What is a VPN and how does it maintain security?

• A. Replaces firewall
• B. Encrypts traffic and creates a secure tunnel over an untrusted network; authenticates endpoints
• C. Provides remote desktop access
• D. Increases bandwidth

Answer: (B)

A VPN creates a private, secure path for data over a public network like the internet. It encrypts traffic between your device and the VPN endpoint, so anyone monitoring the network can’t read it, and it wraps that traffic in a secure tunnel to protect it from tampering as it travels across untrusted networks. It also authenticates both ends, ensuring you’re connecting to the legitimate VPN server and that the server can trust your device. This combination preserves confidentiality, integrity, and trust for remote access or site-to-site connections. It doesn’t replace a firewall, it doesn’t by itself provide remote desktop access, and it doesn’t inherently increase bandwidth; encryption can add some overhead, but the security benefits come from the encryption, tunneling, and endpoint authentication.