Are you using Virtual Private Networking (VPN)?

It's no secret that the global pandemic we're all living through has changed a great many things about both work and home life. For one thing, work and home life are often the same now, with large numbers of people sheltering in place and working from home.

Unfortunately, home networks aren't anywhere near as secure as corporate networks, so people have been innovating, adapting and adjusting.

One of the biggest recent changes in the home computing landscape has been the recent, massive surge in VPN use, which is up by 165 percent since March 11th. That is, based on figures collected by NordVPN.

This is not a surprising turn of events. Governments around the world and respected groups in the industry have been encouraging greater use of VPNs as a means of providing an added layer of security when connecting to business networks from remote locations.

Thankfully, it seems that the advice is being heeded. Hopefully, the newly formed habit will continue long after the current crisis abates. Using a VPN any time you get online is a great way to protect yourself and make your online experience more secure, no matter what you're doing.

While this is unmistakably good news, it's also true that not all VPNs are created equally, and some are more secure than others. Your company may not currently have a policy in place regarding VPN usage, and honestly, you may have never needed one until now. Given the current reality though, it may be a good idea to do some research and offer guidance to the legions of people who are working from home now and for the foreseeable future.

Our perspective

Odds are that most of your employees aren't IT professionals. They don't know a lot about digital security. Any tips, pointers, and guidelines you can provide them will only make their connections to your network more secure.

~ As Hill Street Blues' Sgt. Esterhaus always advised: "Hey, let's be careful out there! " ~

 

Meanwhile, check out this report

This free executive report may give you insights into how to build your business with safe IT environments: 10 Hidden IT Risks That Might Threaten Your Business and 1 Easy Way to Find Them

The author

Thanks for reading this short post. For more tips on thriving with small business technology, check out the other blog posts at DWPia Blogs. I am also available on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.

Cybersecurity Expert, Small Business Technology Consultant, Managed Services Provider, Managed IT SupportI am Denis Wilson, President and Principal Consultant for DWP Information Architects. I help professionals grow their business by building a foundation of rock-solid information solutions for smaller healthcare, insurance, financial, legal, and nonprofits firms in Ventura County and San Fernando Valley. And have created cost-effective IT solutions, for over 20 years, specializing in cybersecurity and regulatory compliance. I am also a published author and speaker, working extensively with a variety of organizations, as well as providing small business technology education programs through business and professional associations. This just in: I will be speaking regularly at California Lutheran University's Center for Nonprofit Leadership starting in September.

Contact me if you would like me to speak at your association