What is Remote Access VPN? Benefits of Remote Access VPN

As remote work continues to grow in popularity, companies must find ways for employees to access data, applications, and services from any location. To address this need, many people are turning to remote access virtual private networks (RA VPNs). Continue reading with Getnada to discover what a remote access VPN is and how it works.

What is Remote Access VPN

A remote access virtual private network (VPN) allows remote workers to securely connect to applications and data located in the corporate data center and headquarters, ensuring all transmitted data is encrypted.

This type of VPN establishes a secure tunnel between the network and the remote user, maintaining the privacy of the connection. The encrypted traffic prevents eavesdroppers from interpreting the data. Remote users can access and interact with the network as if they were on-site, thanks to remote access VPNs. This ensures that data transmission remains secure, protecting against interception and tampering.

How Does a Remote Access VPN Work?

A remote access VPN operates by creating a secure, encrypted connection from a user’s device to the corporate network. The process starts with a VPN client that handles the initial authentication, ensuring that only authorized users can establish a connection. Once authenticated, the VPN client software forms an encrypted tunnel to the VPN gateway. This gateway functions as the VPN server, enabling a secure pathway for data transmission.

Even over public internet networks, all data transmitted through the tunnel is encrypted, ensuring its confidentiality and integrity. The secure tunnel extends the network’s perimeter to the remote user, effectively placing them within the corporate network. This process allows for safe access to internal resources such as applications, file servers, and databases.

A remote VPN often includes security features such as multi-factor authentication and advanced encryption standards. Additional layers of security ensure that the connection remains private and protect the corporate network from potential threats introduced by remote devices.

What is a VPN connection? Types of VPN and how does it work

Benefits of Remote Access VPN

Below are the benefits of Remote Access VPN

Secure Remote Connectivity

A remote access VPN provides secure connections to the corporate network for remote and mobile users. By encrypting data traffic, it ensures the confidentiality of communications and safeguards the integrity of sensitive information.

Potentially Cost-Effective 

Deploying a remote access VPN can be a cost-efficient way to extend network access beyond the physical office boundaries. For some businesses, it can postpone the need for significant infrastructure investments initially.

Simplified Management

Remote access VPNs streamline network management by offering a centralized point for controlling user access and security policies. Administrators can efficiently manage connections, oversee security, and enforce policies without requiring complicated on-site setups.

Security Risks Associated with Remote Access VPNs

VPNs generally provide basic security through user authentication and data encryption. However, they can also introduce several risks due to insufficient security measures or vulnerabilities. These risks include:

Excessive User Permissions: VPNs do not offer detailed access control to specific resources. Users connect using a shared pool of VPN-assigned IP addresses, allowing them to potentially access unauthorized resources. This can expose sensitive data and systems to unauthorized users.

Insecure Endpoints: VPNs do not assess the security status of connecting devices, which can introduce malware into the network.

Home Users Lacking Comprehensive Security: While businesses have complete security solutions in their main and branch offices, employees’ home environments typically lack this level of protection.

Single Point of Failure: A VPN appliance can be a single point of failure. If it malfunctions or is disabled by a denial-of-service (DoS) attack, it can lead to significant business disruptions, especially for organizations with a large remote workforce.

Vulnerabilities Exploited by Hackers: Businesses must continuously monitor for security vulnerabilities and update their equipment. Unpatched vulnerabilities can put the entire organization at risk.

Lack of Visibility: The encryption provided by an SSL VPN can obscure activities within the connection. This means a malicious insider can carry out attacks remotely, and network managers may be unable to detect or intercept the malicious data being transmitted.

Remote Access VPN Trends

While the outlook for remote access VPNs is promising, particularly with the rise in remote and hybrid work arrangements, there may also be challenges to navigate along the way.

More bring your own device (BYOD) arrangements for remote workers

One of the key advantages of VPN technology is enabling remote workers to use their own devices, a practice known as Bring Your Own Device (BYOD). This approach allows employees to use personal devices for work, offering benefits such as increased productivity and the flexibility to work from home.

Additionally, the trend of digital nomadism and remote work is growing. The ability to live and work from anywhere in the world is an appealing concept for many employees, made possible through the use of remote access VPNs.

People setting up personal VPN servers

In recent years, data breaches and cyber attacks through third-party providers have significantly impacted the cybersecurity industry. As a result, many customers are questioning the trustworthiness of certain cybersecurity providers, including those offering remote VPN services. Consequently, there is a growing trend of individuals and organizations setting up their own VPNs using network access control (NAC) devices or firewalls.

More restrictions on the use of VPNs

In many countries with internet censorship, VPN services are commonly used to bypass restrictions. However, governments in these nations are aware of this and may take steps to ban or block VPN providers.

For example, the Russian government issued an ultimatum to ten VPN providers, demanding compliance with internet regulations to continue operating in Russia. These providers were instructed not to allow their Russian customers access to restricted websites. Failure to comply would result in action against them. Such measures are becoming increasingly common in countries that seek to control access to online content.