What is a VPN (Virtual Private Network), and why would you recommend implementing one?

When responding to questions about technologies, limit your answer to the specific information the interviewer has asked you about. Adding additional information may open up opportunities for the interviewer to further test your knowledge in this area or explore related topics that you may not be familiar with.

"A VPN or virtual private network is a wide area network which resides on the internet. It enables users to create connections to the internet using different waypoints rather than a direct connection from their computer or node. The purpose of a VPN is to mask the user's identity and location to prevent unauthorized access to their node or other security threats such as malware or malicious programs from being loaded onto the user's computer. VPNs may consist of a single waypoint or multiple ones. Advantages of using a VPN include the ability to create wide area networks using the internet, securing an individual's data, enabling secure data to be safely exchanged over the internet, and hiding users' identities."