What is VPN Split Tunneling?
Split tunneling is a VPN feature that allows users to direct some of their internet traffic through the VPN tunnel while letting other traffic bypass the VPN and go directly to the internet. In other words, it allows the user to choose which applications or websites will use the VPN connection and which will not.
For example, with split tunneling, a user can access their company's internal network and resources through the VPN connection while accessing public websites and streaming services directly through their local internet connection. This can improve performance and reduce latency for non-sensitive traffic.
Split tunneling can also be used to conserve VPN bandwidth by avoiding the unnecessary routing of non-sensitive traffic through the VPN tunnel. This can be especially useful for remote workers who are using limited bandwidth connections.
However, split tunneling can also be a security risk as it creates two separate network paths, one secured by the VPN and one not. This can potentially allow attackers to exploit the unsecured path to gain access to the user's system or data. As a result, split tunneling should only be used when necessary and with caution. It is also important to configure split tunneling correctly to avoid any potential security vulnerabilities.