Virtual private network
A VPN (short for Virtual Private Network) is a service for transferring private information over infrastructure that is primarily or entirely publicly owned, or privately owned but publicly accessible. A VPN is intended to transfer information from an organization's network to an end user who is somewhere without the organization's private communications infrastructure, but where public infrastructure, such as the internet or telephone network, is available.
On this page
Source content checked . English translation published 2026-10-27.
In business automation
A VPN creates an encrypted tunnel over a public network to access internal resources. In automation, it is relevant when an agent, server, or employee needs to access a system that is not exposed to the open internet.
Examples
These examples illustrate a possible workflow. Adapt the connections and rules to your own systems.
Connecting a process to an internal system
A cloud workflow needs to call an order management system on the organization's network. The connection runs through an approved tunnel with limited permissions. The entire system is not exposed to the internet just to make automation easier.
Relevant tools
- n8n
- With a self-hosted installation, you can keep the system on a private network; external connectivity requires a tunnel or controlled gateway, not broad exposure.
What to check
- A VPN open to all employees without network segmentation increases the damage if one account is compromised.