VPNs: How to Embrace This Frenemy and Use It for Good

If you’ve noticed a surge in conversations about VPNs recently, you’re not imagining things. The recent enforcement of the Online Safety Act has sparked a wave of interest in online privacy tools, particularly Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), with many now turning to them as a work around for the latest content restrictions. Data shows that VPN downloads have surged by 1400% in the wake of the Online Safety Act going live.

These tools have long served other purposes for consumers, but recent news has positioned them largely as ‘the enemy’. But VPN usage raises very different questions in a business context and could hold significant benefits for your business; if they are used in the right way. For company leaders, the concern isn’t whether staff are using VPNs – it’s which ones, how they’re being used, and whether you’re in control of them.

At Outbound, we believe VPNs can be a valuable part of your cyber security toolkit, but only when properly implemented, managed, and understood. In this article, we’ll explore the risks associated with consumer VPNs in the workplace, the benefits of corporate VPNs, how SASE (Secure Access Secure Edge) is reshaping secure access, and what steps your business should take to make sure VPNs work for you, not around you.

The Problem with Consumer VPNs at Work

One of the biggest security concerns for businesses both now and over the past decade, is the rise of shadow IT – when employees use unauthorised technology without the knowledge or approval of the IT department. Consumer VPNs, especially free ones, fall squarely into this category. Here’s why they pose a risk to your organisation:

• Loss of visibility: Your IT team can’t monitor or manage what they can’t see. Personal VPNs obscure traffic, making it difficult to detect threats or enforce policies.
• Compliance risks: Many consumer VPNs route data through overseas servers, which could breach GDPR or internal data handling policies.
• Security vulnerabilities: Free or low-quality VPNs can be riddled with ads, trackers, or even malware – sometimes used to fund the service infrastructure – introducing new attack vectors to your environment.
• False confidence: Employees might assume they’re secure simply because they’re using a VPN, even if they’re bypassing your network controls or working on unsecured devices.
• Unmanaged VPN usage fragments your infrastructure, undermines your policies, and makes incident response more difficult.

Why You Need a Corporate VPN Instead

Rather than banning VPNs outright, we recommend embracing them; but with the right tools, policies, and oversight. A corporate VPN gives you the same privacy and security benefits as a consumer VPN, but with enterprise-grade control, integration, and visibility. Here’s why it matters:

• Secure access for remote and hybrid teams

Whether your staff are at home, in a shared office space, or travelling for work, a corporate VPN creates a secure, encrypted tunnel back to your company network. It ensures that remote working doesn’t compromise sensitive data or leave you exposed on public Wi-Fi.

• Enhanced cyber security posture
  A managed VPN helps protect your business against cyber threats by encrypting data in transit, controlling access to business systems, and integrating with firewalls and monitoring tools. It’s a key part of a layered security approach.

• Centralised management and policy control
  Corporate VPNs are managed by your IT team or provider, meaning you control who can connect, when, and to what. You can enforce multi-factor authentication, monitor usage, and generate detailed logs for auditing and compliance.

• Location flexibility without compromise
  Some cloud platforms or data services have regional restrictions. A corporate VPN allows staff to access necessary tools and services from anywhere in the world—without turning to risky workarounds.

• Continuity and resilience
  If your office network goes down or a cyber incident occurs, a VPN can help staff securely connect to backup systems or cloud-based infrastructure, keeping your business running during disruption.

• Modern cloud-first options through SASE
  If your office network goes down or a cyber incident occurs, a VPN can help staff securely connect to backup systems or cloud-based infrastructure, keeping your business running during disruption.

What Business Leaders Should Be Doing Now

With VPNs in the spotlight, this is the perfect moment to educate your team and bring usage under proper control. Here’s what we recommend:

1. Educate Your Employees – make sure staff understand the difference between consumer and corporate VPNs. Provide clear guidance on:
   1. Why using personal VPNs for work is risky
   2. How your corporate VPN works and why it’s safer
   3. When and how to use it appropriately

A simple explainer or staff training session can make a big difference.

2. Audit and Assess Existing Use – check whether shadow IT is already in play. That might involve surveying your team, reviewing logs, or running endpoint scans. Understanding the current situation helps you build a more informed policy moving forward.

3. Deploy or Upgrade Your Corporate VPN – if you don’t have a corporate VPN in place—or if your current setup is slow, unreliable, or underused—it’s time for a rethink. A modern VPN solution should: be simple and reliable for end users; integrate with your identity and access management; support flexible, secure access across devices. We can help you choose and implement the right solution for your business, without the complexity.

4. Work with a Trusted IT Partner

Deploying a corporate VPN is just the start. You need an IT partner who can monitor performance, review access policies, respond to threats, and support your team. That’s where Outbound comes in. We are here to either be your outsourced IT department for everything you need, or to enhance the team you already have with a co-managed relationship.

Turning VPN Risk into Opportunity

Let’s be clear: VPNs are not inherently good or bad – they’re simply tools. The question is whether they’re being used with your approval and oversight, or without it.

Used correctly, corporate VPNs are a valuable enabler for modern business. Used incorrectly, consumer VPNs can create visibility gaps, compliance breaches, and cyber vulnerabilities. With public awareness of VPNs growing, now is the time to take control. Educate your team, implement the right tools, and ensure your business stays safe, compliant, and productive.

Get Expert Help from Outbound

At Outbound, we help organisations take back control of their IT; from securing remote access to supporting end users and developing cyber-resilient strategies. If VPNs have become a blind spot in your business, or if you’re not sure how to manage them, we’re here to guide you.

Get in touch with the Outbound team today and discover the difference a reliable and knowledgeable IT partner can make.