Methods and apparatus for providing security to a computerized device

When establishing a communications channel to a wireless network, through a wireless connection, a computerized device receives an Internet protocol (IP) address from a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server associated with the wireless network. The computerized device is configured with a table or list of IP addresses associated with wireless networks requiring a VPN or secure connection. The computerized device compares the IP address received from the DHCP server with the IP address entries of the table stored by the computerized device. If the computerized device detects a correspondence between the IP address received from the DHCP server and an IP address entry within the table, the computerized device automatically initiates a secure or VPN connection with the wireless network associated with the DHCP server. The computerized device therefore actively establishes a secure connection with the wireless network, prior to user login and without user intervention, based upon the computerized device being a client of the wireless network.