I often suggest my client’s use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to protect their business. Today I wanted to share what a VPN is and why you should be using one if you run a business.

What is a Virtual Private Network and how does it work? A virtual private network of VPN is an application that provides end to end encryption for communications over the internet. It prevents people, or programs, from seeing you conversations or accessing communications. It redirects your internet connection to a remote server run by the VPN provider. This essentially puts your internet traffic in a tunnel making it more difficult for other people to view it making the data more private and secure.

If you’re running a business you really don’t want random people on the internet looking at your stuff. Even if you don’t have anything to hide it’s still not something that you should leave open. The thing is your clients probably don’t want their stuff that you’re working on shared with random people on the internet. Some of us, me included, work in industries that require certain cybersecurity protocols. As a tax preparer I’m required to have a cybersecurity plan in place to prevent someone from gaining access to thousands of tax returns. My VPN is one part of that plan.

VPNs are also very useful when travelling. A VPN allows you to change where the website you’re viewing thinks you are; so if you are geographically locked out of a certain site you can use a VPN to make the site’s server think you are somewhere else. If you go on a business trip out of the country you may discover your streaming subscription won’t work. With a VPN you simply set your server to the US and you have access to the content you paid for again. Or if you travel to certain countries that restrict internet access a VPN can allow you to bypass those restrictions.

Or if you use public Wifi at airports, coffee shops, etc. Those connections can be very dangerous to use without a VPN.

I’m not an overly paranoid person but I think we can all agree the government is watching someone somewhere; it may be you it may not. If this a concern a VPN can eliminate a large portion of local and federal government’s ability to track what you’re doing electronically