What are virtual private networks?

Virtual private networks enable users to access the internal network structure of an organization through a public telecommunication infrastructure, such as the Internet. As such, virtual private networks allow users to access internal information and gain internal network privileges from afar.

Users establish connection to virtual private networks through the use of VPN clients. The VPN client connects to the VPN gateway of the target network, which in turn confirms the user's identity and grants him access to the network. Organizations can also set up virtual private networks in a way that only grants access to certain applications or data.