VPN vulnerabilities have become a major threat to organizations worldwide. Cybercriminals and state-sponsored hackers are increasingly exploiting these flaws to access sensitive networks. Key vulnerabilities like CVE-2018-13379 and CVE-2022-40684 are commonly used to steal credentials and gain control over VPN systems.
All about the VPN Vulnerabilities
CVE-2018-13379 is a path traversal flaw in Fortinet’s FortiGate SSL VPN devices that attackers favor for its ease and effectiveness. It allows direct, unauthenticated access to sensitive files, including plaintext VPN credentials. Despite being nearly five years old, it’s still widely exploited using automated PoC exploits for large-scale credential theft.
According to ReliaQuest, groups like APT28 and MuddyWater use this flaw for espionage, while criminals profit by selling stolen credentials or launching ransomware attacks.
CVE-2022-40684, another flaw in Fortinet FortiOS, FortiProxy, and FortiManager, lets attackers gain admin access without valid credentials.
This access allows attackers to alter configurations, steal data, and deploy malicious policies for long-term control. The Belsen_Group exploited this flaw, compromising over 15,000 FortiGate devices globally, showing the scale of the threat.
AI and automation are making VPN attacks more advanced and widespread. AI tools can automate phishing and brute-force attacks, while large language models (LLMs) quickly analyze credential dumps to find valuable targets.
To defend against these threats, organizations should:
- Patch vulnerabilities promptly
- Enforce multi-factor authentication (MFA)
- Segment critical systems to limit lateral movement
- Use out-of-band secondary authentication
- Perform regular configuration audits
With VPNs now a key target in cyber operations, proactive security measures are essential.
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