Corporate VPNs Face Unprecedented Stress Test as Remote Work Surges
As companies send workers home to combat the coronavirus, corporate virtual private networks face a massive strain that could lead to slowdowns or crashes. These security tools, traditionally built for small subsets of staff, are now being pushed to their absolute limits.
Corporate virtual private networks face an unprecedented stress test as companies send thousands of employees home to combat the spread of the coronavirus. Major corporations like JPMorgan Chase and Amazon are already testing their remote access capabilities, prompting serious questions about whether existing VPN infrastructure can handle a sudden, massive surge in traffic.
These secure web connections protect sensitive information sent between employees and businesses, but experts warn that traditional VPNs are designed for small subgroups rather than an entire company connecting simultaneously. Because many of these systems rely on the unpredictable public internet, a sudden spike in global connections translates directly into significant slowdowns and reduced quality of service.
The sudden shift to full-scale telecommuting also creates practical challenges for businesses of all sizes. Adding a massive chunk of remote users requires purchasing additional licensed accounts, which drives up costs and takes valuable time to configure properly during an already chaotic period.