Why Corporate VPN Use Is on the Rise

The virtual private network (VPN) was introduced in the 1990s, but it wasn’t until the 2010s that VPNs began to gain traction with widespread use. While they were initially reserved for those a bit obsessed with privacy, they became more common as everyone was made aware that they should be obsessed with privacy. The corporate VPN has become a way for safely accessing company resources, and a third of total internet users are using a VPN.

How Does a Virtual Private Network Work? A VPN will conceal an IP address before it is directed to a remote server hosted by the VPN provider. This process makes the host the source of your data, giving you the freedom to anonymously visit websites without the internet service provider or third parties seeing where you have visited or what data you send and receive. The VPN scrambles your data, making it of no value to anyone that might want it.

The Growth of the VPN Industry: In 2020, the VPN industry was estimated to be worth over $30 billion, with a predicted growth of 15% per year and a projected value of $75 billion by 2027. The election of Donald Trump in 2016 served to bump up VPN adoption, with providers witnessing a 25-40% increase in downloads in the first week. The growth was considered to be a reaction to Trump’s opposition to net neutrality.

Corporate VPN Supports Security: VPN use isn’t limited to personal technology. Businesses are also utilizing this solution. Cloud software is making it possible for people to work remotely, and as hybrid work continues to be the plan for many companies moving forward, businesses see the benefit of using VPNs for privacy and security. VPN providers are increasingly offering business-targeted packages that allow employees to access the network from anywhere without compromising security.

The difference between VPNs for personal use and corporate VPNs is that a corporate version offers a secure tunnel that is encrypted end-to-end between the employee and the company network resources. It limits access to company resources to only employees connected to VPN servers, which prevents all unwanted access and visibility to the business network. It also preserves the protection and anonymity of all web traffic.

Corporate VPNs solve an array of issues. Unsecured networks and hotspots tend to give hackers and cyber-criminals a relatively easy way to access data and spread malware. The current situation in which companies are trying to accommodate long-term remote work and hybrid work plans is likely to further expand the use of VPNs. Forbes predicts that by 2025, approximately 70% of the workforce will be operating remotely five days a week.

These challenges are further expanded by bring your own device (BYOD) programs that tend to cut costs and improve efficiency but also serve to broaden the security plane of any company. VPNs help to alleviate the security risk with personal devices.

If you’ve been considering corporate VPN solutions to equip your teams for remote or hybrid work, contact us at One Connect. We can help you leverage the right technology to secure your network access and equip your employees to work from anywhere.