Cybersecurity isn’t just a compliance requirement anymore. It’s a boardroom issue, a budget line, and in many cases, a business risk multiplier. At the center of secure remote access sits one tool many still overtrust: the VPN.
The assumption that VPNs are bulletproof has always been risky. In 2025, it’s downright dangerous.
Attackers don’t waste time on hard targets. They go where the cracks are — and some VPNs are full of them. From unpatched CVEs to misconfigurations, from credential stuffing to brute-force automation, VPN vulnerabilities have become one of the fastest-growing threat surfaces in business environments.
This guide walks through what’s happening right now, where VPN vulnerabilities are most likely to be exploited, and how to strengthen your cybersecurity strategy around them.
What Makes VPNs Vulnerable?
A VPN is just software. And like all software, it can be broken. There are five main areas where VPNs tend to fail:
- Unpatched CVEs (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures)
When vendors publish a patch, that doesn’t mean it’s applied. Many businesses lag weeks—or months—behind critical updates. - Credential-based Attacks
If your VPN still relies on username and password logins, you’re exposed. Password spraying, brute-force attacks, and leaked credential re-use are on the rise. - Misconfigurations
Open ports, insecure encryption settings, and exposed management interfaces are some of the common admin mistakes attackers love. - Poor Logging and Monitoring
VPNs that don’t produce adequate logs or alert on unusual access patterns give attackers too much time inside your network. - Mobile and Free VPNs
Not all VPNs are created equal. Some consumer-grade mobile apps leak data, use weak encryption, or monetize user behavior.
That’s the broad picture. Now, let’s talk specifics.
What’s Actively Being Exploited in 2024–2025?
Some of the most damaging intrusions in the last year weren’t due to phishing or software bugs in CRM platforms—they came through VPN infrastructure. Not theoretical flaws. Not research-only exploits. These are CVEs that were actively used in real-world attacks, across industries.
If your VPN setup includes any of the products below and you haven’t patched recently, you’re running a risk that threat actors have already mapped out.
Here’s what’s been hitting networks the hardest:
| CVE ID | Affected Product | Risk Level | Summary |
| CVE-2024-24919 | Check Point VPN | Critical | Allows unauthorized file access through VPN gateway. Exploited since April 2024 by APT groups. |
| CVE-2024-21887 | Ivanti Connect Secure / Policy Secure | High | Remote command injection. Part of a known exploit chain used in live intrusions. |
| CVE-2023-46805 | Ivanti Connect Secure | High | Authentication bypass flaw. Used with CVE-2024-21887 for full appliance compromise. |
| CVE-2024-3400 | Palo Alto GlobalProtect | Critical | Remote code execution with no authentication. Exploited in multiple industries. |
| CVE-2023-27997 | Fortinet FortiGate SSL VPN | Critical | Heap buffer overflow used in targeted attacks. Still unpatched in many exposed appliances. |
| CVE-2023-22809 | Fortinet FortiOS VPN | Medium | Local privilege escalation, used post-access to extend control within systems. |
| CVE-2025-24813 | SonicWall SMA 100 Series | High | Authentication bypass allowing control over web interfaces. Under active scanning. |
| CVE-2025-26633 | Pulse Secure VPN | Critical | Arbitrary command execution through unauthenticated requests. Confirmed in finance-targeted attacks. |
| CVE-2021-35587 | Oracle WebLogic / VPN-Linked Systems | High | Exploited during the Oracle breach to escalate access from VPN-linked servers. |
| CVE-2022-47966 | Zoho ManageEngine | Critical | Pre-auth RCE exploited in chained attacks impacting VPN management systems. |
| CVE-2025-24085 | Citrix NetScaler Gateway | High | Exploited pre-authentication flaw in the VPN endpoint, enabling attackers to gain code execution remotely. Detected in cloud services targeting MSPs. |
| CVE-2024-38202 | Fortinet FortiOS / FortiProxy | Critical | Stack-based buffer overflow in the web interface of Fortinet VPN solutions. Allows RCE without credentials. Active exploitation confirmed in Q1 2025. |
| CVE-2024-6387 | OpenSSH (Used in VPN appliances) | High | Signal handler race condition affecting OpenSSH in embedded systems. Can allow local privilege escalation—used in lateral movement from compromised VPN-connected hosts. |
What Happened in 2024 — and Why 2025 Looks Worse?
VPN vulnerabilities 2024 showed us that no vendor is immune. The Check Point bug (CVE-2024-24919) was quietly exploited for weeks before being disclosed. Chinese state-backed actors used it to hit OT networks and defense contractors. Ivanti’s Connect Secure platform also made headlines after researchers found attackers chaining multiple flaws for full RCE.
Here’s the part many people miss: these weren’t ancient bugs. They were relatively fresh. That tells us attackers are actively hunting for VPN-specific entry points. And once the CVE drops, exploitation follows fast.
2025 brings more automation, faster exploit kits, and greater collaboration between threat actors. That means if your VPN has a known flaw, you might have hours, not weeks, to patch before someone knocks.
Why VPN Vulnerabilities Are a Business Risk — Not Just an IT Problem
It’s easy to treat this like an ops issue. But the impact of a VPN breach goes far beyond the tech stack.
- Lateral movement: Once inside, attackers pivot across your internal network.
- Client data exposure: Especially risky for firms in accounting, legal, healthcare, and SaaS.
- Incident response costs: Forensic investigations and breach notifications don’t come cheap.
- Regulatory fines: VPNs that expose PII or financial data could put you in violation of HIPAA, GDPR, or PCI DSS.
If you allow remote access through VPN without full visibility and access control, your cybersecurity strategy is built on guesswork.
Can Hackers Get Through a VPN?
Yes. And they already have.
Here’s how it happens:
- They get credentials through password spraying or dark web dumps.
- They chain VPN exploits (like CVE-2024-21887) with config errors.
- They scan for known vulnerabilities and open management interfaces.
- They compromise mobile VPN clients with poor certificate validation.
- They bypass VPN entirely by breaching the device first and capturing credentials via infostealer malware.
No VPN is “secure by default.” And VPN security is only as strong as its weakest configuration or slowest patch cycle.
VPN Attacks and the Fallacy of “Trust Once, Trust Always”
One of the biggest flaws in traditional VPN design is the “castle-and-moat” model. Once you’re authenticated, you get access to everything on the network. That’s a problem.
Most modern attacks don’t start with a full breach. They start with an initial foothold — then move sideways. If your VPN gives attackers lateral movement by default, that’s not a security tool. That’s a vulnerability.
That’s why more security teams are moving toward zero-trust VPN deployments and enforcing least privilege access policies.
What Businesses Can Do Right Now?
Here’s a checklist that CISOs, IT managers, and MSPs can use to close common VPN gaps:
- Patch everything — Stay ahead of active CVEs
- Audit configurations — Disable split tunneling unless absolutely needed
- Lock down access — Require device trust and enforce MFA
- Use logging — Centralize VPN logs and alert on anomalies
- Train your users — Especially remote staff, contractors, and third parties
- Map exposure — Know which internal services are reachable through VPN
- Retire old appliances — Some legacy VPN boxes are no longer supported
And if you’re offering VPN as a product or service — your customers will expect all of the above out of the box.
VPNs Aren’t Dead — But They Need an Upgrade
We’re not saying you should get rid of VPNs. But the default deployment most businesses have isn’t secure anymore.
- VPNs are targeted.
- VPNs are exploited.
- VPNs are misunderstood.
That’s a dangerous mix.
Your VPN should be part of a modern cybersecurity strategy — one that’s proactive, monitored, and built around access control. It shouldn’t just be a checkbox on your compliance report.
White Label VPNs: Smarter Access Control for Your Clients
If you’re in SaaS, fintech, accounting, legal, or consulting, there’s a growing expectation to offer secure access as part of your solution. But building your own VPN from scratch is a heavy lift.
That’s where PureWL comes in.
With our white label solution, you can:
- Launch your own branded VPN apps
- Offer dedicated IPs and device-based control
- Get access to a global network with modern protocols (WireGuard, OpenVPN)
- Integrate centralized logging and user access management
- Avoid infrastructure and compliance headaches
You’re not just selling a VPN. You’re providing a trusted entry point into your client’s systems — and helping them protect what matters most.