Virtual private networks, or VPNs, offer a secure mechanism for accessing a network. Often they are a convenience to access an organizations infrastructure. VPNs also need to be considered in an organization's business continuity plan. As an example, many organizations had not planned for the COVID-19 pandemic. Many had to convert their operations to a work-from-home structure, and infrastructures may not have been set up to handle the traffic.

Please respond to the following in a post of at least 200 words:

Explain some of the security risks associated with VPNs.

Describe how organizations can mitigate these risks.

Determine the effect of penetration testing and any applicable laws on VPNs.

Provide full citations and references, formatted according to Strayer Writing Standards.