encrypted tunnel

A network security mechanism that combines protocol-level encapsulation with cryptographic encryption to create a logically isolated, confidential communication path between two endpoints—such as hosts, gateways, or routers—over an untrusted or public network. It works by encapsulating packets into a tunneling format and transporting them across the network, with the encapsulated payload protected against interception. Used widely in VPNs and similar constructs, encrypted tunnels transport data securely across non-secure networks such as the Internet, with traffic encrypted at one endpoint and decrypted at the other. In standards practice (e.g., NIST SP 800-77), the concept underpins network-layer security controls—such as IPsec—that protect communications over public networks and provide a secure communication mechanism for data and control information between computers or networks.

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