When your employees work remotely, especially from home or public Wi-Fi, their connection to your business network needs to be secure. A Virtual Private Network (VPN) creates a protected tunnel for data to travel between remote devices and your company's servers or cloud services. This means sensitive information, like customer details or financial records, is encrypted and less vulnerable to interception by cybercriminals.
Why VPNs matter for Australian small businesses
Without a VPN, remote workers might connect over unsecured networks, exposing your business to risks such as data breaches or ransomware attacks. A single compromised device can lead to downtime, loss of customer trust, and costly recovery efforts. For example, if a staff member logs in from a café Wi-Fi without protection, hackers could intercept their login credentials and gain access to your systems.
Using a VPN helps reduce these risks by ensuring all data traffic is encrypted. This also supports compliance with privacy expectations under Australian regulations, which often require reasonable safeguards for personal and business data. Additionally, a VPN can help maintain staff productivity by providing reliable, secure access to company resources from anywhere.
A practical example
Consider a 50-person Australian marketing agency with half its team working remotely. Without a VPN, one employee's laptop is infected with malware after connecting through an unsecured network, leading to a ransomware attack that locks critical files. The business faces days of downtime and potential data loss.
With a managed IT provider in place, the agency implements a VPN solution requiring all remote connections to use encrypted tunnels. The provider also enforces multi-factor authentication and monitors connections for unusual activity. When a phishing attempt targets an employee, the provider quickly isolates the threat, preventing broader impact and keeping the agency operational.
Checklist: What to do about VPNs for your remote workers
- Ask your IT provider: Do you recommend VPNs for remote access? What VPN technologies do you support? How do you manage and monitor VPN connections?
- Review proposals and SLAs: Check if VPN setup, maintenance, and support are included. Confirm response times for connectivity or security issues.
- Internal checks: Identify which staff need remote access and verify they use VPNs. Confirm password policies and multi-factor authentication are enforced alongside VPN use.
- Security controls: Ensure VPN endpoints (employee devices) have up-to-date antivirus and security patches.
- Training: Provide staff with clear instructions on how and when to use the VPN, including recognising phishing attempts and avoiding unsecured networks.
Implementing a VPN is a practical step to protect your business data and maintain smooth operations with remote workers. To ensure the solution fits your specific needs and integrates well with your existing infrastructure, talk to a trusted managed IT provider or IT advisor. They can help assess your risks, recommend appropriate VPN options, and support ongoing management without unnecessary complexity.