In early 2024, Ivanti disclosed critical vulnerabilities in its Connect Secure VPN that were already being actively exploited by threat actors — including nation-state groups. CISA issued an emergency directive ordering federal agencies to disconnect affected devices within 48 hours. If that doesn't make you rethink your VPN best practices, I don't know what will.
A VPN isn't a magic shield. I've seen organizations deploy one, check the "security" box, and never touch the configuration again. That's how breaches happen. This post covers the specific, actionable VPN best practices that actually reduce your attack surface in 2026 — not the vague advice you've read a hundred times before.
Why Your VPN Is a Prime Target for Threat Actors
VPN appliances sit at the edge of your network. They're internet-facing, always on, and often running outdated firmware. That combination makes them irresistible to attackers.
The 2024 Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report found that exploitation of vulnerabilities in VPNs and other edge devices surged significantly compared to the prior year. Attackers don't need to phish your employees when they can just walk through an unpatched VPN gateway. You can read the full findings in the Verizon DBIR.
Here's what actually happens in these attacks: a threat actor scans for known CVEs in popular VPN products, exploits one, gains initial access, and then moves laterally. Credential theft follows. Ransomware deployment is often the end game. Your VPN is not the last line of defense — it's the first thing attackers probe.
The VPN Best Practices That Actually Matter
I've audited dozens of VPN deployments across industries. The organizations that avoid compromise share a set of common habits. None of them are complicated. All of them require discipline.
1. Patch Relentlessly — Not Quarterly
If you're patching VPN appliances on a quarterly cycle, you're leaving a window wide open. CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog regularly includes VPN-related CVEs with remediation deadlines measured in days, not months.
Set up vendor security advisories for your specific VPN product. When a critical patch drops, apply it within 48 hours. No exceptions. If your change management process can't handle that, your change management process is broken.
2. Enforce Multi-Factor Authentication on Every Connection
A VPN protected only by username and password is barely protected at all. Credential theft through phishing, infostealers, and dark web marketplaces makes single-factor VPN access a liability.
Enforce multi-factor authentication (MFA) for every VPN session. Use phishing-resistant methods — FIDO2 hardware keys or app-based push notifications with number matching. SMS-based MFA is better than nothing, but it's increasingly vulnerable to SIM-swapping attacks.
3. Implement Least-Privilege Access
Most VPN deployments I encounter grant full network access once a user authenticates. That's the opposite of what you want. If an attacker compromises a single VPN credential, they shouldn't be able to reach your domain controllers, financial systems, and backup servers.
Segment your VPN access by role. An HR employee doesn't need access to the development environment. A contractor doesn't need access to anything beyond their specific project resources. This is where VPN best practices start overlapping with zero trust principles — and that's the right direction.
4. Kill Split Tunneling (Or Control It Tightly)
Split tunneling lets users route some traffic through the VPN and some directly to the internet. It saves bandwidth. It also lets malware on a compromised endpoint communicate with command-and-control servers without passing through your security stack.
In my experience, the bandwidth savings aren't worth the risk for most organizations. If you must allow split tunneling, restrict it to specific, low-risk destinations and monitor everything else.
5. Log Everything and Actually Review It
Your VPN generates connection logs, authentication logs, and traffic metadata. If nobody is reviewing them, they're useless. Look for anomalies: logins from impossible geographic locations, connections at unusual hours, and repeated authentication failures followed by a success (a classic sign of credential stuffing).
Feed VPN logs into your SIEM. Create alerts for the patterns that matter. A VPN without monitoring is just a door you can't see.
What Are VPN Best Practices for Remote Workers?
For organizations with remote teams, VPN best practices extend beyond the appliance itself. Here's what you need to get right on the endpoint side:
- Always-on VPN profiles: Configure devices to automatically connect to the VPN when outside the corporate network. Don't rely on users remembering to connect.
- Endpoint health checks: Require up-to-date antivirus, current OS patches, and an active firewall before allowing a VPN connection. Most enterprise VPN solutions support posture assessment — use it.
- Device certificates: Combine user authentication with device certificates to ensure only managed, trusted devices can connect. This blocks personal devices and attacker-controlled machines from using stolen credentials.
- Session timeouts: Don't let VPN sessions stay open indefinitely. Require re-authentication after a set period — 8 to 12 hours is reasonable for most workforces.
Your remote workforce is your extended perimeter. Treating their VPN connections as inherently trusted is a mistake I see repeated constantly.
The Zero Trust Question: Do You Still Need a VPN?
I get asked this regularly. The honest answer: it depends on your architecture.
Zero trust network access (ZTNA) solutions are replacing traditional VPNs in many environments. Instead of granting broad network access after authentication, ZTNA brokers access to specific applications on a per-session basis. It's a fundamentally better model for most use cases.
But many organizations still run legacy applications, on-premises infrastructure, or hybrid environments where a VPN remains necessary. If that's your situation, the practices in this post aren't optional — they're essential. NIST's SP 800-207 Zero Trust Architecture guidance is worth reviewing as you plan your transition.
Whether you use a traditional VPN, ZTNA, or both, the human layer remains your biggest variable. One employee clicking a phishing link can hand over the credentials that bypass your entire setup.
Training Closes the Gap Technology Can't
Every VPN compromise I've investigated involved a human element. Sometimes it was a sysadmin who delayed a patch. Sometimes it was an employee who fell for a social engineering attack and handed over their VPN credentials. Sometimes it was a contractor who reused a password from a breached personal account.
Technology alone doesn't fix this. Your people need to understand why these controls exist and how attackers exploit the gaps. Regular security awareness training turns your workforce from a liability into a detection layer.
I recommend starting with a comprehensive cybersecurity awareness training program that covers credential hygiene, social engineering recognition, and safe remote work habits. Then layer on targeted phishing awareness training for your organization that includes phishing simulation exercises. The combination builds real muscle memory — not just checkbox compliance.
A VPN Configuration Checklist You Can Use Today
Here's the condensed version for your next audit or deployment review:
- Firmware and software updated to the latest stable version
- MFA enforced for all users — phishing-resistant methods preferred
- Access segmented by role and least-privilege principles
- Split tunneling disabled or tightly controlled
- Endpoint posture checks enabled before connection
- Device certificates required alongside user credentials
- Session timeouts configured (8-12 hours maximum)
- All connection and authentication logs forwarded to SIEM
- Alerts configured for anomalous login patterns
- Unused VPN accounts disabled immediately upon offboarding
Print this out. Tape it to the wall in your server room. Seriously.
The $4.88M Lesson Behind Every Unpatched VPN
IBM's 2024 Cost of a Data Breach Report pegged the global average cost of a data breach at $4.88 million. Many of those breaches started with an exploited edge device — a VPN, a firewall, a remote access gateway.
Your VPN is either a hardened entry point or an open invitation. The difference isn't budget or vendor choice. It's whether your team follows proven VPN best practices consistently and whether your people are trained to recognize the social engineering attacks that target the credentials your VPN relies on.
The attackers aren't waiting for you to get around to that firmware update. Start today.