What is PPTP? – Definition, Functions, Disadvantages, And More

Definition PPTP

PPTP is a VPN protocol that establishes a connection (also called a “tunnel”) to the PPTP server through which it transports all data and online traffic, securing them at the same time. PPTP stands for Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol.

It was introduced in 1995, although it was in development ten years before that date. PPTP improved the previous PPP standard, which lacked the tunneling function. The VPN protocol is available on many platforms.

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HOW DOES PPTP WORK?

PPTP Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol is a method of creating a virtual private network VPN. One way to imagine PPTP would be a freeway running from point A to point B. The freeway has lots of tow trucks driving from one side to the other, carrying things that need it to need to deliver to either Point a or Point B.

Now let’s imagine there is a helicopter looking down and that these tow trucks have no roof and can see everything they are transporting. PPTP does something special for that; it creates its tunnel for trucks to pass through it. From the helicopter, you can only see that the trucks go from Point A to Point B, but we will not be able to see anything that is inside it.

All you can know is that there is a connection between two points; the rest is out of sight from view. In the same way, when users want to connect to their hotel network or public Wi-Fi securely, they don’t want other people to be able to see what they are doing, so they have to use a PPTP VPN, to create an encrypted tunnel to protect your data.

A VPN is a secure connection established between your Internet Service Provider (ISP) and the other VPN internet service provider. When you use a VPN, all your online activity is encrypted, so attempts to break internet connections to steal private and confidential information will be in vain since internet traffic gets hidden behind the VPN.

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Is PPTP secure?

If you’ve ever manually configured a VPN using your device’s built-in protocols, you’ve probably considered using [PPTP]. It is one of the most handy types of VPN to configure and comes pre-installed with most Windows, Mac OSX, Android, and iOS devices. Not only is it more accessible, but it is also faster than the other built-in protocols like L2TP / IPSec, SSTP, and IKEv2.

Disadvantages of PPTP

[PPTP] is quite obsolete. Microsoft developed and implemented it on Windows 95 and Windows NT. The researchers first found flaws in the protocol’s cryptography in 1998. By 2012, many vulnerabilities had surfaced, and the encryption could easily get broken. The list of vulnerabilities has grown as various irreparable problems arose. These problems left users immune to various types of attacks.

In summary, PPTP is not advisable if security is your priority when you are setting up a VPN. Instead, go for a much more secure protocol: OpenVPN, L2TP / IPSec, SSTP, or IKEv2.

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