What is Virtual Private Network (VPN)? | CybersecTools
What is Virtual Private Network (VPN)?
Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a technology that creates an encrypted tunnel between a device and a destination network over a public or untrusted connection. It is used to protect data in transit, hide network traffic from third parties, and extend private network access to remote users or sites.
What it does
A VPN encrypts network traffic between two endpoints. Those endpoints can be a user's device and a corporate gateway, two office sites, or any two nodes in a mesh. The encrypted tunnel prevents third parties from reading or modifying traffic as it crosses public infrastructure.
Modern VPN products vary widely in form:
Client-to-site VPNs connect individual devices to a central gateway, typically for remote workers.
Site-to-site VPNs link entire office or data-center networks over the internet.
Mesh VPNs (such as WireGuard-based platforms) connect every node directly to every other node without a central gateway.
Hardware encryptors protect traffic at Layer 2 or Layer 3 at very high throughput, often for government or defense use.
Common protocols include WireGuard, IPsec, OpenVPN, and SSL/TLS. Some products run entirely in software; others are purpose-built appliances.
Why teams buy it
Remote employees need access to internal systems without exposing those systems to the public internet.
Branch offices need encrypted links to headquarters or cloud environments.
Regulated industries and government agencies must encrypt data in transit to meet compliance requirements.
Development and operations teams need secure connectivity across distributed or multi-cloud infrastructure.
What to look for
Protocol support: WireGuard offers better performance and a smaller attack surface than older IPsec or OpenVPN implementations.
Throughput and latency: Hardware appliances can handle 10 Gbps to 400 Gbps; software solutions vary by CPU and configuration.
Authentication: Look for multi-factor authentication, certificate-based identity, and integration with existing identity providers.
Split tunneling control: Determines whether all traffic or only specific traffic routes through the VPN.
Centralized management: Visibility into connected clients, session logs, and policy enforcement from one place.
Compliance certifications: Government and defense use cases often require FIPS 140-2/3, Common Criteria, or DoD approval.
Common confusions
VPN vs. Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA): A traditional VPN grants broad network access once a user authenticates. ZTNA grants access only to specific applications based on continuous identity and device checks. Many organizations run both during a transition period.
VPN vs. SASE/SSE: Secure Access Service Edge and Security Service Edge deliver VPN-like connectivity alongside cloud-based security inspection. They are architectures that may include VPN components but add policy enforcement, threat detection, and web filtering.
Mesh VPN vs. overlay networking: Products like WireGuard-based mesh platforms and software-defined overlay tools blur the line between VPN and SD-WAN. The core function, encrypting traffic between nodes, is the same, but the routing model differs.
VPN tools
74 tools listed in VPN. Paid listings are labeled.
Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) is a network security model that grants users and devices access only to the specific applications and resources they are authorized for, verified continuously on every request.
Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) is a network architecture that combines wide-area networking (SD-WAN) with a suite of cloud-delivered security services in a single platform.
Security Service Edge (SSE) is a cloud-delivered security architecture that bundles web gateway, cloud access, and private application access controls into a single platform.
Microsegmentation is a network security technique that divides a network into small, isolated zones and enforces access controls between individual workloads.
Network Access Control (NAC) is a network security discipline that decides which devices and users are allowed to connect to a network and under what conditions.
Frequently asked questions
What is a VPN used for in enterprise security?
Enterprises use VPNs to give remote employees encrypted access to internal systems, to connect branch offices to headquarters, and to protect data crossing public networks. They are also used to meet compliance requirements that mandate encryption of data in transit.
What is the difference between a VPN and Zero Trust Network Access?
A VPN typically grants a connected user broad access to a network segment after a single authentication step. Zero Trust Network Access grants access only to specific applications and continuously verifies identity and device posture. ZTNA is often positioned as a replacement for traditional client-to-site VPNs.
Is WireGuard better than OpenVPN or IPsec?
WireGuard has a much smaller codebase than OpenVPN or IPsec, which reduces the attack surface and makes it easier to audit. It also tends to offer lower latency and higher throughput. However, IPsec remains common in enterprise and government environments because of its long compliance history.
Do I still need a VPN if I use SASE or SSE?
SASE and SSE architectures often include encrypted connectivity that replaces traditional VPN functions. During a migration, many organizations run a VPN alongside SASE or SSE. Once the new architecture covers all use cases, the standalone VPN can be retired.