VPN

VPNs (Virtual Private Networks)

VPN technology allows organisations to establish secure communications and data privacy between multiple networks and hosts using IPSec and secure sockets layer (SSL) VPN protocols. VPN services leverage encryption and decryption of network traffic. Once the traffic has been decrypted, multiple threat inspections - including antivirus, intrusion prevention, application control, email filtering and web filtering - can be applied and enforced for all content traversing the VPN tunnel.

Enable protected / encrypted point to point communications

A virtual private network (VPN) is the extension of a private network that encrypts links across shared or public networks like the Internet / public cloud environments.

Packets that are intercepted on the shared or public network are indecipherable without the encryption keys.

VPN technology allows a corporation to connect to branch offices, companies or anywhere over a public internetwork (such as the Internet) while maintaining secure communications.

User to back office
User to application / database server
Site-to-Site VPN
Enterprise to cloud
Mobile user to cloud

Types of VPN solutions

IPSec

Mobile devices such a laptops, smartphone and iPad / tablets are good for mobile working and increasing productivity outside the office, but they can be vulnerable outside the protection of the corporate network.

IPSec VPN clients extend the protection by ‘virtually’ connecting them to the corporate network

Client based software installed into users device. The software establishes secure connection back to corporate network.

Client software is usually bundled with multiple security features that extend corporate policy to the endpoint device, such as, anti- Virus, IPSec VPN, Anti-malware / spyware, browser protection, URL filtering, anti spam and DLP data loss prevention, on device encryption.

Mobile VPN

Automated per application VPN session for specific applications accessible from a users mobile device or connections to cloud-based apps.

SSL VPN

Ensure secure access for your remote, mobile workforce – Anytime, Anywhere

Provide secure, location and device independent network connectivity to remote and mobile users from any web-enabled device - anytime, anywhere, through a simple, intuitive interface.

> Sometimes also referred to as an Application Layer Site-to-Site VPN

> Secure access from a broad range of mobile and non-mobile devices, including laptops, desktop PCs, smartphones, tablets, and other Wi-Fi or 3G-enabled devices is available.

> Enables online meetings and collaboration, using virtually any device.

Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) virtual private network (VPN) products, better known as SSL VPNs, protect the confidentiality and integrity of communications between systems.

Although SSL VPN can theoretically be used between any two endpoints - such as a gateway-to-gateway VPN architecture - today's SSL VPN products are most often used as a remote access VPN architecture. This means there is a single SSL VPN gateway (server) for an organisation and many SSL VPN clients - desktops, laptops, smartphones, tablets etc, that access the corporate network through that gateway.

> Remote, Authenticated Access to Applications and Data

Since the SSL protocol is already built into most web browsers as HTTPS, no additional endpoint configuration is typically required.

Application layer site-to-site VPN
Application layer site-to-site VPN solution that makes it easy to link-up remote offices, temporary sites, or 3rd parties. It is simple to setup and install, requires no on-site support, and provides a high-performance, secure VPN link.

Clientless Access
Empower secure, scalable BYOD

Clientless option that does not require that any additional hardware or software to be used or installed on the user's device; instead, it provides secure authentication through an Internet browser-based logon.

This solution enables companies to extend selected corporate applications to remote employees, customers, and business partners through a standard Web browser.

IP Sec VPN vs SSL VPNs
IPSec VPNs protect IP packets exchanged between remote networks or hosts and an IPSec gateway located at the edge of your private network. SSL VPN products protect application streams from remote users to an SSL gateway. In other words, IPSec connects hosts to entire private networks, while SSL VPNs connect users to services and applications inside those networks.

Also See: SSL for secure web traffic and application data

(where a remote users web or application traffic is re-directed to corporate proxy filtering server or cloud based filtering managed service)

SSL forward proxy for securing outbound traffic

SSL proxy for wide area network (WAN) optimisation

HTTPS reverse proxy for web server acceleration

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