It’s no secret that working abroad has numerous advantages, including increased productivity and more freedom to control your own time. Nevertheless, working abroad may highlight security problems if you attempt to connect to your workplace network from another country.
For example, if there are restrictions in your location, you may be unable to access company programs and software; on the other hand, accessing hotel or public Wi-Fi may expose your device to hacking attempts.
Using a VPN client is one approach to increase your security and privacy while working overseas. There are numerous benefits to using a VPN on your devices, but before exploring why a VPN is necessary if you work overseas, let’s first explain how VPNs work.
How do VPNs work?
A VPN, or Virtual Private Network, operates as a bridge between your device and the internet, providing a secure channel for your traffic. It provides an encrypted tunnel that prevents third parties from viewing your communications.
Rather than utilizing your Internet Service Provider (ISP), a VPN client will route your data through its private server, allowing you to seem elsewhere in the world while remaining anonymous to prying eyes. With a VPN, you can connect to different servers from different parts of the world, such as an Australian, Canadian, or even a UK VPN server, while in the US. This can be utilized across all your devices, including your mobile and tablet.
If you want to know the specifics, the VPN client on your computer encrypts your data traffic and transfers it securely to the VPN server. The data is then routed through your ISP. However, because of the encryption, your ISP cannot decipher it.
Therefore, the VPN server decrypts the encrypted data from your device. The data from your device is forwarded to the internet, where it receives a response addressed to you, the user. The VPN server then encrypts those traffic and sends it back to you. Again, your device’s VPN client will decrypt the data so you can understand and use it.
VPN apps run in the background and do not interfere with other applications on your device. In addition, they add an extra layer of security to your Wi-Fi network, which is critical if you are attempting to access company data while traveling.
3 Reasons You Should Use a VPN While Working Abroad
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, many employees have been working remotely from home, and traveling freely was not an option during the pandemic’s peak. However, now that the world has taken steps to return to normalcy, businesses are sending their employees abroad once again.
If you are new to traveling for work or simply want to take better precautions while working abroad, here are a few reasons why installing a VPN client is a good idea.
Bypass Geo-Restrictions
While browsing online, you may find that many news sites and applications are region-locked.
This means that they are only accessible to users in specific countries. Furthermore, certain nations, such as China, limit access to a wide range of services, some of which you may need to access for work purposes. Fortunately, there is a simple way to circumvent geo-blocking.
Connecting to a Virtual Private Network expands the amount of online content available to you. One of the primary functions of a VPN is to route your traffic through a server in another country.
This replaces your true IP address, commonly used to pinpoint your location, with an interim, country-specific IP address. As a result, most geo-restricted web pages cannot tell the difference between a VPN user and someone physically present in the intended location.
Furthermore, if you are an employee who is required to spend extended periods abroad, you may miss the streaming services you used to enjoy at home. For example, if you are from the United Kingdom, a VPN can allow you to access region-blocked websites such as the BBC iPlayer.
Malware Risks
While a VPN is essential to any cybersecurity system, it does not directly protect users from viruses. Those who use virtual private networks, on the other hand, have a lower risk of their devices becoming breached or infected. For example, if you are working abroad and connecting to a hotel Wi-Fi, you may be duped into downloading malware while connected to the internet.
The malware allows someone to take control of your computer, record passwords and personal information, or altogether disable it. It also risks sensitive company data being stolen by an unauthorized party. Utilizing a VPN client can help secure access to work files and software while traveling.
Data Privacy and Security
Each time you connect to the internet, you expose yourself and your company to hackers and thieves who can steal anything from personal information and web surfing history to payment information and sensitive files.
You might believe using a private browsing feature will protect you from viruses, malware, and hacking efforts. This is because no local data will be saved. However, this does not safeguard users from fraud or theft when entering sensitive information such as passwords.
As private browsing is based on an internet protocol (IP) address provided by your internet service provider (ISP), third parties can still detect your browsing session and exploit loopholes.
Therefore, the only way to boost data privacy is to use a VPN client. A cloud-based VPN is a great solution to allow a globally accessible network while having an added layer of protection.
Conclusion
Working abroad can make you anxious about accessing company data via an unsecured network. Utilizing a VPN client to encrypt your device’s connection will help to boost your online experience and give you the peace of mind and security you need while working abroad.
