What Is an SSL VPN

What Is an SSL VPN? Meaning, Types & How It Works Explanation in 2024

Arthur Sabayi
Last update: September 8, 2024

Quick Answer: What Is an SSL VPN?

An SSL VPN is a virtual private network that encrypts browser traffic, allowing secure remote access to private networks over the internet. They’re easy to set up, as they don’t require app installations and use standard encryption.

A VPN is a security service that encrypts internet traffic, keeping your personal information safe. Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) is an internet protocol that VPNs can use to authenticate connections and encrypt communications. Combining the two gives you an SSL VPN, which lets organizations set up secure channels for remote access without expensive hardware.

In this article, I will explore SSL VPNs, how they work, common types of SSL VPNs and their benefits and drawbacks. I will also compare SSL VPNs with similar alternatives. Take note that an SSL VPN is not a method for protecting 100% of your internet traffic — you’ll need one of the best VPNs from the commercial market for that.


Meaning: What Is an SSL VPN?

ssl vpn
SSL is a widely used internet security protocol that can establish secure VPN connections.

SSL VPN stands for “Secure Sockets Layer Virtual Private Network.” It is a type of virtual private network designed to provide users with secure remote access to private networks through an SSL protocol. An SSL VPN can be used to set up a remote-access VPN or any higher category for the four different types of VPNs.

The biggest benefit of SSL VPNs is that they don’t require the installation of specialized apps to function. SSL VPNs use ordinary web browsers, which almost everyone knows how to use. However, unlike commercial VPNs, SSL VPNs are used to access private devices, not the wider public internet.

SSL is actually shorthand for “SSL/TLS,” reflecting that TLS (Transport Layer Security) is the latest and best version of SSL. TLS was designed to replace earlier SSL versions like POODLE due to their vulnerability to cyberattacks. TLS is now the standard for encryption protocols that SSL VPNs use, though the term “SSL” has stuck.


Types of SSL VPN

There are two major categories of SSL VPNs. Both of them work for any of the reasons why you’d use a VPN, but they differ in the level of access they grant and the overhead required to set them up.

SSL Portal VPN

This type of SSL VPN permits a single SSL connection to a website. Once an SSL portal VPN authenticates you through a username and password, you can securely access resources hosted on a given private network using a regular browser. Employees commonly use SSL portal VPNs to remotely access corporate network resources.

SSL Tunnel VPN

SSL tunnel VPNs have a better range than SSL portal VPNs, as they’re not limited to browsers. They create a protected intermediary path between your device and a device with the VPN software installed, enabling access to multiple network services even if those resources aren’t online themselves.

One of the biggest advantages of using a tunnel VPN instead of a portal is that all of your internet traffic is encrypted, not just your browser traffic. However, you must install a VPN client on your computer to use an SSL tunnel VPN.

The key difference between SSL portal VPNs and SSL tunnel VPNs is that SSL portal VPNs are more convenient and only require a browser to work. However, SSL VPN encryption is limited to traffic routed through the established tunnel, so you can’t get online with total protection like you could with a commercial VPN.


How Does SSL VPN Appliance Work?

SSL VPNs use the following process to secure your internet traffic regardless of whether you’re using an SSL tunnel or portal VPN.

how does SSL VPN appliance work
SSL VPNs work in five core steps.

1. User Initiates Connection

The first step involves the user accessing a web portal (if using a portal VPN) or launching the SSL VPN software (if using a tunnel VPN). 

2. User Authentication

The user provides their username and password to authenticate their identity to the SSL VPN server. Only authorized remote users can establish a VPN connection.

3. Establishment of a Secure and Encrypted Connection

With the authentication confirmed, the SSL VPN client and the destination device acting as a VPN server initiate a secure SSL/TLS connection through two processes.

4. Data Transmission

The fourth step involves the user’s device sending and receiving data over the encrypted SSL VPN connection. The user can now access the permitted resources within the private network remotely from anywhere, including databases, files and applications.

5. Session Termination

Once the user completes the VPN session, they disconnect from the SSL VPN server. The termination process varies among VPN clients.


Benefits & Drawbacks of SSL VPN

No cybersecurity solution is completely foolproof, and though SSL VPNs have many benefits, they also have some drawbacks. 

Advantages of SSL VPN

Here are the benefits of using SSL VPNs.

Disadvantages of SSL VPN

SSL VPNs also have some drawbacks.


SSL VPN vs IPsec VPN

IPsec (Internet Protocol Security) VPNs were used to create secure connections before SSL VPN technology was widely adopted. Like SSL VPNs, IPsec VPNs encrypt your online traffic, but they’re much less convenient overall. You can learn more about IPsec in our VPN protocol breakdown.

SSL VPN vs IPSec VPN
IPSec VPNs are generally more complex and involved than SSL VPNs.

Client Software

SSL VPNs are mostly browser-based and don’t require additional app installations in order to work. IPsec VPNs require both specialized software and hardware, plus much closer monitoring by a network administrator. Depending on the scale of your setup, you may also need to configure each user’s endpoint and procure software licenses. 

Access Control

Configuring which parts of a private network an individual can access is easier with an SSL VPN than with an IPsec VPN. SSL VPNs can be tailored to provide different levels of access to users on the same network.

IPsec gives everyone equal control, which is risky — having too many people accessing sensitive areas of a network isn’t ideal. You can set up privileges for each account using IPsec VPNs, but it’s tedious and costly.

Encryption Approach

Though both VPNs encrypt traffic, they apply encryption on different levels. An IPsec VPN protocol secures your data at the network layer. Therefore, all IP packets are encapsulated when transmitted to ensure everything is protected from potential interceptions.

SSL VPNs handle the application layer, providing selective encryption for specific web services and applications instead of for all network packets. This is a more cost-effective method overall.


Why Are SSL VPNs Important? 

SSL VPN technology allows businesses to rapidly establish safe access for remote workers. The COVID-19 pandemic was a defining moment for most businesses, and those that quickly adapted to remote work managed to do so largely by adopting SSL VPNs.

SSL VPNs are an appealing and necessary technology for organizations that want to keep their wheels moving no matter where their employees are. Knowing that a network is well secured from both ends allows companies to hire employees from anywhere in the world and share their network resources without worrying about security.


What Is SSL VPN Used For?

SSL VPNs have a wide range of uses, including authentication, business scaling, security checks and centralized access control.

Adding an Extra Layer of Authentication

Remote access relies on SSL VPNs to handle what humans cannot, verifying that users are who they claim to be. Since the devices used to access private network services are unsupervised, SSL VPNs’ native authentication capabilities significantly reduce the chances of unauthorized individuals accessing a private network.

Scaling Up Businesses

Hiring remote talent from other locations is a cost-effective way of upscaling a business. Instead of upgrading the physical space to accommodate new hires, businesses can use SSL VPNs to provide secure remote access. This also allows the business to access talented employees that don’t live near its offices.

Security Checks

SSL VPNs are reliable for integrity checks on security systems. They scrutinize inbound and outbound traffic, verify identification credentials and give network administrators great control over who can access the network. SSL VPNs can even be designed to detect jailbroken devices and block them before the entire network is compromised.

Centralized Access Control

SSL VPNs give network administrators precise control over who can access the network and which parts they can see. They can set boundaries that make it easy to immediately pinpoint where a breach is coming from and deal with it before it causes further damage. This level of control also makes it easy to revoke access if a user is fired or quits.


Top Firewall Vendors 

A firewall vendor is a security service provider that monitors network traffic for signs of threats. Many of them provide SSL VPN services, along with features like deep packet inspection for filtering data packets, antispam for catching scam emails and antimalware for dealing with dangerous apps and viruses.

Here’s a quick overview of the top firewall vendors.

WatchGuard — Best Overall, with Security Automation

watchguard
WatchGuard is a firewall vendor with 24/7 managed detection for potential network threats.

WatchGuard is a unified security platform that provides security through end-to-end encryption for organizations’ networks. It gives network admins full control over the levels of access each remote user can have. Furthermore, it is equipped with automated threat modeling, detection and remediation that constantly monitor the network for hidden threats.

Cisco Secure Firewall — Flexible Enterprise Options

cisco
Cisco provides AI features that assist network administrators to manage private networks more efficiently.

When providing security solutions for every level of business, very few alternatives can beat Cisco Secure Firewall. It has reliable hardware designed for different levels of companies, from small ventures to large corporations with multiple devices each day that need access to secured systems.

Additionally, Cisco Secure Firewall uses AI to speed up and automate network monitoring tasks. This frees up cybersecurity teams, allowing them to focus on more critical issues.

SonicWall — All-Around Security Suite

sonicwall
SonicWall is equipped with threat protection features that shield private networks from external cyber threats.

SonicWall takes business security to the next level by combining SSL VPN services and built-in security features. For example, Gateway Security Services offers real-time protection against malware. SonicWall also offers Capture Advanced Threat Protection (ATP), which defends the network against external attacks.

Palo Alto Networks — Best for Large Businesses

paloalto
Palo Alto Networks combines features like zero-trust network access and SSL VPNs to facilitate secure remote access.

Palo Alto Networks is another firewall vendor with a wide range of security products and solutions ideal for large businesses. These include network security solutions like zero-trust network access, cloud secure web gateway, SSL VPNs, data center security and more.


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