A user needs to securely access a remote network from home. Which of the following should the user utilize for secure remote access?

A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is the standard technology used to establish a secure, encrypted connection over a public network, such as the internet. It creates a "tunnel" that protects the data transmitted between the user's device and the remote network from being intercepted. This allows the user to securely access resources on the remote network as if their computer were physically connected to it, fulfilling the requirement for secure remote access from home.

A. LAN: A Local Area Network (LAN) is a network confined to a small geographical area (e.g., an office). It is the network being accessed, not the method for remote access.
B. FTP: File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is used for transferring files between computers. Standard FTP is not secure as it transmits credentials and data in cleartext. It does not provide network-level access.
C. DNS: The Domain Name System (DNS) is a hierarchical system that translates human-readable domain names into machine-readable IP addresses. It is a core internet function, not a remote access technology. ---

1. Stallings

W. (2017). Cryptography and Network Security: Principles and Practice (7th ed.). Pearson.

Section 17.5

"Virtual Private Networks": This section details how VPNs use encryption and tunneling protocols (like IPsec) to provide secure remote access for users over the public internet. It explicitly contrasts this with insecure

direct connections.

2. Kurose

J. F.

& Ross

K. W. (2021). Computer Networking: A Top-Down Approach (8th ed.). Pearson.

Chapter 8.3

"Securing TCP Connections: SSL": While discussing SSL/TLS

the text explains its application in VPNs. It states

"A VPN provides a remote client with authenticated

confidential access to a remote private network... all traffic sent from the client into the TCP connection is encrypted and sent to the institutional network." (Paraphrased from various sections in Chapter 8).

3. Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF). (2005). RFC 4026: Provider Provisioned Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) Terminology.

Section 3

"VPN Definition": This document defines a VPN as "a restricted-use

logical (i.e.

virtual) computer network that is constructed from the resources of a relatively public network (such as the Internet)." This official definition aligns with the use case of securely accessing a private network over a public one.