How IPsec VPNs Secure Communication for Remote Work

28 May 2025, by Micron21

With the rapid adoption of hybrid work models, organisations are seeing a significant increase in the number of employees working remotely. This shift brings agility and flexibility to businesses, but it also increases the attack surface for potential cyberthreats. Securing communication between remote employees and the company’s internal network has become a critical focus.

Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), specifically IPsec VPNs, have emerged as a fundamental tool in modern cybersecurity frameworks. In this article, we’ll explore what IPsec VPNs are, how they work to protect communication, and why they are indispensable for businesses with remote staff. 

What are IPsec VPNs?

Before we get into the specifics, it’s important to break down the terminology.

IPsec is short for "Internet Protocol Security." It’s a suite of protocols designed to encrypt and secure communication over networks, ensuring the integrity, confidentiality, and authenticity of the data transmitted.

A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a secure and encrypted connection established over the internet between a device (like a laptop or smartphone) and a network. By creating a “private tunnel” for data to travel through, VPNs prevent unauthorised access and protect sensitive information from cyber threats.

When combined, IPsec VPNs leverage the robust encryption capabilities of IPsec to provide secure, private communication channels for remote employees accessing company resources.

Benefits of IPsec VPNs for Business Communication

Using an IPsec VPN for securing remote communication brings a host of benefits

1. Data Encryption: Encrypts all data transmitted between the user’s device and the company network, making it unreadable to unauthorised entities.
2. Secure Access to Internal Resources: Safely connects employees to secured internal systems, databases, and applications.
3. Protection Against Cyber Threats: Defends against attacks like “man-in-the-middle,” where hackers attempt to intercept and manipulate data transmissions.
4. Compliance with Regulations: Many industries have strict data security requirements (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA), and an IPsec VPN helps maintain compliance.

Failing to implement a VPN leaves your organisation vulnerable to several cybersecurity threats.

1. Man-in-the-middle attacks: Without encryption, sensitive data shared over public or unsecured networks can be intercepted.
2. Data Breaches: Unsecured communication channels increase the likelihood of hackers accessing or stealing confidential information.
3. Loss of Customer Trust: A data breach can severely damage an organisation's reputation, leading to lost business and customer attrition.

Open Source VPN Options

For organisations exploring cost-effective ways to secure their remote workforce, open-source VPN solutions can be an excellent starting point. 

OpenVPN

A widely-used open-source VPN solution which offers flexible configuration options, robust security features, and support for various platforms. Its strong community support ensures ongoing updates and innovations.

WireGuard

A lightweight VPN protocol designed for speed and simplicity.  It features modern cryptography, making it faster and less resource-intensive compared to older protocols.

StrongSwan

A highly configurable open-source IPsec-based VPN suitable for organisations requiring advanced security features.

Open-source VPN solutions offer several advantages for businesses. They are cost-effective, providing robust security without the licensing fees that come with proprietary alternatives. Additionally, open-source VPNs allow for extensive customisation, giving organisations full control over the software and enabling them to tailor configurations to their specific requirements. 

The transparency of open-source software is another significant benefit, as the openly available source code allows for thorough security audits and fosters greater trust in the tool’s reliability. 

However, it is important to recognise that deploying and maintaining an open-source VPN demands a certain level of technical expertise. Without proper configuration and ongoing monitoring, there is a risk of introducing vulnerabilities that could compromise security.

Hardware Firewalls and VPNs

For organisations seeking maximum performance and security, proprietary hardware firewalls with built-in VPN capabilities are an excellent investment.
Hardware VPNs offer several advantages over virtualised solutions. Firstly, they are purpose-built and optimised for handling encryption and secure communication, which results in superior performance.

Unlike virtualised solutions, hardware-based VPNs do not compete for system resources with other services, thereby reducing the risk of slowdowns or conflicts. Additionally, many proprietary hardware solutions, such as those from Fortinet, provide enhanced security through vendor support, regular firmware updates, and robust security features.

The Importance of MFA with IPsec VPNs

Implementing a VPN is an essential step, but without proper authentication measures, vulnerabilities remain. That’s why pairing your IPsec VPN with Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is critical.

MFA requires users to verify their identity through multiple factors, such as:

1. Something they know (e.g., a password).
2. Something they have (e.g., a physical or virtual token like FortiToken).
3. Something they are (e.g., biometric data like a fingerprint).

This added layer of security ensures that even if login credentials are compromised, unauthorised access is significantly less likely.

For those interested, we went into more detail on MFA in our Why Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is Essential for Your Business Security article from last month.

Building a Secure Foundation for Remote Work

The rise of remote work has accelerated the need for businesses to build resilient cybersecurity frameworks. IPsec VPNs are a key component of safeguarding communication in this new normal. Whether you choose an open-source solution, invest in hardware-based VPNs, or a mix of both, the choice depends on your organisation's unique needs and resources.

At Micron21, we recommend at least starting with an open-source VPN to secure your connections. For businesses looking to scale or requiring enhanced performance and support, dedicated firewalls are a valuable investment.

Need guidance on implementing VPNs or building a secure framework for your hybrid team? We’re here to help. Reach out to our experts at sales@micron21.com or give us a call at 1300 769 972.