Extranet meaning

In legal practice, an extranet is a private, secure network that allows selected external users (for example, clients, counsel, experts or suppliers) to access parts of an organisation’s internal systems or documents using internet protocols. It is distinct from the public internet and typically comprises portions of an intranet made available through a VPN or web portal with strong authentication, role-based permissions, encryption and audit logging. The term is descriptive rather than defined in legislation or case law, but is commonly used in contracts (including IT, outsourcing and information security agreements) and data protection documentation. Typical uses include client portals, virtual data rooms, deal or litigation collaboration sites and supplier portals. Legal significance includes duties to protect confidentiality and legal professional privilege; compliance with data protection law (UK GDPR and the UK Data Protection Act 2018 in England & Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland; EU GDPR and the Irish Data Protection Act 2018 in Ireland); and appropriate contractual controls (terms of use, NDAs, processing agreements, security standards). Usage and meaning are broadly consistent across the UK and Ireland, though regulatory references vary as above.