VPN usage skyrockets as more people start to work from home
- Business VPN usage has increased by 165% worldwide, according to NordVPN.
- Its sales grew by almost 600% since March 11.
- People are also working longer hours.
The usage of VPNs - or Virtual Private Networks - has skyrocketed in recent weeks as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, according to data shared by NordVPN. It noted a 165% uptick in the use of business VPNs and its overall sales increased by almost 600% since 11 March, 2020.
With people around the world moving to home working, the sharp increase seen by NordVPN, particularly with regard to business VPNs, may not be surprising with employees needing to connect securely to corporate networks, but the numbers are staggering.
There appears also to have been a spike in productivity, or at least an increase in working hours, with the move to home working with NordVPN users connecting for longer each day.
Usage data from the NordVPN Teams business software revealed several countries, including Canada, The UK, France, and more, are using their business VPNs for an extra two hours per day. U.S. usage jumped by an even greater amount as the workday lengthened by three hours on average.
Daniel Marcusson, digital privacy expert of NordVPN Teams, said:
"Typically people homeworking are starting work earlier - but finishing at their usual same time. The lack of a morning commute is currently being used as additional work time, which looks like a win-win for employees and businesses."
It remains to be seen if that additional time is actually being used productively or if the adjustment to home working is causing some efficiency issues.
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