Is it time to rethink your VPN system? Many remote work solutions are insecure and unreliable. Just ask your IT provider how many tickets are opened on a monthly basis for your remote work solution! 

A VPN is a system by which you can gain access to your computer systems, your network, and your servers by running special software on your computers outside of the network. This software will create what’s called an “encrypted tunnel” by which the data flows in and out of your network. As the data flows in and out, it cannot be read by anybody else. Sounds helpful, right? While using a VPN sounds simple and like the perfect remote work solution, did you know it may be leaving your data at risk? It may be time to rethink your VPN system, but let’s dig into the why:

1. It’s insecure

These solutions were never really designed to work with employees who are gone most of the time or employees that have access to larger and larger portions of your IT infrastructure because they are remote.

2.  It’s unreliable

Your system becomes unreliable because having large complex systems in place that were appropriate in the past but are no longer necessary for a proper remote work solution anymore.

3. Accessing your network becomes too complex

They often break, require excessive maintenance and upgrades to the software, and are a complicated means of gaining access to your data. When your process requires several steps before your team can do their job, you waste time and money. 

Here’s a classic VPN scenario:

turn on computer > run software > several click throughs > usernames and passwords > multi-factor authentication

All of this combines to make it very difficult for your teams to do their jobs because they’re stuck having to go through several steps just to start their day. VPNs have been around for a long time and are considered a helpful security tool. However, while they do enhance security, it is an outdated technology that is so complex it causes your teams to want to sidestep it or bypass it any way they can.

4. Workarounds and sidestepping the rules become the norms 

When your process is complicated, instead of using the solutions as it was meant to be used, often you will see team members sidestepping your VPN and essentially making it pointless. VPNs, firewalls, and controlling desktops remotely are all outdated solutions that put your security at risk simply because they are cumbersome and unreliable for your team.

5. Team training becomes time-consuming at inefficient

These old solutions also has many security issues. The process is so complex that training your teams to do it correctly is very difficult. Eventually, your team will create their own solutions to get their job done because it takes so much extra time, training and knowledge of the system to be productive.

While the concept of a VPN sounds helpful in theory, it just isn’t realistic for your remote work team because that just isn’t what it was designed for! From overly complicated processes to insecure data, VPN’s are never the way to go for a remote team solution. Now, if you’re interested in a solution that will actually help your team stay safe and efficient, that’s where we come in! We’d love to share some tips on how to bring your team up to speed. Set up a consult here.

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How to Get Microsoft 365 Set Up Right

 

Prepare your business to go remote and discover: 

     
  • How to easily understand user permissions 
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  • The importance of developing and maintaining an organizational chart
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  • Different types of user “access” and why you may choose one over another

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