Which technology enables remote access with an encrypted tunnel to a corporate network and can obscure a user's location?

• A. Virtual Private Network
• B. Web Proxy
• C. SSH Tunnel
• D. Firewall

Answer: (A)

A virtual private network provides the encrypted tunnel that lets a remote user securely reach a corporate network. It creates a secure, authenticated link between the user’s device and the organization’s gateway, so all data traveling over the connection is encrypted and protected from eavesdropping. Because traffic can be routed through the VPN server, the user’s outward appearance on the internet is that of the VPN endpoint rather than their real location, effectively masking where they’re connecting from. This setup enables access to internal resources like files, applications, and services as if the user were on the corporate network, which is exactly what remote access requires.

Web proxies can hide a user’s IP for web requests, but they don’t provide a secure, encrypted tunnel to the entire corporate network or access to internal resources. SSH tunneling does offer encryption and can forward specific services, but it’s typically used for securing individual connections or admin tasks rather than granting broad, scalable access to a whole corporate network. Firewalls protect the network boundary but do not create remote access channels or encryption for connecting from outside the organization.