This additional layer of security has become a popular choice for both businesses and customers seeking to secure their privacy. According to Statista, more than 24% of all internet users in 2023 utilized a VPN to protect their internet connection.
With such widespread use, one might wonder if VPNs are impervious to hacking. Are they susceptible to hacking? Can VPNs be used to steal user data instead of securing it?
Can VPNs be hacked?
VPNs, like any other software, can be hacked. No software is perfect, and VPNs, like all internet-based technologies, are vulnerable to various threats. That being said, a good VPN will be extremely difficult to crack, especially if it has a secure server infrastructure and application.
VPNs function by creating a secret connection via which your internet activity is encrypted and rendered unreadable. Your internet traffic is routed via a VPN server, which masks your IP address and gives you an extra degree of privacy online.
This encryption protects critical user data including your IP address, device location, browsing history, and online searches from your internet service provider, government agencies, and cybercriminals.
VPNs provide simple safety for your online activity by encrypting user data and routing it over a secure channel. However, this does not render them invincible.
There are a few vulnerabilities in VPNs that hackers can exploit or target. Let's look at a few of them:
How VPNs Can Be Hacked
Breaking the VPN encryption
One approach to hack VPNs is to break through the encryption. Hackers can employ cryptographic attacks to break poorly constructed encryption ciphers. However, breaking encryption requires a significant amount of effort, time, and resources.
Most current VPNs use the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES-256) encryption method. This encryption standard encrypts and decrypts data with 256-bit keys and is commonly regarded as the gold standard in encryption.
This is because AES-256 is nearly impregnable, taking millions to billions of years to brute force and crack even with today's technology. That is why many governments and banks employ AES-256 encryption to protect their data.
In any event, most modern VPN companies use AES-256 encryption, so there isn't anything to worry about.
VPNs employing outdated tunneling protocols
Hackers can also attack older VPN tunneling standards. Tunneling protocols are simply a set of rules governing how your data is processed and transmitted via a certain network.
We wish to avoid utilizing old protocols like PPTP and L2TP/IPSec. These protocols are outdated and are regarded as medium to low security by modern standards.
PPTP, in example, is an older technology with documented weaknesses that unscrupulous actors can exploit. In contrast, L2TP/IPSec provides better security but slower performance than newer protocols.
Fortunately, more recent VPN protocols such as OpenVPN, WireGuard, and IKEv2 offer an excellent balance of high-level security and speed.
DNS, IP, and WebRTC leaks
Malicious actors can also steal user data via VPN leaks. VPN leaks occur when user data is "leaked" from the secure VPN tunnel as a result of a bug or vulnerability inside the software. The primary types of VPN leaks include the following:
DNS leaks occur when the VPN reveals your internet activity, such as DNS queries or browsing history, to the ISP DNS server despite being connected over an encrypted VPN connection.
IP leaks occur when your IP address is accidentally leaked or exposed to the internet, undermining the primary function of a VPN in disguising your true IP address and location.
WebRTC leaks are browser-based leaks in which websites gain unauthorized access to your actual IP address by bypassing the encrypted VPN connection.
VPNs inherently log user data
Finally, hacking is possible when VPN providers access customer data without their authorization.
While many VPN services promise to have no-logs policies, indicating that they are not keeping user data, VPNs have been shown to store user information notwithstanding these rules.
Why should you still invest in a VPN?
Even after understanding the various ways VPNs can be exploited, utilizing a VPN is significantly more secure than not using one. VPNs enable you and your organization to mask your IP address with the touch of a button.
Hiding your IP address is critical because criminal actors can exploit it to send you invasive adverts, learn your location, and collect information about your personal identity. VPNs are one of the simplest and most accessible ways to accomplish this.
VPNs are also an excellent solution for larger enterprises to maintain the security of company data, especially if your company has distant employees who access company resources via the Internet.