Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a great technology that provides anonymity and privacy online. It’s also a great tool used by companies and individuals to prevent data breach risks and other cyberattacks.
One of the types of VPNs used by companies is site-to-site VPNs which securely connect two or more locations and networks. Although it is one of the most adopted security measures of companies, it can’t be perfect. It has various security benefits and potential risks, which you can learn about here.
How does site-to-site VPN Security work?
The basic and the most important purpose of site-to-site VPN security is to bring several company networks together. These networks can belong to a company’s remote offices that need to be connected to the headquarters.
Site-to-site VPNs encrypt all the communication between two corporate networks, and they block any interrupters if they are not validated components of a private network. By allowing different company networks to work together and communicate, they are perfect to create integrated networks with partners and other branches.
There are two types of site-to-site VPNs designed for different purposes. The first one is an intranet-based VPN which is used to combine remote offices of a company into the headquarters’ network. These VPNs allow remote offices to communicate safely using a private gateway, allowing employees to access each others’ resources.
The second type is extranet-based VPNs designed to bring different companies’ networks together safely. Suppose you have business partners with which you share information and business resources. Extranet-based VPN solutions allow you to do these without exposing your internal network to outside threats.
In essence, site-to-site VPN solutions create a collective network structure that is impossible to penetrate, easy to access for network users, and geographically unlimited.
These solutions are perfect if you have offices worldwide or business partners you work with. Implementing site-to-site VPNs is also effortless as cloud-based VPN vendors mostly provide them. Our suggestion among a market full of providers is NordLayer site-to-site VPN, giving their experience on cybersecurity and competitive prices.
Site-to-Site VPN Security Benefits
1. Secure connection of remote offices
If your company has remote offices that need to be intertwined with each other, you can’t just share their resources with an unencrypted connection.
This will pave the way for cyberattacks and data breaches. According to IBM’s report, data breaches cost companies $4.24 million in 2021 alone.
Site-to-site VPNs can single-handedly provide your branches or business partners with a secure way to connect their networks. Thus, your employees can easily work together without worrying about security.
2. Flawless internal network security
Internal network security is a significant concern when companies share their resources with partners. Companies understandably worry about compromising the whole corporate network.
By using an extranet-based site-to-site VPN, you can securely share related business information with your partners without endangering your company’s internal network.
3. Scalable cybersecurity
Another important concern for companies regarding cybersecurity is scalability. They don’t want to rip the whole structure apart to add a new office or user.
Site-to-site VPNs are incredibly scalable for two reasons. First, if you get the solution from a VPN provider as a VPNaaS, all maintenance, setup, and operations will be handled by your vendor.
Secondly, whenever you need to add a new user or a remote office to the network, you can simply add a new component and you’ll still be up and running without any interruption to your VPN structure.
4. Operational continuity even in dire situations
There are some things you basically can’t control. There might be a power outage in the area of one of your networks or a direct assault on one of your data centers. If you don’t use a site-to-site VPN solution, you may need to shut off all of your business operations.
Luckily, site-to-site VPNs are always operational and simply don’t go off even if one of its components is disconnected. You can still shut down the contaminated or attacked network and remain operational on your other networks.
Additionally, if natural disasters or attacks affect your employees, they can still access corporate resources by adding new locations to the VPN structure and working from elsewhere.
Potential risks of site-to-site VPNs
1. Potentially challenging visibility
Site-to-site VPNs aim to bring multiple networks together into an interconnected, encrypted, and always-protected network accessible to every user from every remote office. If this sounds somewhat complicated, it’s because it is.
These intertwined networks, with multiple resource categories and enormous numbers of users, might be challenging to navigate in terms of visibility. IT departments might get lost trying to understand who did what on one of your networks.
2. Lack of granular security
The main purpose of site-to-site VPNs is to create an encrypted, private gateway between corporate networks. It doesn’t deal with granular security measures such as continuous user verification or network segmentation.
Site-to-site VPNs might be adequate to protect the network from external threats, but they may not be the only solution you need. Verification-oriented cybersecurity services and VPN-based network segmentation by VPN vendors should be added to maximize network security, especially against internal threats. But don’t worry, these are all the things you can have as add-ons for nominal prices.
Conclusion
Site-to-site VPNs are one of the most widely adopted cybersecurity measures worldwide. They are especially popular with multi-office companies with several departments and networks. These solutions encrypt data transfer and protect your company’s networks from outside threats.
What you need to know about site-to-site VPNs is that no measure can cover up all of your cybersecurity needs, and they have potential risks, too.
But thankfully, you can benefit from site-to-site VPNs to help you communicate securely with your offices or partners and mitigate their potential risks by adding new features using your VPN provider’s services.