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plural virtual private networks
Definition of virtual private network
: a private computer network that functions over a public network (such as the Internet) and usually utilizes data encryption to provide secure access to something (such as an internal business server or private network)
He persuaded its users to communicate through a virtual private network, or VPN, a secure channel that sends encrypted messages between computers …— James Verini Tony, like all savvy Internet thieves, uses a virtual private network that masks his computer's true Internet Protocol address every time he logs on.— Joe Light
— called also VPN
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Merriam-Webster unabridgedWords at Play
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The first known use of virtual private network was in 1983
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