5 Biggest VPN Security Risks

5 Limitations and Security Risks of VPNs

Here are the most common security risks of VPNs.

#1. Man-in-the-Middle Attacks

A Man-in-the-MIddle (MitM) attack happens when an attacker is able to secretly intercept and potentially alter communications between two parties.

VPN MitM attacks pose a serious risk to the security of encrypted communications. A successful attack enables unauthorized parties to eavesdrop and manipulate seemingly secured data transmissions. As an example, consider a malicious actor that has exploited vulnerabilities in a network and managed to compromise a VPN server.

This privileged position allows them to intercept and surveil connections established on the Virtual Private Network.

From there, the attacker has a number of options:

• Obtain sensitive data like confidential information or financial data, used for fraud or extortion purposes.
• Manipulate data transmissions and introduce malware or additional vulnerabilities into the network.
• Compromise credentials and gain unauthorized access to accounts which they can then use to extend and amplify the attack.

#2. Data Leaks

VPNs can leak data in a variety of ways, but one of the leading causes is misconfiguration.

VPN software, servers, and client software each have configurations, settings, and VPN connections which, if mismanaged, can reveal sensitive data. Organizations operating VPNs may need to perform risk assessments to determine potential levels of exposure.

Aside from the VPN components themselves, vulnerabilities in a VPN provider’s surrounding infrastructure may result in the loss of user data, including:

• Personal details
• IP address location
• and other confidential information

Browser-related issues are another potential source of exposed user information. Browser plugins and extensions can inadvertently leak usage details, and can themselves have flaws which are vulnerable to exploitation.

#3. Malware and Malicious VPNs

VPN servers and client devices are susceptible to malware infection, which can affect all levels of use of the service.

Credentials stolen by malware can be used to compromise VPN systems, leading to risks mentioned above such as MitM attacks or data leaks caused by intentional misconfigurations of VPN systems. For users of VPN services, the consequences of malware incursion fall anywhere on the spectrum from data compromise to full-blown remote code execution capabilities.

Malicious providers masquerading as legitimate services are another source of risk to VPN security. They advertise themselves as competent and capable of offering a secure tunnel, but their ulterior motives undermine user security. The repercussions of falling victim to a malicious VPN provider range from them selling the user’s private data to third parties, to revealing the user’s identity and internet activity to hostile nation-states.

#4. Weak VPN Protocols

Encryption is the first line of defense against potential threats. A strong encryption protocol makes for secure communications across the VPN, while a weak protocol leaves the connection vulnerable to hacks, interception, or other forms of intrusion.

The Most Used Encryption Protocol

AES-256 (Advanced Encryption Standard 256-bit) is perhaps the most widely used encryption protocol used in VPNs, and is considered one of the strongest available. At least in terms of encryption, VPNs that use AES-256 have taken appropriate measures to secure communications.

But, not all VPNs use this level of encryption. There are VPN services and systems that continue to use weaker protocols like:

• PPTP (Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol) which has a number of known security vulnerabilities and is widely considered to be obsolete.
• L2TP/IPSec (Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol/Internet Protocol Security) which has a number of limitations, including platform compatibility, low data transfer speeds, and is even rumored to be compromised by the NSA.

#5. Logging Practices

VPN services tend to come in two variations:

• Log providers. These store information, along with the user’s originating IP address, may share that data under some circumstances.
• No-log providers. These avoid storing any information about the user’s online activities, including websites visited, data transferred, and apps used. Since there are no logs to share, there is nothing to hand over when a government or third party requests them.

If the provider sells a user’s sensitive information captured and stored via logging policies, or is forced to by law, it can lead to serious privacy violations. The results could land anywhere from irritating targeted advertising, to identity theft, all the way to legal action.