Online privacy and security are more vital than ever in today’s mostly remote work world. Many firms whose employees access corporate files away from company servers use virtual private networks (VPNs). In fact, during the coronavirus pandemic, VPN usage soared by 124% in the United States.
Using a VPN protects your online activity from hackers and cyberattacks. However, VPNs are not always the best option when it comes to protecting your company’s privacy and important data. You might want to check out some other alternatives, which may be a better option than VPN.
In this post, we will tell you some shortcomings companies have recorded about VPN use and some other alternatives you can opt for to protect your company’s privacy.
VPN Disadvantages
Many businesses are discovering that there are various VPN disadvantages as they adjust to the new normal. With remote access VPN, scalability, performance, and security can all become issues. Here are some of the disadvantages of VPNs for businesses.
- With the rise of large-scale remote work, the current VPN infrastructure is being pressed to accommodate a constant demand for which it was not designed. As a result, VPN servers are subjected to high loads, which can severely impact performance and user experience.
- VPN servers must be accompanied by management and security technologies since they give remote access but not enterprise-level security and monitoring. More configuration and maintenance are required as a result of the extra appliances and applications. The network grows increasingly complicated to scale as more solutions are brought in.
- VPN connections are made via the public Internet, hence network performance is inextricably linked to that of the public Internet. The internet’s instability may cause problems with mission-critical software and the user experience.
- There comes an unavoidable slowing of your internet connection with a VPN. You’ll lose some speed while your traffic passes via a VPN server as your activity is encrypted. When you join a server in a different region, there may be some delays.
Alternatives to VPN
You can consider moving from a VPN to an alternate security solution to offer the best protection, especially amid the remote work lifestyle. Here are some VPN alternatives for your company. If you want more details on your alternatives, click here.
#1: Identity and access management (IAM)
Most traditional VPNs often require a password. Yet, their security levels cannot be compared to some solutions that require a more sophisticated verification procedure to ensure the authenticity of login attempts.
IAM (identity and access management) is a set of corporate procedures, rules, and technology that makes managing electronic or digital identities easier. With an IAM architecture, Information technology (IT) administrators has the power to regulate the amount of vital information any user can access within their businesses.
Examples of IAM systems include multifactor authentication, single sign-on systems, privileged access management, and two-factor authentication. These technologies also you to safely store identification and profile data, as well as data governance capabilities that guarantee that only essential and relevant data is exchanged.
#2: Software-defined perimeter (SDP)
SDP is a method of hiding internet-connected infrastructure from external entities, whether on-premises or in the cloud. SDP provides a different approach to security than standard network-based security, concentrating on the user, the application, and the communication between them.
The SDP client is installed on each endpoint in an SDP architecture. End-users can connect to an SDP service provider’s cloud point of presence (PoP) manually or automatically. Users can connect to on-premises resources, cloud services, or both from there. A single console manages all users, endpoints, and policies.
If your VPN is creating problems for your organization, whether it’s due to lost user productivity because of delayed access, security risks owing to restricted visibility and control, or difficult administration given the rising complexity of the VPN architecture, SDP is a solution you should explore.
#3: Zero-trust
John Kindervag, a former Forrester analyst, invented the zero-trust security approach over a decade ago. Zero-trust security is based on the idea that every user and connection should be authenticated before accessing IT resources, regardless of where the connection originates.
By demanding protected and verified access to all resources, zero-trust increases security. A principle called “least privilege” is used to restrict users’ access to only the resources they need to do their tasks.
While VPNs still have a following, their application is becoming increasingly limited. Zero-trust is more secure, dependable, and versatile than VPNs, and it also performs better. If privileged users need remote access, zero trust can better secure systems by performing the appropriate checks, session monitoring, and log data analysis at each stage.
The zero-trust strategy with the least privilege principle is an important protection option against today’s threats.
Choosing a Different Remote Access Solution
VPN solutions are becoming less efficient as a secure remote access option as organizations’ IT architecture migrates away from the corporate LAN. It’s crucial to highlight that you shouldn’t stop VPN usage altogether. VPNs are beneficial and important, but they are not the most ideal choice for the current remote work climate.
We’re constantly bombarded with choices in our daily lives. Various VPN alternatives are available to enable safe remote access, depending on budgetary restrictions, security needs, and the need for wider usage of remote access. It’s critical to understand your requirements in order to choose the ideal VPN alternative for your company.
