Which technology is used to securely connect to a private network over the public internet, typically via encryption tunnels?

• A. Wireless Local Area Network
• B. Metropolitan Area Network
• C. Wide Area Network
• D. Virtual Private Network

Answer: (D)

A Virtual Private Network enables secure remote access by creating an encrypted tunnel between the user's device and the private network over the public internet. This tunnel protects data from eavesdropping and tampering, providing confidentiality, integrity, and authentication as you reach corporate resources or link distant sites. The other options describe network types by size or scope—wireless LAN is a local building network, metropolitan area network covers a city, and wide area network spans large regions—but they do not inherently imply secure tunneling over the public internet.