One of the security challenges that organisations face in compliance is how to protect their data, especially when employees access company servers outside the organisation’s premises. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, most employees have been working from home, so more organisations need to invest in technology that will provide them with the most benefits regarding the protection and security of the data accessed by employees. One of the solutions that organisations choose to use for the security of their data is the Virtual Private Network (VPN). The IT Audit team at GCS Malta discuss the pros and cons of using VPNs to protect their data in this article.
Why VPNs are a Compliance Nightmare
VPN provides a private tunnel for data and communication when users use public networks. Although VPN might seem like a good choice for companies to protect data and provide privacy from a compliance perspective, this technology poses a significant risk to companies’ data security as there still are problems and vulnerabilities when using VPN. Some of these problems are outlined below:
- VPNs are insecure – VPNs expose the organisations’ network to threats like malicious software, DDoS attacks and spoofing attacks.
- VPNs are costly – Support personnel must spend considerable time monitoring and managing the connection and connected applications.
- VPNs expose the organisation to security risks – Third-party service providers usually have full access to the organisation’s network when given remote access.
- VPNs lack accountability – Organisations cannot record and monitor the activities of third-party vendors using the VPN; hence, it is a challenge for organisations to know who will be accountable when something goes wrong.
- VPNs do not offer protection from hackers – Hackers often exploit third-party connections to gain access to the organisation.
Although using VPN has its benefits, organisations must not entirely rely on this solution to provide security for their data and compliance. Organisations should still weigh the pros and cons of using VPNs and implement other solutions as necessary.
Why GCS Malta?
At GCS Malta, our team of audit professionals can assist you with all Audit and compliance-based queries. Contact us today for more information on how we can help you achieve your business goals.
