways to enable your vendors to remotely access files on your network, you need to be sure your data will be kept safe. Yes, you want to keep productivity levels high and allow people to get what they need, when they need it by providing efficient access to your server. However, you also want to make sure your network is kept secure and that you’re minimizing the risk of data breaches. So, as the need grows for supporting geographically spread vendors, how can you make sure you’re validating identities and encrypting all data? And with the latest changes to internet privacy rules announced by the White House this month, how can you be sure you’re securing your sensitive data?

How VPNs might be letting you down

Technology levels

Trust is key – can you fully trust your VPN provider? Have they got an exemplary reputation? The provider might not be very well established and therefore lack the expertise and experience necessary to keep your network safe. By that same token, they might be using older PPTP technologies and not keeping up to date with new superior security levels. Do they provide enough ways to look for potential problems and are they equipped to deal with any suspicious issues?

Service levels

Your provider might provide a slow service and not allow you to cancel your subscription. They may not meet your connection number license demands, or they might not have enough server availability or distribution. Also, do you know the privacy policy of your VPN provider – what information they collect and how they plan to use that information? And do you have full transparency into what they’re responsible for? Can you be sure they’re following data retention laws? And hopefully, they’ve got your back with customer support if something should go wrong…

Encryption levels

Do you have proof that your VPN is providing cutting-edge encryption to ensure your data is fully protected? Your provider may have thrown a few fancy phrases out there, but what happens if your connectivity drops – can you count on the features they provide to keep you safe? Are they really protecting your privacy online? Many VPN security features slow your internet connectivity down, hampering productivity. You need to make sure your remote connections cannot be compromised, so a VPN may not be your best solution here.

Usability & functionality levels

Is the interface providing everything you need? It might be too complex, or it might not offer enough capacity to manage your connections and settings. It’s also important to remember what a VPN can and cannot do. VPNs have many limitations and may not be able to meet your performance needs. Aside from this, VPNs can leak data – how can you be sure yours isn’t doing so right now?

Scalability levels

Most VPNs are provided out of the box, with a one-size fits all approach – but they typically don’t provide all the protection an organization needs. You should consider choosing a purpose-built, scalable platform, to make sure you get the performance and protection your company demands. By bringing all users onto a single platform, you’ll improve user experience and be able to easily manage controls from a centralized location. Read this customer story to find out how SecureLink helped one company enhance connectivity and decrease security risks with access control. As a result, our customer saw its support efficiency increase and the cost of connectivity drop by 87%.