Is a VPN really useful when Working from home?

[Aaliyah Reynolds]

Due to the ongoing crisis I have been working from home. I read on several places online where they suggested to use a VPN. I was wondering if its really necessary to do so or should I access the internet like I always did? I am working on content writing so not sure if I need the extra security.

[Kilrah]

Use of VPN when working from home relates to when you need to connect to your employer's company servers to do stuff on them, you'll connect to the company VPN to join their network. Nothing to do with your private internet connection.

[Vandorlot]

 

[Zmax]

deleted

[Chunchunmaru_]

41 minutes ago, Aaliyah Reynolds said:

Due to the ongoing crisis I have been working from home. I read on several places online where they suggested to use a VPN. I was wondering if its really necessary to do so or should I access the internet like I always did? I am working on content writing so not sure if I need the extra security.

I think there is a misconception here, you are not using the classic "privacy-friendly VPN" that someone sells

When working from home you are supposed to access the company resources through their own VPN server without opening any useless resource to the internet 

[Eigenvektor]

46 minutes ago, Aaliyah Reynolds said:

Due to the ongoing crisis I have been working from home. I read on several places online where they suggested to use a VPN. I was wondering if its really necessary to do so or should I access the internet like I always did? I am working on content writing so not sure if I need the extra security.

You should be using your company's VPN server to access resources on your company's private network, if that is required to do your work. None of the VPN services on the internet can accomplish that (or should be able to accomplish that).

 

That is the primary purpose of a VPN: It creates a Virtual Private Network, that makes it so your computer is connected to your company's internal network as if your computer was directly connected to it. That let's you access resources on the internal network of your company.

 

The whole "VPN services for privacy" are not and should not be involved here, since that would mean they get access to your company's data, which I don't think your company would want to happen.

[Aaliyah Reynolds]

Thanks a lot everyone for answering! My confusion is solved now! So apparently I don't need a third-party VPN and should be using one that my company provides (if they do of course). Using a third-party VPN isn't essential and may actually prove harmful. Really helpful community!

[kirashi]

6 hours ago, Aaliyah Reynolds said:

Thanks a lot everyone for answering! My confusion is solved now! So apparently I don't need a third-party VPN and should be using one that my company provides (if they do of course). Using a third-party VPN isn't essential and may actually prove harmful. Really helpful community!

Correct - if your company requires connecting to their VPN to access things on the internal network, you would use the VPN provided by your company. Your office IT department should have given you all the computer hardware + login information needed to work from home.

[Aaliyah Reynolds]

4 hours ago, kirashi said:

Correct - if your company requires connecting to their VPN to access things on the internal network, you would use the VPN provided by your company. Your office IT department should have given you all the computer hardware + login information needed to work from home.

Yes, they did give me the hardware but there was no mention of a VPN. I was reading online about a VPN so I got concerned.