Setting up a VPN for a lawyer's office. How safe is it really?

JINXR · 08-31-2007, 04:21 PM

I'm not really well versed when it comes to networking, but I'm doing a favor for my sister's employer, who happens to be a lawyer. They are wanting to be able to access their server from home.

I found a nice inexpensive program, Hamachi, that will allow employees at a lawyer's office access their documents from home. I went there today to install it, but I wasn't able to convince her boss that a VPN is safe. He's not computer savvy at all and is worried about someone hacking his server since he stores a lot of confidential information on it. I understand his worry, so I told him I'd do some more research on it. I did point out that his server is vulnerable to attacks already since he's connected to the internet, and that if used correctly, a VPN wouldn't make it any more vulnerable than it already is. I also told him the best "security" feature for a VPN, other than the built in encryption, would be to not let anyone know you have the capability to connect from home, make a very unique network name (based on how Hamachi works), and have a very complex password.

His setup contains a DSL connection with 3 computers hooked up to wired router. One computer is the "server" and the other two are for him and my sister. Can someone help me out here so that I can convince him it's safe?

kevin_stevens · 08-31-2007, 08:31 PM

A VPN is extremely reliable at what it's intended to do; cryptographically separate a traffic stream from the general transport circuit.

Hiring someone who knows little about networking and nothing about IT security to protect a legal office is neither reliable nor safe.

KeS

coronadozx · 08-31-2007, 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kevin_stevens

A VPN is extremely reliable at what it's intended to do; cryptographically separate a traffic stream from the general transport circuit.

+1

vpn makes a secure connection and is extremely reliable.

rdsii64 · 09-01-2007, 10:29 PM

What kind of wired router is he using? What kind of firewall setup does the office have. If he is using a cheesy router he is in much more peril that he is aware of whether he uses VPN or not.

AEgeus · 09-05-2007, 10:53 AM

Correctly setup a VPN is both safe and reliable. If you don't know how to set one up get someone who does know, and get the right equipment.

mikem317 · 09-06-2007, 10:07 PM

The best risk management strategy not only involves some transmission-based cryptography using a large cipher bit and complex algorithm, but also using some encryption on the individual files on the machines (provided that some application that use said files don't get upset).

Sell him on a layered approach to on security controls, not necessarily solely on the VPN.