{"id":33131,"date":"2025-10-28T02:56:33","date_gmt":"2025-10-28T09:56:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/?p=33131"},"modified":"2025-10-28T06:35:27","modified_gmt":"2025-10-28T13:35:27","slug":"vpn-token","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/vpn-token\/","title":{"rendered":"VPN Token: Definition, Types, and How It Uses 2FA"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

VPN tokens are popular tools for companies wanting to increase VPN network security. Still, if you have a VPN, do you really need the extra security layer?\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read on to learn everything you need to know about VPN tokens, including their pros and cons, and how they work with two-factor authentication (2FA) to secure your network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Is a VPN Token?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A VPN token is a small piece of hardware or software that generates a temporary, one-time password (OTP) which you use to authenticate your connection to a virtual private network (VPN).\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s part of a multi-factor or two-factor authentication (2FA)<\/a> setup, and acts as the second proof of identity. Each token is unique to the individual it\u2019s assigned to, registered to the corporate account, and must be activated by the IT team before use.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The OTPs they generate are typically short-lived: they either change automatically every 30\u201360 seconds<\/a> (time-based) or when you press a button (event-based).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why Use a VPN Token?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

While a VPN<\/a> is a business-grade online security tool, it can\u2019t guarantee full protection by itself. It creates a secure, encrypted connection between your device and a remote network to protect internet data in transit, but even with strong encryption<\/a>, attackers can still exploit weak passwords or stolen credentials to gain unauthorized access<\/a>. That\u2019s where multi-factor authentication (MFA), and specifically a VPN token, comes in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When MFA<\/a> (multi-factor authentication) is enabled, the VPN token acts as a second layer of verification. That means that even if a cybercriminal managed to infiltrate an entire directory of employee usernames and passwords, it would be extremely difficult to access the network without your physical token or authenticated device.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Types of VPN Tokens<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

VPN tokens generally come in two main types: hardware (hard token) and software (soft token).\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hard Tokens<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Hardware tokens are physical devices that generate OTPs. They come in several forms, which mainly differ in how you use or connect them:<\/p>\n\n\n\n