VPN Configuration Reviews

Introduction

There are many areas of cybersecurity that need to be kept up to date and current. These include configuration reviews for many aspects of your business’s network, including VPN config reviews. Using a VPN is important on many levels, not only on a business level, but a personal level as well. Since they’re always changing and updating, it’s important to get configuration reviews on these different programs and services often.

With the changing landscape of cybersecurity, settings and vulnerabilities shift with it. Having these checked every now and then is not only important, but in some cases, required by the government to be compliant with regulations. Even if they’re not required, keeping bad actors from your VPNs and various other platforms is crucial to run a proper business. These types of config reviews often go hand-in-hand with firewall config reviews, considering that they authorize connections to begin with.

What is a VPN?

A VPN is a virtual private network. Virtual, meaning no wires, cables, or physical presence. Private, meaning that no one else can see your browsing activity or the data you’re using. Network, allowing many devices to connect to it. VPNs can come in software or hardware form, but they both achieve the same result: they hide your network from outside connections and mask your activity online. However, because they’re always being updated and need to be worked with on occasion, VPN configuration reviews become increasingly important.

VPNs benefit you both in business and in personal use. You can use it at home as much as you use it at the office, and some businesses require you to be on their VPN before connecting to business applications and services. Because of this, bad actors have very little room to try to access your information. With less access to company servers, the less likely a hacker will be able to get in. Not only that, you can bypass blocks and other inhibitors with a VPN if necessary, while being compliant with government regulations.

Types of VPN Config Reviews

There are several types of VPNs that a business may use. During a config review, a security analyst may ask the business what type of VPN that they have. This is an important step in the configuration, considering that they have their own types of reviews. These different types are usually one or a combination of the following:

• Remote
• Site-to-site
• Cloud-based
• Mobile

Remote VPN

The remote VPN is specifically what it sounds like—it is in a remote location. This VPN type connects specifically through the Internet to connect devices and other networks. It is a very common VPN for both business and personal use, considering that you can connect to it from anywhere to get to your destination.

Site-to-Site

A site-to-site VPN may also be called router-to-router. This VPN is usually seen with businesses with many employees, devices, and locations. These locations all connect and unify through a VPN to the main network in order to hide it from outside eyes.

Cloud-Based VPN

A cloud-based VPN is similar to a remote VPN, but in an opposite manner. Businesses will often connect their on-site devices to a cloud-based VPN that is part of a cloud-based service. Services like Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services provide these VPN connections.

Mobile VPN

These VPNs are usually for mobile devices like cell phones. This is a variation of a remote VPN if an employee wants to connect to their company’s network. Some of them come in app form or they can be integrated into the phone itself. Either way, there are policies to make sure things are handled safely to make sure the VPNs are correctly connected.

There are a few other types of VPNs, but they are usually just variations of the ones listed here. A security analyst will need to know what type the company’s VPN is for a configuration review. Each one has its own type of configuration which must be reviewed, updated, and patched in order to keep them safe from bad actors.

Conclusion

There are a few different types of VPNs that should be regularly reviewed for security. It is important to get these VPN config reviews at least two times a year, or any time there’s a significant update. With the ever-changing landscape of cybersecurity, vulnerabilities can pop up at any time.

VPNs are only one part of the many config reviews that should be done, though. There are also config reviews for platforms like Microsoft 365, firewalls, and more. Furthermore, config reviews are only a small part of a great cybersecurity posture. Doing this will keep out bad actors and keep your sensitive information safe from prying eyes. Always make sure your configurations are up to date!