[Blog](/blog) Show links Resources [Blog](/blog) [Breaches](/breaches) [eBooks, reports, & more](/resources) [Events](/events) [News](/news) [Risks and Vulnerabilities](/category/risks-and-vulnerabilities) Show links Categories [Attack Surface Management](/category/attack-surface-management) [Company News](/category/company-news) [Compliance and Regulations](/category/compliance-and-regulations) [Cybersecurity](/category/cybersecurity) [Data Breaches](/category/data-breaches) [DevOps](/category/devops) [Human Cyber Risk](/category/human-cyber-risk) [Risks and Vulnerabilities](/category/risks-and-vulnerabilities) [Third-Party Risk Management](/category/third-party-risk-management) [Vendor Risk Management](/category/vendor-risk-management) [VPN Security Concerns in 2026](/blog/vpn-risk) Publish date January 5, 2026 {x} minute read # VPN Security Concerns in 2026 [Get a demo](/contact-sales) [Free trial](/demo) [Download the PDF guide](/resources/complete-guide-to-data-breaches) [Free trial](/demo) Written by [Caitlin Postal](/team/caitlin-postal) Technical Writer Reviewed by [Phil Ross](/team/phil-ross) Chief Information Security Officer Phil is a Forrester Zero Trust Strategist leveraging decades of experience in enterprise cybersecurity architectures. Table of contents eBook A Complete Guide to Data Breaches Free resource ### A Complete Guide to Data Breaches Learn how to avoid a costly data breach with a comprehensive prevention strategy. [Download now](/resources/complete-guide-to-data-breaches) Many organizations use virtual private networks (VPNs) to extend secure access to remote employees. A VPN creates a secure connection between two networks over the public internet, creating a level of online privacy for remote workers. A VPN internet connection will route your web traffic through an encrypted tunnel (even when using public wi-fi), protecting business sensitive data from interception. VPNs require authentication, which can help maintain your network security. ## VPNs and cybersecurity concerns When using a VPN, the user's web traffic and queries are protected through [encryption](https://www.upguard.com/blog/encryption). Your internet service provider (ISP) cannot read the traffic, nor can an [adversary-in-the-middle](https://www.upguard.com/blog/man-in-the-middle-attack) (also called a man-in-the-middle) intercept it. There are a variety of secure VPN protocols that provide authentication, tunneling, and encryption. When implementing a third-party VPN service provider, you must account for security risks associated with the VPN solution. VPNs are a prime attack vector for cybercriminals because they can typically leverage access into your entire network through the VPN tunnel. When selecting a VPN provider, perform due diligence to guarantee that you use a reputable third-party provider. Some free VPN services have greater risk exposure. If necessary, conduct a risk analysis to evaluate your potential exposure with this provider. Evaluate their update cadence and whether the VPN client has recently experienced any zero-day VPN vulnerabilities. Your VPN provider can log some information, such as your IP address, so you should be aware of their data collection and logging policies. If the VPN provider experiences an attack or data breach, your organization's sensitive information and employees' personal data could be compromised or revealed. While a VPN connection ensures that internet traffic is encrypted and therefore protected from your ISP, the VPN does not protect against [social engineering attacks](https://www.upguard.com/blog/social-engineering) that hackers use to compromise user credentials. If employees who use the organization's VPN become victims to [phishing attacks](https://www.upguard.com/blog/types-of-phishing-attacks), then the attacker could leverage the user's credentials for unauthorized use of the organization's VPN. Likewise, a VPN cannot protect against a weak password so users should create [secure passwords](https://www.upguard.com/blog/the-password-security-checklist) and implement [multi-factor authentication](https://www.upguard.com/blog/mfa-multi-factor-authentication) for any device or account that can access sensitive data. VPNs do not protect against viruses or malware. Data traveling through the VPN will be encrypted, but malicious data can still compromise the account. Viruses like [remote access trojans](https://www.upguard.com/blog/remote-access-trojan) can still transmit through an encrypted VPN server, so users should practice caution when downloading files. Curating a strong security mindset at the company can help prevent workers from inadvertently introducing a ransomware infection or malware infection. Remain vigilant with your VPN service provider through continuous monitoring and risk assessments. Security features and security protocols should be central in your evaluation of VPN security risks. ### How UpGuard can help With UpGuard, you can perform continuous monitoring for your external attack surface with [Breach Risk](https://www.upguard.com/product/breach-risk) and for your third-party vendor ecosystem with our [Vendor Risk Management software](https://www.upguard.com/product/vendor-risk). UpGuard scanning includes techniques that use standardized and publicly accessible network-based protocols to query hosts across a variety of categories. UpGuard's scanning process identifies the following VPN ports that should be reviewed: * **'IKE VPN' port open** * **'OpenVPN' port open** * **'NetMobility' port open** * **'PPTP' port open** Additionally, the Detected Products feature identifies software products in use among your assets, including VPN services: * **FortiOS SSL VPN interface has been detected** * **Ivanti Connect Secure VPN has been detected** These detection capabilities are especially beneficial for software with critical vulnerabilities, such as [Fortigate CVE-2023-27997](https://www.upguard.com/blog/how-to-respond-cve-2023-27997) and [Ivanti Connect Secure CVE-2024-21887](https://www.upguard.com/blog/ivanti-csps-cve-2024). Identifying software in use enables you to secure vulnerabilities quickly to prevent data leaks. ## Recommendations for managing VPN use Using a VPN for encrypted network traffic is a great security measure. To augment that, you can also use the following recommendations to improve security around your organization's use of VPNs: * Adopt a [zero-trust](https://www.upguard.com/blog/zero-trust) policy for all access outside your network. * Implement [access control](https://www.upguard.com/blog/access-control) using the [principle of least privilege](https://www.upguard.com/blog/principle-of-least-privilege) for user permissions and require individual authentication that includes a multi-factor confirmation. * Recommend VPN use for all remote work activities to ensure protected online activity. * Log high-level session information that can be used for auditing purposes to ensure safe and approved network access. Logging information is risky, so consider the costs associated with even high-level session information that an attacker could access. * Run regular risk audits and assessments to confirm that the third-party service provider meets your security compliance needs. * Require a strong encryption protocol and test the VPN's IP and DNS leak protection. * Consider using a firewall-based VPN software that pairs a firewall's endpoint traffic restriction with a VPN's encryption functionality. ‍ eBook A Complete Guide to Data Breaches Free resource ### A Complete Guide to Data Breaches Learn how to avoid a costly data breach with a comprehensive prevention strategy. [Download now](/resources/complete-guide-to-data-breaches) ## Related posts Learn more about the latest issues in cybersecurity. Risks and Vulnerabilities #### [25 Security Vulnerabilities That Have Defined the 2020s (Thus Far)](/blog/top-25-security-vulnerabilities-of-the-2020s) From Log4j to SolarWinds, discover the 25 critical security vulnerabilities that have reshaped cybersecurity thus far in the 2020s. [](/team/nicholas-sollitto) [Nicholas Sollitto](#) May 28, 2026 Risks and Vulnerabilities #### [ServiceNow Vulnerabilities: CVE-2024-4789 and CVE-2024-5217](/blog/servicenow-vulnerabilities) Learn about two critical vulnerabilities affecting the ServiceNow platform (CVE-2024-4789 and CVE-2024-5217) and how UpGuard can help. [](/team/nicholas-sollitto) [Nicholas Sollitto](#) January 16, 2025 Risks and Vulnerabilities #### [PHP2Shell: A Clear Explanation and Response Framework](/blog/php2shell-a-clear-explanation-and-response-framework) PHP2Shell (CVE-2026-109618 and CVE-2026-109619) lets unauthenticated attackers run code on PHP servers. Learn who’s affected and how to respond. [](/team/upguard) [UpGuard Team](#) October 26, 2026 Risks and Vulnerabilities #### [Everything Everywhere: Systemic Data Exposure in Supabase Apps](/blog/everything-everywhere-systemic-data-exposure-in-supabase-apps) Supabase is a favorite of AI coding agents. It's also prone to misconfiguration. We studied more than 16,000 open databases to see what's leaking. [](/team/greg-pollock) [Greg Pollock](#) October 14, 2026 Risks and Vulnerabilities #### [Oracle Just Shipped 1,449 Security Patches in One Quarter. We Checked How Much of It Is Actually New.](/blog/oracle-just-shipped-1-449-security-patches-in-one-quarter-we-checked-how-much-of-it-is-actually-new) Oracle's July 2026 update shipped 1,449 security patches — 2.8x its all-time record. We parsed 23 quarters of advisories to find out how much is truly new. [](/team/greg-pollock) [Greg Pollock](#) July 22, 2026 Risks and Vulnerabilities #### [Data leakage risks with DBHub MCP servers](/blog/data-leakage-risks-with-dbhub-mcp-servers) UpGuard found exposed DBHub servers leaking live databases to the open internet—an early sign that MCP exposure is becoming a systemic data risk. [](/team/greg-pollock) [Greg Pollock](#) October 13, 2026 [All posts](/blog) Experience superior visibility and a simpler approach to cyber risk management [Get a demo](/contact-sales) [Free trial](/demo)