The development team behind the Amazon Web Services platform is announcing the launch of a new desktop client for the AWS Client VPN, designed to make it easier and more secure to get access to the storage solution and its associated features.
The new desktop-based solution works on both Windows and macOS. The list of features includes mutual authentication, Active Directory support for usernames and passwords, and Multi-Factor Authentication for enhanced security. The developers explain that once the AWS Client VPN creates a secure connection, the system becomes an integral part of the Amazon Virtual Private Cloud.
Users can set up various authorization rules for their laptops or desktops to use with AWS if they need increased security or want to limit access to some sensitive features. A customer can set-up one computer to supervise and manage all connections for a particular VPC.
Amazon offers all the features of the new desktop client for free. The company also explains in the official announcement that, so far, it provides VPN endpoints in 14 regions.
The full list includes the United States, with connections in North Virginia, Ohio, Northern California, and Oregon; Canada; Europe, with servers in Ireland, London, Frankfurt, and Stockholm; Asia Pacific, with connections available in Mumbai, Singapore, Seoul, Sydney, and Tokyo.
Jeff Barr, the Chief Evangelist for Amazon Web Services, does not state in the official announcement whether they are planning to expand the list in the coming months to make using AWS Client VPN easier regardless of where a user lives.
AWS Client VPN is Vital to Amazon’s Future
Amazon considers the cloud computing division of the company to be one of the most important for future expansion. The company needs to improve all aspects of the experience, including security, to keep users engaged in the face of intense competition from both Google and Microsoft.
A company can easily use Amazon Web Services to set-up all the infrastructure required for an online presence. Users of the AWS Client VPN can use it to keep their details secure and hidden from potential third-parties. Amazon offers more details about both features and configuration options on its official site.
Potential users of the Amazon-powered VPN solution should be aware that it uses only the OpenVPN protocol, which has been the target of attacks in the past. Still, the Internet giant has not reported any direct breaches of its Web Services.
Some security experts claim that the Capital One attack of July 2019, which led to the theft of personal information and financial data of more than 100 million customers, can be blamed, in part, on a problem linked to AWS security. Amazon says that the lack of proper security configuration led to the attack.
Even as it offers its customers increased privacy and security via the new AWS Client VPN desktop client, the company is also seeking to track the online activity of almost everyone else.
The online platform uses a variety of cookies to keep track of what shoppers search for and to target them with ads and promotions. It also buys vast amounts of data from other companies, like the recently shuttered Avast Jumpshot subsidiary, to build profiles for each visitor that are as complete as possible when it comes to personal preferences and Internet exploration history.
AWS Client VPN users are well advised to use the desktop client to improve their security when they work with Amazon cloud computing. At the same time, they should choose a full-featured VPN and use it consistently when they visit the online shopping giant and every other site where tracking is active.
Leave a Reply