Final answer:
A VPN is primarily used to support secured communications over an untrusted network, ensuring the privacy and security of sensitive data.
Step-by-step explanation:
A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a technology primarily used to ensure security and privacy when transmitting sensitive information over an untrusted network such as the internet. It allows individual users or remote offices to establish a secure connection as if they were part of the same local network, even when they are not. VPNs encrypt data sent over the internet, making it unreadable to anyone who might intercept it. This is essential for protecting against eavesdropping or man-in-the-middle attacks.
Answering the student's multiple-choice question, the correct option is that a VPN is primarily used to support secured communications over an untrusted network. While VPNs can indeed help save on long-distance charges by allowing for remote access, and might facilitate remote printer access incidentally, these are not their primary purposes. A VPN's main advantage is bolstering security and privacy for data in transit.
Technological advancements in telecommunications have drastically reduced the costs and increased the efficiency of long-distance communication, which includes the sharing of various valuable products and services that take the form of information. This benefit to global connectivity and trade does not negate the crucial role of VPNs in maintaining secure communication channels amid the broadened landscape.