Allowing remote & on-site employees to manually toggle a VPN connection can create critical security risks. With Always On VPN, if a secured connection to the gateway is lost, your hybrid-working users will simply be disconnected from the internet until the issue is solved. Always On VPN, always secure.
OVERVIEW
What is Always On VPN?
First introduced by Microsoft for Windows 10, Always On VPN ensures that an active VPN profile remains automatically connected to the network and stays connected despite possible VPN connection triggers.
NordLayer’s Always On VPN operates in an even broader spectrum, giving your IT team complete control. All features and policies like DNS filtering, DPI, Custom DNS, and others will be obligatory for the end users if they want to connect to the internet. Always On VPN also ensures that if the secured internet connection is lost, the user will be automatically disconnected from the network until the VPN connectivity is restored.
It means that every employee (without exception) who uses the internet will do so only with a VPN connection, regardless of where around the world they currently are. No VPN — no internet.
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OPERATION
How does Always On VPN work?
Your employees can enable and disable Always On VPN feature on the NordLayer application settings as long as the admin doesn’t activate it. Thus, if the IT administrator wants to ensure everyone in the organization has Always On VPN enforced, end users won’t be able to disable it once configured centrally via Control Panel.
BENEFITS
Explore the benefits of using NordLayer's Always On VPN
One-click implementation
Activating the feature is quick and managing it is a breeze. With just a few clicks in the control panel, every endpoint gets the component, and users may not even notice. If needed, your organization administrator can also disable the feature in no time. Additionally, you will soon be able to tailor this component for specific groups, like remote workers who frequently travel and often use public Wi-Fi.
Secure corporate network
The hybrid work era introduces new challenges, particularly for IT departments. Safeguarding the company's corporate network while teams operate from various locations all over the world can be really tough. However, Always On VPN will help you orchestrate both office and remote employees, ensuring secure internet access for each user.
No more unencrypted internet connection
A single unprotected user can become a potential weak link in the company’s network security chain. With the help of Always On VPN feature, you will maintain one common secure user tunnel to your network resources to prevent potential data leaks and other cyber risks.
Minimize cyber risks when using public Wi-Fi
Since connecting to public Wi-Fi at hotels, cafes, or other public spaces is nearly unavoidable these days, it poses a lot of security risks for remote access. Session hijackers prey on unsecured connections, and since we're human after all, we may forget to enable our VPN before connecting. Honest mistake. However, Always On VPN helps mitigate man-in-the-middle attacks by making VPN mandatory to connect to the internet.
USE-CASES
How can you use Always On VPN?
Remote & hybrid employee accessibility
Always On VPN provides secure remote access to your employees, whether they're working from the office, home or anywhere in the world. It ensures safe access to company resources and confidential information while increasing your data protection level, even when using public Wi-Fi.
Hassle-free mandatory use
With Always On VPN, your employees can securely access the internet without worrying whether the VPN is on or off, as it will always be enforced, allowing them to focus on their tasks uninterrupted. Your IT admins retain full control over the tool, ensuring secure access and a smooth experience for all.
Achieving compliance
Always On VPN can help you meet different compliance requirements, particularly for businesses handling sensitive data in heavily regulated sectors like healthcare or finance. Here, rigorous cybersecurity and data management regulations are essential.
GETTING STARTED
How to set up Always On VPN?
With NordLayer, setting up Always On VPN is user-friendly and super simple.
Sign in & navigate to the Control Panel's settings
Switch the toggle ON to activate Always On VPN
Select the relevant teams
FIND OUT MORE FEATURES
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Frequently asked questions
NordLayer’s Always On VPN feature is available for Windows, macOS (side-load only), and Linux (coming soon) operating systems. The accessibility for Android or iOS mobile applications is yet to come.
Some minor inconveniences might appear while connecting to hotel or cafe Wi-fi as it requires extra steps to deal with captive portals. Nevertheless, the feature will allow the user to get direct access to the internet for a short period of 3 minutes. Implemented additional security logic won't let users abuse this temporary access.
Always On VPN and regular VPN serve distinct purposes and are not directly comparable, as Always On VPN adds an additional layer of functionality to the foundational features of a regular VPN. While a regular VPN provides basic encryption and anonymity by requiring manual connection initiation each time it is used, Always On VPN goes a step further. It automatically activates a secure connection via a VPN server whenever internet access is detected, employing both the user's and a specific IP address for enhanced security. This enables IT administrators to apply security policies, such as DNS filtering, without needing user action. Automatic and managed connection approach of Always On VPN is particularly beneficial for organizations that require robust remote access and security management, contrasting with the more manual, user-driven activation of a regular VPN, which might be more suitable for individual users or small teams.
