Virtual private network

A Virtual Private Network or VPN is a communications network used within a company, or by several different companies or organisations. VPNs use public networking infrastucture for their implementation, and use cryptographic protocols to provide the necessary security features needed to secure the VPN traffic from other users of the public infrastructure.

VPN technologies may also be used to enhance security as a security overlay within dedicated networking infrastructures.

VPN protocols include IPSec and point-to-point tunneling protocol (PPTP).