# VPN (virtual private network)

> A VPN (virtual private network) is an encrypted connection across the internet between a device and a private network, or between two networks, that lets data travel as if both ends were on the same private network.

Also called: virtual private network, remote access VPN, site-to-site VPN, business VPN.

There are two common business types. A remote access VPN connects one laptop or phone to the office network through an app, so the user can reach file shares and internal systems from anywhere. A site-to-site VPN permanently links two locations, such as two offices or an office and a cloud network, through their firewalls. In both cases the traffic is encrypted in transit.

A VPN lets staff use systems that should never be exposed directly to the internet, such as a file server, an accounting package, or remote desktop. It is also how many small businesses join branch offices without paying for private lines. Consumer VPN services sold for privacy are a different product: they hide your browsing from the local network but do not connect you to your office.

A VPN usually gives the connected device broad access to the network, so a stolen login or an infected laptop gets the same reach. Require multi-factor authentication, limit what VPN users can access, and keep the VPN device patched, because flaws in these products are actively targeted by attackers. For cloud-only businesses a VPN may be unnecessary. We set up and maintain business VPNs alongside firewalls and remote access.

## Where we do this work

- [Network setup](https://techpitsolutions.systems/services/network-setup)
- [Cybersecurity services](https://techpitsolutions.systems/services/cybersecurity)

## See also

- [Firewall](https://techpitsolutions.systems/glossary/firewall): A firewall is a device or piece of software that sits between networks, typically an office network and the internet, and allows or blocks traffic according to a set of rules.
- [Zero trust](https://techpitsolutions.systems/glossary/zero-trust): Zero trust is a security approach that never assumes a user or device is safe just because it is inside the company network. Every access request is checked against identity, device health, and permissions before it is allowed.
- [Multi-factor authentication (MFA)](https://techpitsolutions.systems/glossary/multi-factor-authentication): Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is a sign-in method that requires two or more different kinds of proof, such as a password plus a code from a phone app or a physical security key, before it grants access to an account.

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Source: https://techpitsolutions.systems/glossary/vpn

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