The most common recurring VPN vulnerability patterns in official advisories include authentication or authorization bypass, improper handling of web requests, path traversal and arbitrary file access, code execution, and denial of service. They are patterns—not a statistically ranked list: available records do not provide a consistent cross-vendor count, and the attack requirements differ by flaw. These examples concern enterprise VPN gateways and remote-access products, not every consumer VPN privacy app.
Why a VPN gateway flaw can matter beyond the gateway
A VPN gateway is an internet-facing entry point for remote access. If an attacker exploits a vulnerable service on it, the result may be unauthorized access to the gateway or a route toward systems on the wider network. CISA and partner agencies’ June 2024 network-access guidance reported more than 22 VPN-related Known Exploited Vulnerabilities associated with compromises that led to broad victim-network access. That is the agencies’ finding at publication, not a current total or a count of every VPN vulnerability. CISA’s 2024 guidance
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“VPN vulnerability” does not identify one kind of defect. Some flaws can be exploited remotely without logging in; others require credentials or an existing VPN connection. A gateway’s exposure also depends on its software version, configuration, and which services are reachable.
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Recurring VPN vulnerability patterns
Authentication or authorization bypass
An authentication bypass may let an attacker establish access without valid credentials. An authorization flaw may expose a function or endpoint that should be restricted. NIST’s record for Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS GlobalProtect CVE-2026-0257 describes an authentication bypass that could permit an unauthorized VPN connection and notes the vulnerability’s inclusion in CISA’s Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog. Cisco CVE-2025-20362 describes access to restricted VPN URL endpoints without authentication. These are product-specific examples, not evidence that every VPN has the same defect. NIST NVD: CVE-2026-0257; NIST NVD: CVE-2025-20362
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Improper validation of web requests or other input
VPN gateways often provide web-facing services for remote access. If those services do not validate input or HTTP requests correctly, a crafted request may reach a restricted endpoint or trigger another security problem. Cisco CVE-2025-20362 involves improper validation of HTTP(S) input; CVE-2025-20333 describes authenticated code execution associated with improper validation; and CVE-2026-20069 describes invalid HTTP request handling that can lead to a reflected browser-based attack. The last example is not described as direct impact on the device. NIST NVD: CVE-2025-20362; NIST NVD: CVE-2025-20333; NIST NVD: CVE-2026-20069
Path traversal and arbitrary file access
Path traversal happens when a product mishandles a path supplied in a request, potentially allowing access to files outside the intended directory. Depending on the flaw, exposed files may contain sensitive information. CISA and partner agencies have cited Fortinet FortiOS SSL-VPN CVE-2018-13379 as a path-traversal vulnerability exploited by an Iran-based threat actor. Their 2020 vulnerability reporting also includes arbitrary file reading in a remote-access product. These are historical examples; remediation depends on the affected product and version. CISA/FBI advisory on Iran-based threat actor exploitation; 2020 routinely exploited vulnerabilities advisory
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Arbitrary code execution
Code execution flaws can let an attacker run commands or programs on a gateway. The prerequisites vary: NIST describes Cisco CVE-2025-20333 as allowing an authenticated attacker to execute arbitrary code at root level, while historical government reporting includes remote-access-related code-execution vulnerabilities. Do not assume that an exploit requires no credentials—or that it does—without checking the advisory for the exact product and flaw. NIST NVD: CVE-2025-20333; 2020 routinely exploited vulnerabilities advisory
Denial of service
A denial-of-service flaw can interrupt remote access or make a gateway reload or exhaust resources. Cisco CVE-2026-20100 and CVE-2026-20105 are examples affecting Remote Access SSL VPN functionality; the described attacks require an authenticated attacker with a valid VPN connection. NIST NVD: CVE-2026-20100; NIST NVD: CVE-2026-20105
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How attack prerequisites change the risk
Whether a flaw is unauthenticated, credentialed, or dependent on an existing VPN connection affects how an attacker might reach it, but does not by itself establish the full risk. Check the affected version, reachable services, vendor guidance, and evidence of exploitation for the specific vulnerability.
- Unauthenticated remote path: Cisco CVE-2025-20362 and Palo Alto Networks CVE-2026-0257 describe paths that do not require authentication.
- Authenticated path: Cisco CVE-2025-20333 describes code execution by an authenticated attacker.
- Valid VPN connection required: the cited Cisco CVE-2026-20100 and CVE-2026-20105 denial-of-service examples require an authenticated attacker with a valid VPN connection.
MFA can reduce some account-compromise risks, but it does not fix a vulnerable gateway service or prevent exploitation of an unauthenticated flaw.
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Why patching and support status matter
A vulnerable gateway can remain exposed after a vendor publishes a fix if the organization has not installed it. Unsupported software presents a related problem: the vendor may no longer provide security fixes. CISA, ACSC, NCSC, FBI, and partner agencies reported that most of the top vulnerabilities they identified as exploited in 2021 had proof-of-concept code released within two weeks of disclosure. They also warned that older known flaws continued to be exploited. The two-week observation concerns those reported vulnerabilities; it is not a guarantee that every new VPN flaw will have a public proof of concept on that schedule. 2021 top routinely exploited vulnerabilities advisory
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How to reduce VPN gateway risk
- Identify the exact product and version. Maintain an inventory of internet-facing gateways, their software versions, and vendor support status.
- Check the vendor advisory and fixed release. Confirm that the notice applies to your model, version, and deployment, then install the vendor’s fix promptly.
- Replace unsupported releases. If a vendor no longer supports the software, plan to move to a supported release or product rather than relying on controls that cannot correct an unpatched defect.
- Limit exposure. Keep only required gateway services and ports reachable from the internet, and avoid exposing management interfaces unnecessarily. CISA’s network-access and communications-infrastructure guidance recommends minimizing external exposure and patching promptly. CISA network-access security guidance; CISA communications-infrastructure hardening guidance
- Review accounts, access, and logs. Remove unnecessary accounts and privileges, use MFA where available, and monitor gateway activity for suspicious access or configuration changes.
- Make gateway access part of a broader security design. Limit what remote users can reach, and ensure security teams can investigate activity across identity systems, gateways, and internal networks.
How to compare the security of two VPN products
A raw count of CVEs is not a reliable “secure or insecure” verdict without comparable information about product versions, severity, exposure, and support. Compare products using these factors instead:
- Vulnerability and KEV history, including dates and affected versions.
- How quickly the vendor provides fixes and how long it supports each release.
- Whether VPN and management services must be internet-facing in the intended deployment.
- Authentication prerequisites and available MFA integration.
- Logging, monitoring, and incident-response visibility.
- Whether the architecture lets administrators restrict remote users’ access to internal systems.
The cited government advisories and NIST records establish recurring flaw types and examples, but do not provide a controlled head-to-head comparison or a reliable ranking of vendors by vulnerability rate.
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