What tool is primarily used to ensure confidentiality for remote employees logging into a company's network?

The primary tool used to ensure confidentiality for remote employees logging into a company's network is encryption. Encryption secures the data being transmitted between the remote employee and the company’s network by converting it into a coded format that can only be read by someone with the appropriate decryption key. This ensures that even if data is intercepted during transmission, it cannot be understood or misused by unauthorized parties.

Access control, while essential for determining who is allowed to access the network, does not necessarily ensure that the information being communicated remains confidential during transmission. Authentication refers to the process of verifying the identity of users or systems, which is crucial for ensuring that only authorized users can access the network, but it does not protect the data itself. Network monitoring is important for detecting unusual activity and maintaining the security posture but does not provide confidentiality for the data transmitted over the network.