How VPNs Can Help Your Business Expand Internationally

How VPN Helps Business Expand

A VPN (Virtual Private Network) is a security tool that creates an encrypted connection between a user’s device and a remote server. The data is then sent through a secure tunnel, where it will be decrypted and read only by the intended recipient. All data transmitted through the VPN tunnel is encrypted, protecting it from interception or eavesdropping. 

As a result, this tunnel acts as a private, protected pathway for data transmission. This allows VPNs to act as catalysts as the business expands beyond its first office.

When a business is expanding internationally, it becomes even more vital to manage and secure employee access to your internal databases. To ensure this data reaches its intended audience, Business VPNs also include authentication – where the VPN verifies the identity of users or devices trying to connect to the network. 

This includes additional multi-factor authentication methods, bolstering a company’s pre-existing authentication protocols.

Quick Takeaways

  • International expansion puts your enterprise at risk, whether it’s inheriting vulnerabilities. during an acquisition or expanding your employee base beyond your security team’s abilities. 
  • VPNs bolster new working styles. Whether remote, hybrid or fully on-site, your connection protocols need to adapt to your growing workforce.
  • VPNs allow higher rates of employee retention.
  • VPNs protect internet traffic, no matter the server’s location.

How VPNs Facilitate International Business Expansion

The last few years have seen an immense flurry of alternative workstyles – providing this to your employees can make the difference between high churn rates and exceeding revenue targets. 

For remote workers happiest at home, productivity is bolstered by the workstyle’s sense of self-leadership and autonomy. Teams of motivated, driven employees allow a business to parse gaps in the international market and wind up similarly ambitious projects. 

Furthermore, remote workstyles can indirectly drive an organization’s expansion by maintaining employees and keeping the talent your enterprise has worked so hard to accrue.

A VPN is essential to supporting a fully remote workforce, thanks to its ability to securely connect a remote employee’s device to your internal servers via an encrypted tunnel. VPNs prevent employees’ own home networks from compromising database integrity via clients on corporate devices.

Foster and Retain talent with Hybrid 

Remote work doesn’t work for every team: client-facing and tightly-regulated positions require office support. For this, many employees prefer to go hybrid. 

Employees sometimes report a better sense of purpose when they’re able to choose between at-home or in-office. This is reportedly particularly critical for retaining younger employees and those without kids. Whether remote or hybrid, engaged employees lead to a 23% increase in profitability, and offering them that flexibility grants employees the choice – driving better business outcomes. 

Enhancing and Securing Comms between Offices

Supporting hybrid and fully-in-person working styles demands a site-to-site connectivity – particularly when an enterprise wants to coordinate strategy on an international scale. Site-to-site VPNs offer a way to connect Local Area Networks (LANs) – ie, the secure and protected public networks of each individual office. 

By connecting up the LAN between different offices, a site-to-site VPN is able to offer your employees a Wide Area Network (WAN) with the same encryption and protection between sites. 


Furthermore, site-to-site VPNs don’t rely on a remote client/server architecture. Instead, it simply relies on a gateway on each LAN: by logging onto their on-site device, an employee from one office is able to remote access the database of another. Data being received and transmitted remains encrypted between sites. 

This simplifies onboarding considerably, while still maintaining a sense of shared resources and strategy.

Business Expansion Makes You Vulnerable

In 2018, hotel chain Marriott International had set its sites on bolstering its international portfolio of luxury hotels. 

Having finalized its purchase of Starwood Hotels & Resorts, stakeholders were impressed by the fact their luxury accommodation offerings had doubled across Asia, the Middle East & Africa. 

However, two years after the initial acquisition, Marriott realized something critical: the reservation databases of Starwood & Hotels they had purchased and began operating were compromised. The attacker had access to almost all systems, and were able to view plaintext details of:

  • Guest names
  • Contact details
  • Passport numbers
  • Arrival and departure info
  • Their VIP status

The more they looked, the worse the breach became: the attacker had enjoyed backdoor access since 2014, and had free reign of up to 500 million guests’ personal details.

Further investigation discovered that Starwood’s own online security culture was shocking, long before its acquisition; Starwood employees battled continuously with securing the reservation system, and in 2015 a different attacker actually breached the same system and remained undetected for eight months. 

In the four-year free-reign of the attackers, customers had their passports and credit card details stolen (as credit card numbers were encrypted, but the decryption keys were stored on the same server). 

Not only did Marriott blindly purchase Starwood’s portfolio – but in the pursuit of maximum ROI during the international acquisition, they immediately laid off the company’s minimal security team, and failed to set up appropriate security measures until too late. 

Finally, their UK branch was hit with a £18.4 million fine for violating GDPR.

Take Your Business International Securely with Perimeter81

Applications and websites cannot be assumed to be secure: corporate data is too valuable to risk, especially in the context of international expansion. Perimeter81’s cohesive VPN tooling secures all internet traffic, while setting a foundation of deep visibility across your entire working landscape. 

Condense traffic and device data into a cohesive dashboard today and avoid costly mistakes at your enterprise’s most vulnerable period.

FAQs

What role does a VPN play in securing an enterprise during international expansion?
A VPN provides a secure, encrypted internet connection between an enterprise’s internal network and its global locations, protecting data from unauthorized access and cyber threats. This ensures sensitive information remains safe, especially in regions with varying cybersecurity standards.
How does a VPN enhance data security for remote offices and mobile employees?
A VPN secures connections for remote offices and mobile employees by encrypting data traffic, preventing cybercriminals from intercepting information. It also allows secure access to enterprise applications, maintaining productivity and protecting intellectual property globally.
Can a VPN help in complying with international data protection regulations?
Yes, a VPN helps comply with international data protection regulations by ensuring secure data transmission across borders. It supports robust security measures required by laws, reducing legal risks and ensuring data privacy.
What are the challenges of implementing a VPN for an internationally expanding enterprise?
Challenges include ensuring IT infrastructure compatibility, managing network performance, and complying with regional VPN regulations. Overcoming these requires careful planning, investment in robust solutions, and ongoing network management.
How can an enterprise ensure the effectiveness of its VPN solution during international expansion?
To ensure effectiveness, an enterprise should select a reliable VPN provider, use strong encryption protocols, and regularly monitor the network. Providing employee training on VPN use and maintaining security awareness are also crucial.

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