Cybersecurity structures vary from company to company based on their needs. Not all companies can find what they’re looking for in a cyber security service. This situation is also the same when it comes to VPN solutions.
There are many different types of VPN services, and site-to-site VPNs can be a great choice for some companies. But as we all know, not a single cyber security measure is magical, and there are always risks included. If so, let’s see both sides and see what benefits and risks site-to-site VPNs pose.
Site to site VPN in a nutshell
According to Statista, the VPN market skyrocketed to $44.6 billion in 2022. This is a huge industry with many different products and services, and site-to-site VPN is one of them.
Site-to-site VPNs act as a private connection between several private networks. Companies with several offices or partners usually use them. If you have a headquarters and multiple branches, these services can provide secure access to sub-networks from headquarters or other offices.
Especially for large businesses with international offices, a site-to-site VPN is a great way to ensure secure, anonymous, and private communication between branches. Thus, they can easily work on the same network securely.
Benefits of a site to site VPN
Right off the bat, site-to-site VPNs are now easily deployable, thanks to online VPN providers. One of the main reasons to opt for this VPN type is the ease of use and deployment.
1. Secure connection with partners & branches
Site-to-site VPNs can be used to work on the same network with partners and branches. But the issue of internal security is crucial. You don’t want to compromise your private company network while working with other companies.
The extranet-based site-to-site VPNs can grant access to all parties without exposing the private networks with sensitive data.
2. Operational continuity no matter what
Site-to-site VPNs consist of several different components. These may be the different office networks of the same company. That’s why operational continuity is always there in site-to-site VPNs.
Even if a component of the collective company network goes down because of natural events, attacks, or some other reason, the rest doesn’t go off, and the same resources stay available.
3. Scalable cyber security structure
You don’t want a cyber security structure that you need to take apart every time there is a new branch, partner, or even user. That’s just not practical and may create security gaps.
Luckily, site-to-site VPNs are incredibly scalable. When you get this solution from a VPN provider, such as NordLayer site to site VPN, they take care of all the new users or networks.
Plus, since these VPN services tie up all networks together, you can always add new components to the structure without taking it apart.
Potential risks of a site to site VPN
1. Granular security of the networks
Site-to-site VPN is not the solution if you’re looking for granular security. They are focused on the secure connection of remote offices or business partners. Thus, individual permissions or access levels are not the things these solutions manage.
2. Inefficient visibility
When your site-to-site VPN structure has many independent components, it is simply a workload for IT security teams to see what’s going on in each of them. Thus, you need to set up separate teams for each component if you want to monitor them all. This can result in both potential security gaps and a lack of communication among IT personnel.
Conclusion
VPN services vary drastically depending on the needs of companies. Site-to-site VPN solutions are the one that deals with the secure connection of different offices or business partners.
These solutions are the best when it comes to their duties, and that is to create a collective yet secure network by combining several components. However, there is not a single answer for all your security needs, and there are also downsides.
Evaluate both the benefits and risks we mentioned above and decide if site-to-site VPN is what your company needs. After all, finding the most suitable solution is crucial to cybersecurity.
Photo credit. The feature image has been done by Alfa Photo.
