SSL VPN

SSL VPN – SSL VPN stands for Secure Socket Layer Virtual Private Network. It uses the SSL/HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) protocol, which is available without additional software deployment on all standard Web browsers, as a secure transport mechanism to transfer private communications over the public Internet. Using an SSL VPN, the connection between a mobile user and the internal resource happens via a Web connection at the application-layer, as opposed to IPSec VPNs, which open a “tunnel” at the network-layer. The use of SSL is ideal for the mobile user because:

• SSL does not need to be downloaded onto the device being used to access corporate resources.
• SSL does not need to be configured by the end user.
• SSL is available wherever there is a standard Web browser.

SSL is familiar to most users, even those without a technical background. It is already installed on any Internet-enabled device that uses a standard Web browser, and no configuration is necessary. SSL operates at the application-layer, independent of any operating system (OS), so changes to the OS do not require an update in the SSL implementation. And because SSL VPNs operate at the application-layer, it is possible to offer extremely granular access controls to applications, making it ideal for mobile workers and those users coming from an insecure end-point.