IT Update

VPN (Virtual Private Network) Update

Recently we have had quite a lot of students unable to access required school resources because they have a VPN running on their computer. 

VPN stands for “Virtual Private Network”. They were first made so workers could securely access work resources from home. When connected, a computer creates a “tunnel” through which traffic is secured and then appears to be on the work network.  

However many public VPNs are not used for this purpose! They are often used to avoid restrictions on a network, or location restrictions, by allowing you to “appear” as though you’re in the US, UK, Russia etc.  

“FREE” VPNs, and some cheap VPNs, can be very dangerous.  You may not be paying, or paying much, to use the VPN, but they make their money by selling your bank details, passwords, and other information to other online platforms. 

At Vermont Secondary College, we have network rules in place to restrict where students can access our systems from. This prevents hackers from attempting to log in. When students use a VPN, they often appear to come from well-known hacker hotspots in Russia, Eastern Europe, or other places. The VSC network thinks the log in is coming from overseas and does not allow the student into the network and blocks them.  

Therefore, students will not be able to access most resources provided by VSC when they have a VPN installed and active.  Some VPNs are designed to allow them to interfere even when “turned off”, and so it can be necessary to uninstall them to allow the computer to access VSC resources.  

Students have no reason to use a VPN while at school. Many use them to try and to get around restrictions we have in place for their own protection. Even at home, it is highly doubtful that there are legitimate reasons for students to use a VPN. For example, using a VPN to access streaming sites which can’t be accessed in Australia this is not legitimate nor legal. If your child has a VPN installed on their device, speak with them about the reasons why they are using it. What are they trying to accomplish with it?  

Also check and research the terms and conditions and privacy information. If the VPN provider does not give this information, do not trust them. This is also advised when checking any app your child may be using.