The increase in remote work has affected most businesses and industries. It offers employees more flexibility and a better work-life balance. However, even with such benefits, there are challenges that come with remote work. One of these challenges is having enough privacy and security. Using internet connections to transfer sensitive data can make remote workers more vulnerable to cyber threats, data breaches, and privacy violations, especially when they access sensitive company information outside the secure office environment. 

According to Zoom, “75% of employees believe that their organization’s current remote work tools and technology require upgrades.” An effective tool remote workers can use to address vulnerabilities is a Virtual Private Network (VPN). VPNs have many features that remote workers can benefit from. In this blog post, we’ll go through the reasons every remote worker needs a VPN and how it can enhance both individual security and overall company safety.

Understanding VPNs: What Do They Do?

A VPN is a tool that can create a secure, encrypted connection between your device and the internet. When your device connects to the internet through a VPN, the data is sent into an encrypted tunnel reaching a remote server. This masks your IP address. Then the data is sent to the website you are visiting and the response is sent back to your device the other way around.

VPNs are invaluable when it comes to protecting company data on personal devices. They prevent third parties—such as hackers, governments, or even your Internet Service Provider (ISP)—from spying on your online behavior or intercepting sensitive data. The security they provide is especially critical when connecting to unsafe networks such as public Wi-Fi. Here’s why every remote worker should consider using a VPN:

1. Securing Public Wi-Fi Connections

Remote workers often have to use Wi-Fi networks that are not considered safe by any means. Even if they are, there’s usually no way for the user to know the network is safe beforehand. Locations outside the home or office such as coffee shops, libraries, or airports are practically goldmines for malicious actors and hackers since they lack proper encryption. This makes you and your data vulnerable to eavesdropping or man-in-the-middle attacks. 

When remote workers use VPNs while connected to public Wi-Fi, they can feel safe since the VPN encrypts their data before sending it through an unsafe network. This extra security blanket helps protect sensitive information that might get the remote worker in trouble if leaked; information such as login credentials, emails, and confidential work documents.

2. Protecting Sensitive Company Data

No matter the network you connect to, when it comes to handling sensitive company data, it’s always best to be safe than sorry. Sensitive company information can include anything, from internal communications to client data and financial records. When your company allows you to access sensitive information outside of a secure office environment, part of the responsibility falls on you to keep the data private.

Whether it is your fault or not, if a hacker or malicious actor gains access to sensitive company data it can lead to disastrous consequences, including financial loss, reputational damage, and legal liabilities. A VPN provides an extra layer of protection by encrypting all data transmitted between your device and the company’s network. This ensures that even if a hacker were to intercept the data, they would be unable to read or use it. VPNs are especially important for remote workers who frequently access corporate networks, cloud services, or company servers.

3. Preventing Bandwidth Throttling

Remote work usually depends on a stable and fast internet connection. Especially when it comes to data-heavy tasks such as video conferencing, cloud collaboration tools, or file-sharing services. Unfortunately, some Internet Service Providers (ISPs) deliberately slow down the user’s internet during peak usage times or when they detect high data usage by a user. This type of bandwidth throttling can greatly affect the quality of remote work.

VPNs allow remote workers to bypass bandwidth throttling since it masks the online activities of users even from the ISPs. Since your ISP is unable to monitor your online behavior or throttle your connection based on specific activities. This can result in a faster, more reliable internet connection, allowing you to work more efficiently.

4. Accessing Restricted Content and Services

One of the perks of working remotely is that an employee can be anywhere in the world. It grants workers the ability to freely travel if they are able to deliver their tasks and fulfill the duties in their job description. But when living in a different region, it might so happen that there are geo-restrictions on some services such as banking or types of content that the remote worker needs access to. In these cases, remote work from a different region becomes more of a hassle instead of a perk.

The fix to this problem is quite easy with a VPN. When you use a VPN, you usually have a few choices as to where you want the remote server (which will mask your IP address) to be located. For example, if you’re working from abroad and need to access a company server or a cloud-based tool that’s only available in your home country, a VPN can help you bypass those restrictions. This ensures that you can work seamlessly from anywhere in the world, without worrying about content being blocked or inaccessible.

Conclusion

Since remote work has become the new norm, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of ensuring network security cannot be overstated. Remote workers can use VPNs to keep company data safe and secure while also making their own jobs much easier when traveling.

From encrypting data on public Wi-Fi to protecting against cyber threats, a VPN is an essential investment for every remote worker. Ensure your remote work experience is safe and secure with HorizonVPN. Visit HorizonVPN to take the first step toward protecting your online privacy and security.