1. Ansible allows running automated tasks on remote servers using SSH, but running shell scripts introduces security risks if the Ansible controller is compromised. 2. Vagrant and Packer help create and distribute virtual machine images but early versions had security issues like hardcoding HTTP downloads and lack of signed checksums. Standards have improved but offline usage remains important. 3. Working offline can significantly speed up development workflows by avoiding network latency and issues, through techniques like freezing dependencies, caching packages locally, and disabling online repositories.