On 04 Sep 2024, Stan Brown <the_stan snipped-for-privacy@fastmail.fm posted some news: snipped-for-privacy@news.individual.net:
> Rather than hijack the existing VPN thread, I'm starting a new one. >
> With HTTPS nearly universal (and absolutely universal among sites
> where I have to log in), is there even a need for VPNs any more? >
> (I understand that a VPN may be able to help you pretend to be
> logging in from another country, but I'm not interested in doing
> that. My concern is simply with a secure connection with my bank or
> my health-care provider when I'm using a public Wifi. Doesn't HTPS
> prevent anyone else from accessing my login session?)
Absolutely there is, and not for illicit purposes either.
VPNS can be used to interconnect remote sites and mobile users, plus a myriad of other services.
HTTPS is HTTP with encryption and verification. The only difference between the two protocols is that HTTPS uses TLS (SSL) to encrypt normal HTTP requests and responses, and to digitally sign those requests and responses. As a result, HTTPS is far more secure than HTTP.
Here's a case in point for VPNs.
Many corporations have moved to cloud based solutions. Some home workers have found AZURE blocking their home Internet connections for no reason and an admin must go in and clear it. That takes time and interferes with their scheduling. Enter a VPN connection. The blocked worker can connect to corporate services using any 3rd party VPN, and AZURE lets them right in, no questions asked.