Secure Remote Access provider remote.it releases software image to transform Raspberry Pis into secure Remote Work Appliances

remote.itPi enables businesses to add remote work capabilities without expensive and complicated VPN or network hardware


PALO ALTO, Calif., May 05, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Secure connectivity and remote access provider remote.it announced today that it has released a free image for Raspberry Pi devices that transforms the single-board computer into a full-featured Remote Work Appliance. Businesses are able to use the remote.it-enabled Raspberry Pi to provide workers with access to networked assets without needing expensive and complicated VPNs nor network hardware. Using remote.itPi is free for personal use, and because of the increased demand for remote work solutions due to the COVID-19 crisis, remote.it will provide its business level features free of charge for new users through September 1st, 2020.

Traditionally, VPNs have been the tools of choice for companies seeking to provide workers with access to in-office assets for remote work — the VPN market is projected to grow from $18 billion in 2018 to $54 billion in 2024. Recently, attacks and vulnerabilities have been mounting against VPNs — ClearSky identified state sponsored hacking groups exploiting CVEs, leaving enterprise IT and network administrators searching for alternatives to VPNs. remote.it is stepping in to address the vulnerabilities of VPNs with virtual private internet (VPI), a software-only solution that creates secure port forwardless features and eliminates open communication ports on VPNs exploited by hackers.

remote.itPi is a software image that transforms a Raspberry Pi — the world’s most popular single-board computer — into a Remote Work Appliance. Once remote.itPi is installed, businesses will be able to use their Raspberry Pi to enable remote access to Windows and Mac desktop computers, Network Attached Storage devices, file servers, other in-office network assets, as well as aggregate those remote assets. remote.itPi also includes an out-of-band management (OOBM) mode, making it the ideal tool to manage private networks or primary networks when the main internet connection is down.

“Solutions such as legacy VPNs relying on global IP addresses and open ports are exposing their users with a primary attack surface into their network. The urgent jump to offering remote working for employees during shelter in place is further magnifying the issue,” says Ryo Koyama, founder and CEO of remote.it. “The new remote.itPi image and desktop apps make the remote.it enterprise remote access solutions more widely available and create an easy, affordable way for businesses to offer remote work capabilities for their employees. All websites now require Transport Layer Security (the locked padlock icon in your browser), and we believe that soon service providers will be required to allow customers to close all their connection ports in the same way that remote.it operates, so that the customer networks cannot be compromised through their internet connections.”

remote.itPi was developed to aid businesses seeking to enable remote work to support social distancing safety measures during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is designed to be easy to install, configure, and manage for any business.

“When California enacted shelter-in-place, we needed a solution that allowed our employees reliable remote access to their office computers and back office business applications. remote.it lets our team work from home with full access to computers and files they use in the office,” said Andy Do, founder and President of EmbeddedWorks, an MVNO solution provider headquartered in Santa Clara, CA. “Unlike traditional VPNs, remote.it also has the added benefit of working over CG-NAT (mobile networks private addresses) which ensures that our office network is not exposed to the Internet.”

remote.it is already being used to enable remote work around the world. Companies such as Japan’s Echo Electronics Co., Ltd. have been leveraging remote.it to enable their workers to work from home to increase productivity, flexibility of work style and reduction of commuting stress. For example for the reinstatement of female engineers who retired because of childbirth or childcare and reduce stress.

“remote.it was the perfect solution for us because it was easy to implement and configure,” says Mr. Kazuhiko Mukuo, an engineering manager at Echo Electronics, who has been enabling remote work for hundreds of employees with remote.it. “We were able to offer remote work to our employees in a safe and secure way, very rapidly.”

remote.it is used by hundreds of thousands of users across 181 countries worldwide, including large enterprises such as Trimble and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, and by mid-sized businesses including Bullseye Telecom and ColorFi for applications ranging from customer support to field asset tracking and maintenance, transitions from legacy VPN and secure remote access over mobile networks. In addition to the downloadable image for Raspberry Pi, remote.it is available as a standard db package for users looking to add the software to their already-configured Raspberry Pi or Linux based computer. The remote.it software is also available as a desktop application for both Windows and Apple macOS computers.

remote.it software is always free for personal use, and business-level service is free for all new users through September 1, 2020. This offer is not applicable in Japan, customers in Japan are encouraged to contact a Sales representative for more information. The remote.itPi image can be accessed here. To learn more about remote work solutions from remote.itvisit here.

About remote.it
remote.it is a secure remote access provider based in Palo Alto, CA, which has developed a new model for secure, private remote access to devices and networks. For companies seeking to securely connect computers and edge devices or protect access to websites and web services, remote.it provides a virtual private internet solution that is built in the OSI network layer.

For more information, visit https://remote.it/

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