Security Concerns for Remote Teams
Remote work offers flexibility for engineers, but it presents a major headache for System Admins. Opening SSH (22) or RDP (3389) ports directly to the internet, even with IP restrictions, is like leaving the key under the mat. Attackers only need to use Credential Stuffing or exploit a Zero-day vulnerability to seize control of a server in an instant.
Many teams choose traditional VPN solutions for better security. However, managing dozens of .ovpn configuration files manually is a nightmare. Every time a new member joins or someone leaves, creating or revoking certificates via CLI takes at least 15-20 minutes. For a company of 50 people, this becomes a logistical mess.
The core issue with old-school VPNs is the “once you’re in, you’re in” model. Once a user successfully connects, they can scan the entire internal network range. This is the perfect scenario for ransomware to spread. Zero Trust was created to end this by following the principle: Never trust, always verify, and grant only the minimum necessary permissions.
Why Traditional VPN Solutions Fall Short
As the team grows, management limitations start to surface:
- Lack of Visibility: You have almost no idea who is hogging bandwidth or who is accessing what if you only use the community version of OpenVPN.
- MFA is Optional, Not Mandatory: Integrating 2FA authentication is often complex, leading many Admins to skip it, creating a significant vulnerability.
- Manual Routing: Splitting subnets for different departments using iptables is error-prone. A small mistake could allow Devs to access the Accounting network.
- Latency: OpenVPN can be quite slow. Meanwhile, WireGuard is faster but lacks a centralized user management toolkit.
Which Choice is Right for Your Business?
There are several notable options on the market to consider:
- Cloud VPN (AWS/Google): Very stable but quite pricey. At around $0.05/hour per connection, the monthly bill for a team of 30 can reach several hundred USD.
- Tailscale/ZeroTier: Extremely fast and easy to use thanks to WireGuard. However, management data resides on third-party servers. This sometimes fails to pass strict security compliance audits.
- Pritunl: This is the perfect sweet spot. It runs on your own infrastructure, has a beautiful Web interface, supports both OpenVPN and WireGuard, and most importantly, has a very powerful Open Source version.
Pritunl – Bridging the Gap Between Usability and Security
After deploying it for various systems, I’ve found that Pritunl handles the Zero Trust challenge exceptionally well. You can force all users to use MFA and only allow them to see exactly the servers they need to work with.
Step 1: Server Preparation
An Ubuntu 22.04 server with 1 vCPU and 2GB RAM is enough to handle about 30 concurrent users. For a smooth system, prioritize using an SSD because Pritunl logs and queries MongoDB constantly.
Step 2: Quick Installation
Don’t install each package manually. Use the official repository for easy updates later. Run the following commands as root:
# Add repo for MongoDB 6.0 and Pritunl
sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/mongodb-org-6.0.list << EOF
deb [ arch=amd64,arm64 ] https://repo.mongodb.org/apt/ubuntu jammy/mongodb-org/6.0 multiverse
EOF
sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/pritunl.list << EOF
deb https://repo.pritunl.com/stable/apt jammy main
EOF
# Import authentication keys
sudo apt-key adv --keyserver hkp://keyserver.ubuntu.com --recv 656408E390CFB1F5
sudo apt-key adv --keyserver hkp://keyserver.ubuntu.com --recv 7AE645C0AF8E2914
# Install and start services
sudo apt update
sudo apt install mongodb-org pritunl -y
sudo systemctl start mongod pritunl
sudo systemctl enable mongod pritunlStep 3: Web UI Configuration
Access the server IP via your browser. You will see a screen requesting a Setup Key. Retrieve the key using the command sudo pritunl setup-key. Next, get the default login information with sudo pritunl default-password.
Pro tip: Set up your domain and enable Let’s Encrypt in the Settings immediately. This protects the Admin session and prevents administrative cookie theft.
Step 4: Organizing Users into Groups
Pritunl manages access through the structure: Organization > User.
- Create an Organization (e.g., “Dev-Team”).
- Add users and remember to check Enable Multi-Factor Authentication. Users will then receive a QR code to scan into Google Authenticator or Authy.
Step 5: Server and Route Configuration
In the Servers tab, prioritize the UDP protocol to reduce overhead.
The most critical part is Routes. Instead of leaving it at default to allow access to everything, you should only add specific IP ranges for your Database or Staging servers. If you need to calculate subnets quickly to avoid internal IP range conflicts, I often use toolcraft.app. This tool clearly displays the network range and available hosts, helping with precise IP infrastructure management.
# Example: Only allow access to the internal server range
10.0.1.0/24
172.16.0.0/20Professional Operation and Optimization
The biggest plus of Pritunl is its intuitive dashboard. You can monitor who is online and disconnect anyone with just one click. If an employee reports a lost laptop, you simply Disable that user on the Web UI, no complex commands needed.
To optimize the experience, encourage employees to use the Pritunl Client instead of a standard OpenVPN client. It supports lightning-fast profile imports via PIN codes. Don’t forget to enable WireGuard in the server settings to help laptops save battery and reconnect faster on unstable networks.
Conclusion
Deploying a VPN is not just about connecting; it’s about managing access intelligently. Pritunl brings a balance between the strict security of Zero Trust and everyday administrative convenience. With the Open Source version, you can build a professional VPN system without spending a dime on licensing fees.
