As more and more business operations take a digital-first approach, the importance of safety tools becomes much more apparent. While there are a number of online safety tools for businesses to utilize, many businesses still feel uncomfortable with outsourcing these tools from third-party solutions providers in order to protect their own operations. Specifically, out of these mainstream tools, many businesses are split between the use of a VPN. Despite many businesses having the need for such a tool to defend their remote employees and their remote work, many are unsure on the security risks associated with these tools. Though it’s true that secure VPNs can help provide organizations with ample privacy from security risks such as hackers, data breaches and various surveillance, these tools do have cracks in the security façade. Depending on the provider, any business could actually be putting their entire operation at jeopardy. Throughout this post, the ways in which businesses can avoid these dangers, in addition to the many different security tools offered in the space will be broken down.
It’s important to note that while many businesses were invested into these security tools for the rare occasion, COVID-19 made VPNs and their alternatives a necessity for every business that moved their operations to a digital-first approach. Though many businesses have become more comfortable with offering their employees a safe and blended workspace environment, the time away from the office was defended by one of the many security tools offered. Data security needs will not be casted to the wayside now that many employees have returned to the office, in fact they’re likely going to grow as a result of businesses growing. In order to continue to facilitate this growth, selecting the right security tool is imperative.
The risks broken down below should help your business avoid investing into the wrong provider and select the best option for its needs.
Mediocre Encryption: without proper encryption, a VPN will never be capable of keeping your organization’s data private and secure. A proper configuration can ensure that hackers will struggle much more when attempting to access your organization’s data. Only invest into a VPN with a strong encryption.
Proper Defense Against Malware: investment into a VPN should mean that it’s capable of detecting and protecting against dangerous malware. If not properly defended, malware is capable of stealing financial information and personal data from infected machines. If an organization’s data is left vulnerable, it’s likely that their data can become encrypted.
Ensure Hardware Logs Remain Secure: internal data is not the only thing left vulnerable if your VPN isn’t effective enough. Hardware, including its logs, are largely at risk as well if the VPN you use for your business doesn’t have a zero-log policy. When these logs are left susceptible, data leaks are much more likely to occur. Be sure that your VPN can assist in hiding your IP address and the work your organization does.
Research Potential Partners: if at any point your business feels weary about the partnership it’s attempting to work toward, it’s suggested that you abandon any discussions with that partner. Failure to do so can lead to bad deals being bred and your organization being prey to third parties. Privacy policies should be read prior to establishing any partnership.
To learn more about the ways your organization can remain defended with the right security tools and the risks associated with a poor VPN provider, take a minute to read on to the infographic paired alongside this post for more valuable information. Infographic courtesy of Invisily.