What aspect of cybersecurity does a VPN mainly address?

A VPN, or Virtual Private Network, primarily addresses data encryption. When a user connects to a VPN, it creates a secure tunnel between the user's device and the VPN server. This tunnel encrypts the data being transmitted, meaning that even if the data is intercepted by a malicious actor during transmission, it cannot be easily read or understood without the appropriate decryption keys. As a result, the confidentiality of the data is maintained, which is a fundamental aspect of cybersecurity.

While data integrity, data storage, and data accessibility are important components of cybersecurity, they do not encompass the primary function of a VPN. Data integrity involves ensuring that information is accurate and unaltered during transmission, which a VPN does not directly provide. Data storage relates to how data is saved and managed, and data accessibility pertains to the ability to access data. However, these aspects are more relevant to other tools and practices in cybersecurity, such as database security, access controls, and data backup solutions. The key focus of a VPN is its capability to encrypt data, thereby protecting it during transmission over potentially insecure networks.