Technological advancements have not only made the world more collaborative, but also changed society. Societal changes come with new needs and solutions. Such is the case with remote work and working from home. How can you safely connect to your company’s systems when not in the office? The answer is via Virtual Private Networks or VPNs.
Some understand VPNs as a way to access foreign content and enhance privacy when browsing. However, services like Surfshark CANADA offer much more than this. They have the power to decentralise your organisation to some extent and allow a safe yet flexible working environment. Let’s check out how VPNs help secure access and enhance collaboration.
Securing Remote Access
When you think about safeguarding your documents, you probably consider top-of-the-line hardware first. However, even the best SSD drive doesn’t ensure that communications between you and a remote workplace are safe.
If your office computer is a vault, metaphorically speaking, your work files are treasures kept safe inside. If you work from home and need to access those files, VPNs can help you by creating an encrypted connection between your home and office servers.
It means that your connection is undecipherable to third parties in the unlikely case that any of the computers are compromised.
Work from Anywhere
What about going for a nice cup of morning coffee and staying at the coffee shop for a relaxing day of work? The allure of the aromatic brew and ambient hum might make you forget about the dangers of the public Wi-Fi you’re about to connect to.
Because any hacker with a modicum of skill can intercept data transmissions in public networks, they are unsafe by nature. However, that’s when VPNs come to the rescue.
A VPN redirects your connection through a private server, meaning your IP address is hidden and your activity obscured. A cybercriminal would need to break the VPN’s encryption protocols, which is no small feat.
Collaborative Encryption
Remote work isn’t only reserved for solo adventures; it’s also about teamwork. Many organisations span the globe, meaning that teams can be spread across different continents and timezones yet working together on the same project.
A VPN encrypts your communications, making it a virtual language of sorts that only your team understands. It encompasses all activities, such as sharing files, video conferencing, or messaging your colleagues.
If all teams need access to a central hub, how would you make it safe for them to connect? A VPN works not only when people connect but also when many need to connect to a central node, in this case, the company headquarters.
Bypassing Geo-Restrictions
A VPN is extremely useful to bypass restrictions based on local laws when you’re a travelling worker. For example, local regulations might impede access to certain resources you need, such as news sites. You might also need to access resources limited to specific regions.
Because VPNs allow you to change your virtual location, it looks like you’re accessing the content from a different region, allowing you to work as if you were elsewhere.
Thanks to encryption, you can also work safely with the knowledge that no hostile regime or group can eavesdrop on what you’re doing, making a VPN your best ally.
