A VPN, or Virtual Private Network, allows you to create a secure connection to another network over the Internet. VPNs can be used to access region-restricted websites, shield your browsing activity from prying eyes on public Wi-Fi, and more. They allow users to securely access a private network and share data remotely through public networks. Much like a firewall protects your data on your computer, VPNs protect it.

Establishing one of these secure connections—say you want to log into your private corporate network remotely—is surprisingly easy. The user first connects to the public internet through an ISP, then initiates a VPN connection with the company VPN server using client software. And that's it!