Encryption

Encrypting scrambles plain text into an unreadable form called ciphertext. To read the original text, a decryption key is needed.

Here is a great video explaining the basic concept of encryption.

Objectives - Topic 3

Students will be able to:

  • 3.1.4 Identify the technologies required to provide a VPN.
  • 3.1.5 Evaluate the use of a VPN.

Intranets and Extranets

An intranet is really just a LAN. It is a network only available to the employees of a company, for example.

If a company has many offices, these can all be connected privately - so, bigger than a LAN... maybe a WAN... definitely an intranet!

Note: some companies allow parts of their intranet to be accessed securely by approved third parties eg customers or business partners.

This is when an intranet becomes an extranet!

VPN

Jack works for IGNITE GAME DESIGN, a company based in Ontario, Canada.

Jack's business trips take him all over the world but he still needs regular access to his company's private network, an . He needs to save/access files on servers there.

He also needs to set up secure video calls with his boss, Amber McNaughton.

Unfortunately the only way to connect to that private network is via the most famous public network on Planet Earth - THE INTERNET!

Communicating across the Internet has many risks including the risk of data theft, hacking, downloading viruses, trojans and other malware...

Fortunately for Jack, his company has purchased a VPN server and he has already downloaded the VPN software onto his laptop.

A Virtual Private Network is designed to create a secure and private communication channel over a public network, typically the Internet

This is made possible by data, providing anonymity (hiding IP addresses), thus enabling secure access to private networks

The creation of a secure, encrypted, private connection over a public network is known as tunneling.

Complete this worksheet and let's find out more about VPN Networks and Encryption.

Here are links to the 2 short videos referenced in the worksheet.

About VPNs

VPN Limitations

Here are a few limitations of VPN technology. Think practically if asked about limitations in an exam question.

Glossary

Virtual Private Network

secure connection

encryption

tunneling

vpn server

public network

private network

intranet

extranet

Recognise that a VPN seeks to create a secure tunnel between a user (client) and a VPN server across a public (and potentially dangerous) public network.

Required technologies are:

  1. VPN Server and Server software
  2. VPN software for the client
  3. A appropriate VPN protocol such as PPTP (now obsolete) for secure tunneling