Fact: VPNs Aren’t Deployed in Isolation
Wherever possible, federal agencies look to limit the number of outside organizations that are involved in technology deployments, which makes sense; even with adherence to standards such as DOD Directive 8140, additional providers naturally increase total risk.
According to Touhill, this outsourcing can’t be avoided when it comes to VPNs. “Most agencies will procure VPN technology and then hire a services company to install, configure and operate it,” he says. “While some still have organic employees for this job, most .gov deployments are outsourced to a solutions provider.”
As a result, agencies must account for both current employees and approved contractors when it comes to VPN management.
RELATED: New tools help agencies let users connect remotely to classified networks.
Fallacy: VPNs Are Always Cost-Effective
The straightforward nature of VPN solutions is often associated with cost-effectiveness, but that’s not always the case, especially in sudden ramp-ups such as the one at the beginning of the pandemic.