Remote Access VPN
What is Remote Access VPN?
Remote Access VPNA VPN that lets an individual user securely connect a laptop or phone to a corporate network from any internet location.
A remote access VPN authenticates a user (and ideally the device) and then builds an encrypted tunnel from a client to a gateway, giving the endpoint a logical presence inside the corporate network. Common protocols include IPsec/IKEv2, SSL/TLS-based VPNs, OpenVPN, and WireGuard, frequently combined with MFA and posture checks. Once connected, the user can reach internal applications, file shares, and management tools as if on the LAN, while traffic is encrypted, integrity-protected, and authenticated end-to-end. Modern deployments restrict scope with split tunneling, per-app routing, and zero-trust gateways that limit lateral movement.
● Examples
- 01
An IKEv2 corporate VPN profile pushed to laptops via MDM, enforcing MFA at connection time.
- 02
A WireGuard-based remote access tunnel used by SRE engineers to reach production bastions.
● Frequently asked questions
What is Remote Access VPN?
A VPN that lets an individual user securely connect a laptop or phone to a corporate network from any internet location. It belongs to the Network Security category of cybersecurity.
What does Remote Access VPN mean?
A VPN that lets an individual user securely connect a laptop or phone to a corporate network from any internet location.
How do you defend against Remote Access VPN?
Defences for Remote Access VPN typically combine technical controls and operational practices, as detailed in the full definition above.
What are other names for Remote Access VPN?
Common alternative names include: Client VPN, User VPN.