Data Privacy Day will be celebrated across the globe on Sunday.  This is a great time to emphasize the role our channel partners and business customers play in ensuring that employees can work safely, securely and privately online.

This is even more critical today as data security has become one of the biggest and most challenging issues for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs).  Complicating this, many small businesses depend on distributed or mobile workforces where employees often work remotely from home or locations on the road. In these situations, accessing unsecured or public Wi-Fi becomes more common and may introduce even more risk for businesses and IT service providers.  

Earlier this month, we asked small business owners and employees about Wi-Fi security and breaches and found nearly 90% were concerned and almost half told us they were very worried. Industry statistics and research also show that a high percentage of people believe their information is safe when using public Wi-Fi.

We know that is not always the case and this is where a Virtual Private Network (VPN) service can offer peace of mind and protection against cyberattacks for remote workers, road warriors or anyone working outside the walls of their corporate office. A VPN service enables you to work safely online, from any location, by establishing a secure, encrypted connection between you and a remote VPN server. This connection ensures that your IP address is masked and the data is encrypted—preventing anyone from seeing any sites or data you access online.

Avast SecureLine VPN

At Avast, we offer SecureLine VPN as a standalone solution for both consumers and businesses. Last year, we made SecureLine VPN available as part of our new Antivirus Pro Plus solution for business users. Now businesses can immediately benefit from a strong VPN service with access to critical data, device and data security features. For our channel partners, Antivirus Pro Plus is also integrated into Avast Business Managed Workplace and CloudCare.

PC Magazine recently recognized our SecureLine VPN feature in Avast Business Antivirus Pro Plus, noting it was a ‘handy extra,” and praised Pro Plus for its additional features, “ . . . what sets [Pro Plus] apart are its peripheral features. Besides providing an effective antivirus, anti-malware, and browser-protection capabilities, it also adds a virtual private network (VPN) service, sandbox browser and data shredder.”

Our SecureLine VPN offers these key features and benefits:

• Strong encryption protocols: SecureLine VPN uses bank-grade 256-bit AES encryption and the most reliable, widely used privacy protocols.
• High-speed connections and unlimited bandwidth: SecureLine also offers multi-device subscription options for up to 5 devices across any platform. Download Avast SecureLine VPN for free.
• Expansive service area and multiple VPN server locations: A range of server locations ensures that employees have close proximity to VPN servers and this results in faster and better browsing. Our SecureLine VPN service uses hundreds of servers and users can connect to our VPN service through 52 server locations in 33 countries. You can find more detail here.
• Privacy policy that outlines the type of data collected and how it may be used: SecureLine protects users’ privacy and we do not sell or rent users’ VPN data to third parties. You can view our privacy policy here.
• A service that is easy to access and use: With SecureLine, you can access via desktop or mobile  and establish a connection at any time and you’re ready to work online from virtually anywhere.

While a strong VPN service provides a great defense when accessing unfamiliar WiFi connections, SMBs should also keep the tips below in mind when working online:

• Only visit websites with HTTPS encryption when in public places (not HTTP).
• Turn off the automatic Wi-Fi connectivity feature on your phone, so it won’t automatically seek out hotspots.
• Monitor or turn off your Bluetooth connection when in public places to ensure others are not intercepting your transfer of data.
• Buy an unlimited data plan for your device and stop using public Wi-Fi altogether.
• Use SSL connections.
• Turn off sharing.
• Keep Wi-Fi off when you’re not using it.
• Stay protected with Avast Business Antivirus Pro Plus.

For small businesses, VPN is a key security tool against cybercrime and data breaches, ensuring security and privacy online.  To view all of the features of Avast Business Antivirus Pro Plus, visit our web page or sign up for a free trial here.