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10 Common VPN Mistakes Enterprises Need to Avoid

common VPN mistakes

common VPN mistakes

The editors at Solutions Review examine some common VPN mistakes enterprises make, and advise how your team can avoid them.

VPNs play a vital role in protecting sensitive data during transmission. By encrypting data packets, VPNs make it extremely difficult for hackers or eavesdroppers to intercept and decipher the information. This is especially important when employees need to access or transmit sensitive data, such as financial information, trade secrets, or personally identifiable information (PII). VPNs ensure this data remains confidential and secure, even when transmitted over untrusted networks or public Wi-Fi connections.

Additionally, VPNs provide an added layer of security by masking the IP address of the connected devices. Instead of revealing the actual IP address, VPNs assign the device a temporary IP address from the VPN server’s location. This obfuscation makes it challenging for attackers to track or trace the origin of network traffic back to the enterprise. It also helps protect against distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks that could disrupt business operations.

By avoiding these common mistakes, you can enhance your online privacy and security while using a VPN.

Going down the VPN rabbit hole and trying to figure out where to start? Check out the 11 Best VPN for Small Businesses!

10 Common VPN Mistakes Enterprises Need to Avoid


Some common VPN mistakes and ways to avoid them include:

  1. Choosing an insecure VPN provider: Avoid free or unreliable VPN services that may compromise your privacy. Instead, select a reputable VPN provider with a strong track record and transparent privacy policies.
  2. Using outdated or weak encryption protocols: Ensure that your VPN uses up-to-date encryption protocols, such as OpenVPN or WireGuard, to protect your data from interception. Avoid outdated protocols like PPTP.
  3. Neglecting to check the logging policy: Review the VPN provider’s logging policy to verify that they don’t keep logs of your online activities. Ideally, choose a VPN service that has a strict no-logs policy.
  4. Connecting to untrusted Wi-Fi networks: Avoid connecting to public Wi-Fi networks without a VPN. These networks are often unsecured, making your data vulnerable to interception. Always use a VPN when accessing the internet through public Wi-Fi.
  5. Not regularly updating VPN software: Keep your VPN software updated to ensure you have the latest security patches and bug fixes. Updates often include critical security enhancements that protect against vulnerabilities.
  6. Overlooking DNS leaks: DNS leaks can expose your browsing activity, even when using a VPN. Prevent this by enabling DNS leak protection within your VPN client or using third-party tools to mitigate the risk.
  7. Disabling the kill switch: A kill switch is a crucial feature that cuts off your internet connection if the VPN connection drops. Ensure that the kill switch is enabled in your VPN settings to avoid accidental exposure of your IP address and data.
  8. Ignoring server locations and speeds: Consider the VPN provider’s server locations and speeds. Choose servers that are geographically close to your location for better performance. Also, ensure the VPN has servers in the countries you need to access content from.
  9. Using VPNs for illegal activities: Remember that using a VPN does not grant you absolute anonymity. Engaging in illicit activities, such as hacking or illegal file sharing, even with a VPN, can still lead to legal consequences.
  10. Not testing VPN functionality: Before relying on a VPN for sensitive tasks, test its functionality and security. Check for IP leaks, connection stability, and overall performance to ensure a smooth and secure experience.

VPNs are vital for enterprise security as they provide secure and encrypted connections, enable access to internal resources, protect data during transmission, mask IP addresses, and enforce centralized security policies. By implementing VPN solutions, enterprises can safeguard their sensitive information, maintain privacy, and mitigate the risk of unauthorized access or data breaches, particularly in remote work and accessing resources outside the corporate network.

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This article on common VPN mistakes enterprises need to avoid was AI-generated by ChatGPT and edited by Solutions Review editors.

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