11. Feb 2023

Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) have become a critical tool for businesses and organisations to secure their online communications and protect sensitive data as more and more employees adopt remote working in the post-COVID world. As more employees work remotely and access the internet from public Wi-Fi networks, the risk of cyber attacks and data breaches increases. This makes it imperative for organisations to implement robust security measures to protect their network and data. We are often approached by organisations asking what the most important steps to securing their VPNs are, and have summarised the most important points below.

1. Use strong cryptographic standards

One of the most important steps in securing a VPN for your business is to use strong cryptographic standards. Cryptography is the science of encoding messages to protect the privacy and confidentiality of the data being transmitted. To ensure that your VPN is secure, it’s important to use encryption standards that are widely accepted and considered to be secure, such as AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) and RSA.

2. Enable two-factor authentication (2FA)

Two-factor authentication (2FA) is a security measure that requires two forms of authentication to access an account. This means that even if an attacker knows your username and password, they still can’t access your VPN without the second form of authentication. 2FA adds an extra layer of security and helps protect your VPN from unauthorised access.

3. Use strong passwords

It’s essential to use strong passwords for all VPN accounts, and using three random words as a password can be an effective way to achieve this. This approach results in a password that is easy to remember yet difficult for a computer to guess. Encouraging employees to use this approach for their VPN passwords and to change them regularly can help prevent unauthorised access to your VPN.

4. Regularly update software

Cybercriminals are constantly looking for vulnerabilities in software to exploit, and VPNs are no exception. Regularly updating your VPN software to the latest version is an effective way to close any security holes and keep your VPN secure. Your VPN provider should release updates regularly, and it’s important to install them as soon as they are available.

5. Monitor network activity

Regular monitoring of network activity is an important step in securing your VPN. This involves monitoring the VPN logs to detect any suspicious activity, such as unauthorised access attempts or data breaches. By monitoring network activity, you can quickly identify any security threats and take action to address them.

Securing a VPN for your business is essential to protect sensitive data and ensure the privacy of your online communications. Forfend consultants have large amounts of experience testing VPN implementations and identifying weak configurations that could result in the compromise of critical organisational data. Contact us today and let us help you secure your VPN solution.