8 Best VPN & Security Tools for Remote Work [2025]

If you ever use public WiFi (coffee shops, airports, hotels), yes - it's essential. Public WiFi is unencrypted and easily intercepted. Even at home, a VPN protects your privacy from your ISP and adds a layer of security. For remote workers accessing company resources, many companies require VPN use. At minimum, use VPN on public WiFi; ideally, use it all the time.

ExpressVPN is faster and more reliable but costs more. NordVPN offers better value with more features (threat protection, meshnet) and is nearly as fast. Choose ExpressVPN if you want the absolute best performance and don't mind paying $8-13/month. Choose NordVPN if you want excellent performance with better value at $3-5/month with long-term plans. Both are excellent; it's a premium vs. value choice.

Most free VPNs are dangerous - they make money by logging and selling your data, injecting ads, or worse. Legitimate free options: ProtonVPN (limited but safe), Cloudflare WARP (not full VPN but safe). If a VPN is completely free with no paid tier, ask how they make money. VPNs cost money to run - if you're not paying, you're the product. Better to pay $3-5/month for legitimate service.

Yes, slightly - encryption adds overhead and routing through VPN servers increases latency. Good VPNs (ExpressVPN, NordVPN, Surfshark) typically reduce speed by 10-20%, which is barely noticeable for most activities. Bad VPNs can cut your speed in half. For most remote work (video calls, file sharing, browsing), the security benefit far outweighs minor speed reduction. ExpressVPN is fastest if speed is critical.

It depends. If you use a personal VPN on your personal device, your employer can't see your traffic. If you use a work laptop with company software, they can see everything before it goes to your VPN. If you use your company's VPN, they can see everything. VPNs hide your traffic from outsiders (ISP, hackers) but not from software on your device or the VPN provider itself. Never assume a VPN makes you invisible to your employer.

Yes, if possible. Modern VPNs have minimal impact on speed and provide constant protection. Set it to auto-connect on startup. However, some situations require disabling: banking websites that block VPNs, local devices (printers, smart home), or services that don't work with VPNs. Most VPNs offer split tunneling to exclude specific apps/sites while keeping overall protection. Enable kill switch to ensure no unprotected traffic if VPN drops.

Technically, malware is the broader term (includes viruses, ransomware, spyware, trojans). In practice, modern "antivirus" software protects against all malware types. Malwarebytes specifically focuses on malware detection and removal, often catching things traditional antivirus misses. Best practice: Use both - Windows Defender or Mac security as baseline, plus Malwarebytes for additional protection. They complement each other without conflicts.

Yes, increasingly so. While macOS is more secure than Windows, Mac malware has grown significantly. Macs are now 10%+ of market, making them worthwhile targets. Mac-specific malware exists: adware, ransomware, crypto miners. macOS has built-in security (Gatekeeper, XProtect) but it's basic. For remote work, add Malwarebytes or similar. The "Macs don't get viruses" myth is outdated and dangerous.

A kill switch blocks all internet traffic if your VPN connection drops, preventing accidental unprotected browsing. It's essential for security - without it, your traffic becomes visible if the VPN fails. All major VPNs include kill switches (NordVPN, ExpressVPN, Surfshark). Enable it in settings. Some call it "Network Lock" or similar. This feature alone makes consumer VPNs worth using over free alternatives that lack it.

Test it: 1) Check your IP address at ipleak.net before and after connecting - it should change. 2) Verify DNS isn't leaking (ipleak.net shows this too). 3) Test kill switch by disconnecting VPN mid-browsing - internet should stop. 4) Check for WebRTC leaks at browserleaks.com. Most quality VPNs pass all tests, but it's worth verifying. If tests fail, contact support or switch VPNs.