When your staff need to access your business systems from outside the office—whether working from home, at a client site, or travelling—it's important to ensure this is done securely. A Virtual Private Network (VPN) creates an encrypted connection between the employee's device and your company's network, making it much harder for cybercriminals to intercept sensitive information or gain unauthorised access.
Why this matters for UK SMEs
Without a VPN or similar secure access method, remote connections often rely on public or home Wi-Fi networks that may not be properly secured. This exposes your business to risks such as data breaches, ransomware attacks, or theft of customer information. The consequences can include costly downtime, loss of customer trust, and potential breaches of UK data protection regulations like the Data Protection Act 2018 and UK GDPR.
For example, a typical SME with around 50 employees might have several staff regularly working remotely. If these employees connect directly to business systems without VPN protection, a cybercriminal could intercept login credentials or sensitive data. An IT partner would typically recommend VPN use combined with multi-factor authentication (MFA) to reduce this risk, ensuring all remote access is logged and controlled.
Practical checklist for VPN use and remote access security
- Ask your IT provider: Do you enforce VPN use for all remote connections? How is VPN access monitored and logged?
- Check your remote access policies: Are employees required to use VPN when accessing business systems? Is MFA enabled on all accounts?
- Review device management: Are remote devices managed or secured with endpoint protection to reduce risk if a device is lost or compromised?
- Evaluate network security: Does your VPN solution use strong encryption standards? Are VPN credentials unique and regularly updated?
- Test access controls: Can you restrict VPN access by user role or time? Are failed login attempts and unusual access patterns alerted and investigated?
- Consider compliance requirements: Does your VPN and remote access setup support audit readiness for Cyber Essentials, ISO 27001, or PCI DSS if relevant?
Next steps
While VPN use is a strong security measure, it should be part of a broader approach including strong passwords, MFA, device security, and user training. Speak with a trusted managed IT provider or IT advisor to review your current remote access arrangements. They can help you implement or improve VPN use tailored to your business size and sector, ensuring your remote working is both secure and compliant with UK best practice.