RAS question
A VPN (Virtual Private Network) primarily provides:
Correct answer: (C) Encrypted and private internet connection by masking IP address.
A VPN primarily provides an encrypted and private internet connection by masking the user's IP address.
Explanation
A VPN is best understood as a protected logical network built over existing networks such as the Internet. NIST describes it as a link or virtual network that uses tunnelling, security controls and, in some definitions, encryption to give users a secure communications mechanism for data and IP information. That matches option C: the practical result is an encrypted tunnel for internet traffic, with the user's IP address and location hidden from direct exposure. This is why VPNs are associated with privacy, security and, where relevant, bypassing geo-restrictions. The key idea is not free access, storage or speed; it is a private, protected connection running over ordinary network infrastructure.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) A VPN does not primarily supply free internet access; the question is about a protected network connection, and VPN services are typically about privacy rather than free connectivity.
- (B) Unlimited storage is unrelated because a VPN handles network traffic and IP information, not file storage capacity.
- (D) Faster internet speed is not the primary function of a VPN; encryption and tunnelling can even add overhead instead of improving speed.
Concept
This tests the basic cyber-security concept of how VPNs protect communication over public networks. It recurs in RAS because digital privacy, secure communication and common internet technologies are standard Science and Technology themes.