Encryption is a fundamental Control procedure for protecting the confidentiality of sensitive information. Confidential information should be encrypted both while it is stored and during its transmission to trusted parties. The Internet provides an inexpensive way to transmit information to others. Doing so does not protect the confidentiality of sensitive information, however, because it is easy to intercept iinformation sent over the Internet. Encryption solves this problem. Encrypting information before sending it over the Internet creates what is called a virtual private network (VPN),so named because it provides the functionality of a privately owned network, while using the Internet. Using VPN software to Encrypt information while it is in transit over the Internet in effect creates private communication channels, often referred to as tunnels, which are accessible Only to those parties possessing the appropriate encryption and decryption keys. The cost of the VPN software is much less than the cost of leasing or buying the infrastructure (telephone lines, satellite links, communications equipment, etc.) needed to create a privately owned secure communications network. It is also much cheaper and easier to reconfigure VPNs to include new sites than it is to add or remove the corresponding physical connections in a privately owned network.