Yes. A VPN can be compromised through flaws in its gateway or app, stolen credentials, unsafe configuration, or a device that is already under an attacker’s control. A VPN can protect some traffic from people on the same untrusted network, but it is not a universal defense against hackers or a guarantee of anonymity.
What does “VPN” mean in this context?
The risks depend on the kind of VPN you mean:
- Consumer VPN: An app routes your internet traffic through servers controlled by a VPN provider. The app and provider become part of the path your traffic takes.
- Enterprise remote-access VPN: A gateway lets employees or other authorized users connect to an organization’s network. If the gateway or an account is compromised, an attacker may gain a route into that network.
The FTC explains that a consumer VPN can reduce what someone monitoring your local Wi-Fi connection can observe, while shifting trust to the VPN provider. Websites can still identify you through information you provide, and a VPN cannot secure a device that is already compromised. FTC guidance on VPN apps
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
How can a VPN be hacked?
Unpatched gateway software
Internet-facing remote-access gateways can contain vulnerabilities. Attackers who exploit them may steal credentials, execute code, interfere with encrypted sessions, or access sensitive device data, depending on the flaw and product. NSA and CISA identify these as risks of remote-access VPN solutions. NSA and CISA guidance on selecting and hardening remote-access VPNs
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Past cases show why patching matters, but they should not be mistaken for claims that a product remains vulnerable today. CISA’s historical Pulse Secure advisory described CVE-2019-11510 as allowing an unauthenticated remote attacker to compromise affected servers. CISA’s Pulse Secure advisory
#1 Best Overall
- 【Five Gigabit Ports】1 Gigabit WAN Port plus 2 Gigabit WAN/LAN Ports plus 2 Gigabit LAN Port. Up to 3 WAN ports optimize bandwidth usage through one device.
- 【One USB WAN Port】Mobile broadband via 4G/3G modem is supported for WAN backup by connecting to the USB port. For complete list of compatible 4G/3G modems, please visit TP-Link website.
- 【Abundant Security Features】Advanced firewall policies, DoS defense, IP/MAC/URL filtering, speed test and more security functions protect your network and data.
- 【Highly Secure VPN】Supports up to 20× LAN-to-LAN IPsec, 16× OpenVPN, 16× L2TP, and 16× PPTP VPN connections.
- Security - SPI Firewall, VPN Pass through, FTP/H.323/PPTP/SIP/IPsec ALG, DoS Defence, Ping of Death and Local Management. Standards and Protocols IEEE 802.3, 802.3u, 802.3ab, IEEE 802.3x, IEEE 802.1q
A separate, product-specific example is NIST’s record for CVE-2025-20333, which describes an authenticated remote-code-execution vulnerability in the VPN web server of affected Cisco Secure Firewall ASA and FTD software. NIST says successful exploitation could permit root-level code execution and complete device compromise. Whether a device is affected depends on its product and software version; consult current vendor notices rather than generalizing this issue to all VPNs. NIST’s CVE-2025-20333 record
Stolen credentials or compromised devices
An attacker with a stolen, reused, or otherwise compromised account may be able to sign in through an enterprise VPN as a legitimate user. A device already controlled by an attacker can also undermine the security of a remote connection. The consequences depend on what that account or device is allowed to reach inside the organization’s network.
Rank #2
- 【AC1200 Dual-band Wireless Router】Simultaneous dual-band with wireless speed up to 300 Mbps (2.4GHz) + 867 Mbps (5GHz). 2.4GHz band can handles some simple tasks like emails or web browsing while bandwidth intensive tasks such as gaming or 4K video streaming can be handled by the 5GHz band.*Speed tests are conducted on a local network. Real-world speeds may differ depending on your network configuration.*
- 【Easy Setup】Please refer to the User Manual and the Unboxing & Setup video guide on Amazon for detailed setup instructions and methods for connecting to the Internet.
- 【Pocket-friendly】Lightweight design(145g) which designed for your next trip or adventure. Alongside its portable, compact design makes it easy to take with you on the go.
- 【Full Gigabit Ports】Gigabit Wireless Internet Router with 2 Gigabit LAN ports and 1 Gigabit WAN ports, ideal for lots of internet plan and allow you to connect your wired devices directly.
- 【Keep your Internet Safe】IPv6 supported. OpenVPN & WireGuard pre-installed, compatible with 30+ VPN service providers. Cloudflare encryption supported to protect the privacy.
Misconfiguration and weak client protections
VPN software can be configured or implemented in ways that weaken encryption or authentication. A 2019 study by Thanh Bui, Siddharth Prakash Rao, Markku Antikainen, and Tuomas Aura examined 30 commercial VPN services and found client-side configuration flaws that, in the studied setups, could enable interception, encryption stripping, authentication bypass, or credential theft. That is a historical study of its sample—not a current ranking, a claim about every provider, or an estimate of how common such flaws are today. Bui et al., “Client-side Vulnerabilities in Commercial VPNs”
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteWhat can an attacker do if a VPN is compromised?
The impact depends on what was compromised. A flaw in a remote-access gateway may expose the gateway or provide a route into an organization’s network. A stolen account may give an attacker the same initial access as its user. If an attacker controls a personal device, the VPN cannot make that device trustworthy. In each case, the access granted—and, for organizations, network segmentation—shapes how far an intruder can go.
Rank #3
- New-Gen WiFi Standard – WiFi 6(802.11ax) standard supporting MU-MIMO and OFDMA technology for better efficiency and throughput.Antenna : External antenna x 4. Processor : Dual-core (4 VPE). Power Supply : AC Input : 110V~240V(50~60Hz), DC Output : 12 V with max. 1.5A current.
- Ultra-fast WiFi Speed – RT-AX1800S supports 1024-QAM for dramatically faster wireless connections
- Increase Capacity and Efficiency – Supporting not only MU-MIMO but also OFDMA technique to efficiently allocate channels, communicate with multiple devices simultaneously
- 5 Gigabit ports – One Gigabit WAN port and four Gigabit LAN ports, 10X faster than 100–Base T Ethernet.
- Commercial-grade Security Anywhere – Protect your home network with AiProtection Classic, powered by Trend Micro. And when away from home, ASUS Instant Guard gives you a one-click secure VPN.
For a consumer VPN, a provider-side compromise could put traffic or information handled by the service at risk. A VPN changes which parties can observe parts of the connection; it does not make the provider disappear from the trust equation. The FTC notes that websites may still recognize users through details they disclose, even when a VPN is in use. FTC guidance on VPN apps
Does a VPN protect you from hackers?
It can help in a narrower way: routing traffic through a VPN can reduce its exposure to people monitoring the local network, such as an untrusted Wi-Fi connection. It does not prevent every attack, fix an infected device, guarantee that a website cannot identify you, or remove the need to trust a consumer VPN provider. For enterprise users, the VPN is an access path into an organization, not proof that the connecting user or device is safe. CISA and partner agencies describe vulnerabilities, misconfiguration, compromised accounts, and compromised devices as continuing concerns in network access security. CISA and partner agencies’ network access security guidance
Rank #4
- 【DUAL BAND WIFI 7 TRAVEL ROUTER】Products with US, UK, EU, AU Plug; Dual band network with wireless speed 688Mbps (2.4G)+2882Mbps (5G); Dual 2.5G Ethernet Ports (1x WAN and 1x LAN Port); USB 3.0 port.
- 【NETWORK CONTROL WITH TOUCHSCREEN SIMPLICITY】Slate 7’s touchscreen interface lets you scan QR codes for quick Wi-Fi, monitor speed in real time, toggle VPN on/off, and switch providers directly on the display. Color-coded indicators provide instant network status updates for Ethernet, Tethering, Repeater, and Cellular modes, offering a seamless, user-friendly experience.
- 【OpenWrt 23.05 FIRMWARE】The Slate 7 (GL-BE3600) is a high-performance Wi-Fi 7 travel router, built with OpenWrt 23.05 (Kernel 5.4.213) for maximum customization and advanced networking capabilities. With 512MB storage, total customization with open-source freedom and flexible installation of OpenWrt plugins.
- 【VPN CLIENT & SERVER】OpenVPN and WireGuard are pre-installed, compatible with 30+ VPN service providers (active subscription required). Simply log in to your existing VPN account with our portable wifi device, and Slate 7 automatically encrypts all network traffic within the connected network. Max. VPN speed of 100 Mbps (OpenVPN); 540 Mbps (WireGuard). *Speed tests are conducted on a local network. Real-world speeds may differ depending on your network configuration.*
- 【PERFECT PORTABLE WIFI ROUTER FOR TRAVEL】The Slate 7 is an ideal portable internet device perfect for international travel. With its mini size and travel-friendly features, the pocket Wi-Fi router is the perfect companion for travelers in need of a secure internet connectivity on the go in which includes hotels or cruise ships.
How can individual users reduce risk?
- Keep your operating system and VPN app updated.
- Use a unique, strong password for the VPN account and enable multifactor authentication if the service supports it.
- Install VPN software only from a source you trust; an untrusted app can create risk rather than remove it.
- Read the provider’s privacy and security claims carefully. A “no logs” statement alone does not prove that a provider cannot access or expose data.
- Keep the device itself secure. A VPN cannot restore security if malware or an attacker already controls the endpoint.
A hardware security key is useful only if the particular VPN account supports compatible key-based authentication. Even then, it helps with account authentication; it does not prevent software exploits, provider breaches, or endpoint compromise. NSA and CISA recommend strong authentication, including MFA, for remote-access VPNs. NSA and CISA guidance
What should organizations do to harden remote-access VPNs?
- Choose standards-based products from vendors with a record of addressing vulnerabilities, and follow the current security advisories for the exact product and software version.
- Require strong authentication, including MFA.
- Install security updates promptly; disable unnecessary features and limit exposed management or service interfaces.
- Log and monitor VPN access so suspicious activity can be investigated.
- Apply least privilege and network segmentation so a connected account or device can reach only what it needs.
NSA and CISA recommend careful product selection and hardening; CISA and partner agencies also advise organizations to consider approaches such as Zero Trust, Secure Service Edge (SSE), and Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) as part of a broader network-access strategy. These are organizational approaches, not drop-in consumer VPN products. NSA and CISA remote-access VPN guidance · CISA and partner agencies’ network access security guidance
Best Value
- Next-Gen Gigabit Wi-Fi 6 Speeds: 2402 Mbps on 5 GHz and 574 Mbps on 2.4 GHz bands ensure smoother streaming and faster downloads; support VPN server and VPN client¹
- A More Responsive Experience: Enjoy smooth gaming, video streaming, and live feeds simultaneously. OFDMA makes your Wi-Fi stronger by allowing multiple clients to share one band at the same time, cutting latency and jitter.²
- Expanded Wi-Fi Coverage: 4 high-gain external antennas and Beamforming technology combine to extend strong, reliable, Wi-Fi throughout your home.
- Improved Battery Life: Target Wake Time helps your devices to communicate efficiently while consuming less power.
- Improved Cooling Design: No heat ups, no throttles. A larger heat sink and redefined case design cools the WiFi 6 system and enables your network to stay at top speeds in more versatile environments.
How can you evaluate a VPN’s security claims?
There is no basis here for naming one VPN service as the most secure. For a consumer service, examine the authentication options, how its apps are secured and updated, the transparency of its protocols and configuration, and the scope and date of any independent audit. Also consider its privacy policy and jurisdiction, and treat provider claims as claims rather than guarantees. For an enterprise product, assess standards support, patch response, MFA options, exposure of the management plane, logging and monitoring, segmentation controls, and the access granted to each user or device.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
