Open as in make MySQL listen for TCP connections or open as in open for outside connections?
Because the second is obviously not true, it would only allow internal connections in the VPN or SSH case.
You will always need some way to connect into your network, either through HTTPS, VPN or SSH.
The last two allow you to tunnel the database connection.
A fourth alternative is to use a SSL connection directly between a server component and a client component.
Cheers,
_
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