Personal VPN Usage Removal

### VPN Subscription

- Please read [Why We Don't Have A Corporate VPN](/handbook/security/product-security/security-platforms-architecture/security-architecture/zero-trust/#why-we-dont-have-a-corporate-vpn), and check out our [Personal VPN](/handbook/tools-and-tips/personal-vpn/) page regarding usage at GitLab.

- Policy is set at $150 per year.

- Yearly subscription can be submitted in one claim.

- Monthly subscriptions to be submitted monthly.

1. Try not to draw attention. People who appear to be from out of town are more vulnerable to crimes. Try to respect the culture you are visiting by blending in. Consider protective clothing to avoid pickpockets or other theft. Do not flash money or credit cards unnecessarily.

1. Make copies of important documents. Consider carrying hard copies of important documents (passport, driver's license) in a separate location in the event your documents are misplaced or stolen.

1. Keep friends and family updated. No matter whether you're going on an overnight jaunt or a week-long international journey, it's always a good idea to let friends or family know your plans. Before you leave, send a copy of your itinerary to a few trusted people who can keep tabs on your whereabouts. Check in regularly with your contacts so they know you're where you're supposed to be.

1. Be wary of public Wi-Fi. Be aware that hackers can steal sensitive information in the public forum. Use a VPN or other secure access if you plan to access sensitive data. More information on [VPN usage at GitLab](/handbook/security/product-security/security-platforms-architecture/security-architecture/zero-trust/#why-we-dont-have-a-corporate-vpn) and the [Personal VPN](/handbook/tools-and-tips/personal-vpn/) page.

1. Be wary of public Wi-Fi. Be aware that hackers can steal sensitive information in the public forum. Use a VPN or other secure access if you plan to access sensitive data. More information on [VPN usage at GitLab](/handbook/tools-and-tips/personal-vpn/#why-would-a-gitlab-team-member-use-one).

1. Safeguard your hotel. Lock and deadbolt the door while you are in the room. Ensure the door is locked when you leave. Keep the windows closed. Try to give the impression that you're in your room even when you're away, such as placing the Do Not Disturb sign on the outside of your door and keeping the blinds or windows closed. Don't let any strangers into your room, even if they say they work for the hotel. You can always call the front desk to check whether someone was ordered by hotel staff to come to your room.

1. Be aware of your surroundings. Always keep an eye on your personal belongings and use good judgment when talking to strangers. A big part of the joy of traveling is the opportunities it affords to meet new people and learn about their cultures. But if someone near you is acting suspiciously, or if you feel uncomfortable, leave the area immediately. Trust your instincts.

1. Adhere to any recommended safety recommendations made by the GitLab group. For all large self-hosted events we (jointly completed by our internal security team and our contracted security agency) will do a full risk assessment before we converge. It will be up to team members to read said risk assessment and adhere to recommendations outlined.

Head over to the /r/netsec subreddit to see our [October 29, 2019 Reddit AMA](https://www.reddit.com/r/netsec/comments/d71p1d/were_a_100_remote_cloudnative_company_and_were/) on Zero Trust where we fielded questions around our ZTN implementation, roadmap, strategy and more.

Identity is a critical element of the implementation of a ZTN framework. GitLab is moving forward with an implementation of Okta to allow us to standardize authentication for Cloud Application access and implement user-friendly SSO. See our [Okta](/handbook/security/corporate/end-user-services/okta/) page for more details.

### Why We Don't Have a Corporate VPN

In many enterprise environments, virtual private networks (VPN) are used to

allow access to less secured resources, typically also protected by an

enterprise firewall. Adding corporate VPN connectivity only marginally improves

the security of using those systems and assumes a network perimeter is in place.

At GitLab, as an all remote company, we do most of our work using other

Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) providers that we rely on to maintain

confidentiality of communication and data.

In relation to [Zero Trust](#zero-trust), a corporate VPN is a perimeter, which

ZTN architecture deemphasizes as a basis for making authorization decisions.

Current access to critical systems is managed through alternative controls.

While a corporate VPN is not implemented at this time, there are other valid

use cases for which individual team members may still wish to use a *personal*

VPN, such as privacy or preventing traffic aggregation. Team members that

wish to use a personal VPN service for any reason may still [expense one](/handbook/finance/expenses/).

For the use case of laptop usage in untrusted environments, such as coffee shops

and coworking spaces, team members should prioritize a baseline of always-on

host protections, such as up-to-date security patching, host firewalls, and

antivirus, by following the [Laptop Software Configuration Standards](/handbook/security/corporate/end-user-services/laptop-management/laptop-security//).

That said, a personal VPN may provide additional protections in these

situations. For more on personal VPNs see the [Personal VPN](/handbook/tools-and-tips/personal-vpn/) page.

### Wi-fi usage

When using unsecured Wi-Fi, consider a personal VPN.

We [don't have a corporate VPN](/handbook/security/product-security/security-platforms-architecture/security-architecture/zero-trust/#why-we-dont-have-a-corporate-vpn) but consider [purchasing](https://internal.gitlab.com/handbook/finance/expenses/#vpn-subscription) a [personal VPN](/handbook/tools-and-tips/personal-vpn/) if you travel for GitLab or use unknown networks often.

When using unsecured Wi-Fi, consider a [personal VPN](/handbook/tools-and-tips/personal-vpn/) if you travel for GitLab or use unknown networks often.

Remember that if your job has restrictions based upon geolocation (for example supporting customers with specific data restrictions and country-based access), a personal VPN may not be the best choice as often the VPN vendor routes traffic through other countries.

If this restriction applies to you, consider tethering.

description: "Basic questions answered, tips, and recommendations for using a personal VPN."

---

GitLab does not use a [corporate VPN](/handbook/security/product-security/security-platforms-architecture/security-architecture/zero-trust/#why-we-dont-have-a-corporate-vpn). We have selected [NordLayer](/handbook/security/corporate/systems/vpn/_index.md) as our personal VPN solution.

We have selected [NordLayer](/handbook/security/corporate/systems/vpn/_index.md) as our personal VPN solution.

## What is a personal VPN?