The Risks of Virtual Private Networks

Small business owners are always searching for that “special something” that will provide added value to their offering. In 2020, with COVID-19 causing all kinds of chaos, it has been hard for businesses to commit to any new investments. To keep revenue coming in, a lot of businesses have been forced into letting their staff to work remotely. To make this work, many have rolled out VPN for their business, but like seemingly everything else, there are very serious risks about relying too heavily on your VPN. Listed below are a look at some of these risks.

What is a VPN?

A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a tool utilized by individuals and businesses to create a secure connection with resources stored on private infrastructure. Basically it offers an encrypted pathway to send and receive data and is available from anywhere that there is an Internet connection. Alas, cybercriminals target the front end of the VPN solution and it’s causing some organizations to rethink their remote security strategies. 

How are VPNs at Risk?

Like every cybersecurity tool, the VPN aims to keep unauthorized people out of your business. The problem starts with the often-public networks used to access the private networks using the VPN. Hackers make a point to target these public networks, and since a VPN is an Internet-facing system, users are exposed longer than they would be if they were just hooked directly into the private network they are accessing resources on. Hackers run their own code to access the secure endpoint, steal data, install viruses and other malware, and sabotage systems from the inside, presenting major problems for any business. 

Patched Software Wins Again

This may concern you, but if your VPN software is routinely patched, these issues will be few and far between. It’s as simple as installing the new firmware and software patches released by the developer in a timely fashion. With up-to-date software, the risk of a data breach is significantly reduced. 

At Macro Systems, we offer a comprehensive patch management platform designed to close vulnerabilities and keep unauthorized entities out of your business’ network. If you would like to talk to one of our IT experts about getting a reliable VPN for your business, call us today at 703-359-9211.