We hear about it a lot now, but what is a VPN? We had recommended it to you among the tools to make the most of smart working, without giving too many explanations, let’s try now.
Let’s talk about VPN, or Virtual Private Network: what is it? The VPN is a software that allows you to create a virtual private network, which guarantees the encryption https://www.origina.com/ibm-products/websphere-application-server of Internet traffic and consequently the privacy and security of your online identity. We can use VPN to extend our local area network (LAN) to connect multiple locations together or connect remotely as if we were in our beloved office.
What is the VPN for?
The VPN is mainly used in business, companies and public administrations. Lately it is also becoming popular in the consumer sector, with services such as Nord VPN, TunnelBear or Express VPN. The exponential importance that the web has assumed in our lives has also consequently increased the risks of suffering cyber attacks. It therefore becomes essential to secure our data, sensitive or not.
The VPN is in fact used to encrypt internet traffic, creating a virtual tunnel between your client device (PC, smartphone, tablet) and a server, called a VPN server. Through this tunnel, data can travel safely, camouflaged and away from prying eyes. You can then make online purchases, send emails and log in to your favorite applications without the fear of your credentials being stolen.
Using the VPN
In the business environment, we use NordVPN services mainly to be able to connect multiple remote offices through the existing internet infrastructure, thus reducing extra infrastructure costs, in total safety. In doing so, we therefore allow access to servers, applications and documents to all authorized persons, in total security, avoiding exposing them to the public. Let’s also not forget the possibility of providing secure access to an employee connected remotely, even if in different parts of the world. This functionality, with the explosion of smartworking, has now assumed crucial importance.
In the consumer sector, we use the VPN mainly to surf safely under public networks (free public wi-fi for example) or to evade geographical blocks by accessing content not enabled in your country. In case you are not aware of it, in some states such as China, for example, it is not possible to use services such as Whatsapp, Instagram or Facebook. With a VPN you can connect to a server in Canada and evade the block, convenient isn’t it?
The main function, however, remains to protect your browsing by preventing your internet traffic from being intercepted, analyzed and therefore used for malicious purposes. The bad guys could in fact discover your sensitive data (bank accounts, social media or email logins), habits and preferences online to commit illegal activities.
Types of VPNs
There are mainly two types of VPN, which we will deal with in depth in the next articles:
Remote Access VPN Connection: Allows users to remotely connect to our VPN server. In this way they will then access the company services as if they were in the office. The pc or the entire place connected via the vpn therefore becomes an extension of the private network of our company. You will have guessed that this type of VPN is the one used for smarworking, for example, we talked about it here . To work it simply needs an internet connection and an application that establishes the application with the VPN server.
Site-to-site VPN connection allows you to connect two or more company offices and more. We can divide it in turn into vpn-intranet, i.e. VPN connection between multiple offices of the same company and vpn-extranet, i.e. VPN connection between offices of different companies. As with remote access VPNs, site-to-site also needs an internet connection to function properly. Normally, communication takes place between two or more hardware devices, called firewalls, which route communications from their respective offices to the VPN server.
How does a VPN work?
The VPN works over the internet, and precisely for this reason it requires complex security procedures to prevent malicious people from intercepting the communication and spying on our information packets. We can simplify the various processes by dividing them mainly into three phases.
Tunneling
It involves the creation of a real logical tunnel (virtual therefore, does not physically exist) between two devices used for the creation of the VPN. Packets (see ISO / OSI model and TCP / IP architecture), are encapsulated and routed through the tunnel. Once out of the tunnel, the encapsulation is removed and the packets reach their destination. To give a simpler example, imagine that you have purchased several items online. Our products are boxed and loaded on the van (encapsulation), which travels through a road used and reserved exclusively for him (tunnel) and once the road is finished and arrived at their destination the packages are removed from the van and delivered to you. You will then be the one to put them in the cupboard, in the bedside table or in the bathroom depending on the use they have.