Why Firewalls, VPNs and Proxies Are the #1 Target—and What to Harden First

Firewalls, VPNs, and proxy servers sit at the very edge of enterprise networks. They are designed to protect internal systems, yet paradoxically they have become the most targeted attack surface in modern cyberattacks. From ransomware gangs to nation-state actors, attackers increasingly focus on these perimeter devices as their preferred entry point.

Understanding why these systems are targeted—and what to harden first—is now critical for organizations of all sizes.

Why Firewalls, VPNs, and Proxies Are Prime Targets

They Sit at the Network Perimeter

Firewalls, VPNs, and proxies are exposed to the internet by design. Unlike internal servers or endpoints, they must accept inbound connections from untrusted networks.

This makes them:

Continuously reachable
Easy to scan at scale
High-value gateways into internal systems

A single successful exploit can grant attackers broad access without needing phishing or malware delivery.

One Exploit Can Bypass Multiple Defenses

Compromising a perimeter device often allows attackers to:

Bypass endpoint protection
Evade email security controls
Avoid user authentication entirely

Unlike endpoint attacks that require lateral movement, exploiting a VPN or firewall vulnerability can provide direct network-level access, sometimes with administrator privileges.

This efficiency makes perimeter devices a favorite target for sophisticated threat actors.

Patch Gaps Are Common

Many organizations struggle to patch network appliances quickly due to:

Fear of downtime
Complex upgrade procedures
Legacy hardware dependencies
Limited visibility into firmware versions

Attackers know this—and routinely weaponize newly disclosed vulnerabilities within days or even hours of public disclosure.

How Attackers Exploit These Systems

Zero-Day and N-Day Vulnerabilities

Firewalls and VPN appliances are frequent targets of both zero-day and recently disclosed (“N-day”) vulnerabilities. Once a flaw is discovered, attackers rapidly scan the internet to identify unpatched systems.

Common outcomes include:

Authentication bypass
Remote code execution
Credential extraction
Persistent backdoor installation

Because these devices often lack advanced detection, compromises can remain undetected for long periods.

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Stolen Credentials and Configuration Abuse

Even without software exploits, attackers target:

Weak VPN passwords
Reused admin credentials
Default or legacy configurations

Credential stuffing and brute-force attacks remain effective against poorly hardened systems—especially when multi-factor authentication (MFA) is absent.

Living-Off-the-Land Techniques

Once inside, attackers often avoid deploying malware. Instead, they:

Abuse built-in network tools
Modify firewall rules
Create hidden VPN accounts
Tunnel traffic through proxies

This “living-off-the-land” approach reduces detection and extends dwell time.

Why Traditional Security Models Fall Short

Overreliance on the Perimeter

Many organizations still assume that perimeter defenses are inherently trustworthy. This outdated model creates blind spots once the perimeter itself is compromised.

When a firewall or VPN is breached:

Internal traffic may appear “trusted”
Monitoring tools may not flag anomalies
Attackers blend into legitimate network flows

This is why perimeter compromise often leads to full network takeover.

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Limited Visibility Into Appliance Behavior

Unlike endpoints, many network devices lack:

Detailed logging
Behavioral analytics
Real-time alerting

Without external monitoring, suspicious activity can go unnoticed until significant damage occurs.

What to Harden First (Priority Checklist)

1. Patch Management for Network Appliances

The single most important action is aggressive patching of firewalls, VPNs, and proxies.

Best practices:

Track vendor security advisories daily
Apply critical patches within days—not weeks
Replace unsupported or end-of-life devices

If a device cannot be patched promptly, it should be isolated or disabled.

2. Enforce Strong Authentication Everywhere

Perimeter systems must use:

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all admin and VPN access
Strong, unique credentials
Role-based access controls

Eliminate shared admin accounts and audit access regularly.

3. Reduce Attack Surface

Disable anything not strictly required:

Unused VPN portals
Legacy authentication methods
Deprecated encryption protocols
Administrative interfaces exposed to the internet

Every exposed service increases risk.

4. Monitor Logs and Network Behavior

Logging is essential—but only if logs are reviewed and correlated.

Key steps:

Centralize firewall, VPN, and proxy logs
Monitor for unusual login patterns
Alert on configuration changes
Detect abnormal data flows

Network Detection and Response (NDR) tools can add critical visibility here.

5. Segment and Limit Trust

Even if the perimeter is compromised, segmentation can prevent full network access.

Apply:

Least-privilege network access
Segmentation between user, server, and admin networks
Zero-trust principles for internal traffic

Perimeter compromise should not equal total compromise.

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The Role of Zero Trust and Defense-in-Depth

Assume Breach, Not Perfection

Modern security strategy assumes that perimeter devices will eventually fail. Zero Trust architecture limits the blast radius by continuously verifying users, devices, and traffic—even inside the network.

This approach reduces the impact of firewall or VPN compromise.

Layered Security Still Matters

Firewalls, VPNs, and proxies remain essential—but they must be part of a layered defense that includes:

Endpoint detection and response (EDR)
Identity and access management (IAM)
Network segmentation
Continuous monitoring

No single control should be a single point of failure.

Why This Threat Is Growing

Automation Favors Attackers

Attackers now use automated scanning and exploitation frameworks that:

Continuously scan the internet
Instantly exploit new vulnerabilities
Scale attacks globally

This means vulnerable perimeter devices are often compromised quickly and indiscriminately.

Remote Work Expanded the Attack Surface

The growth of remote access has dramatically increased reliance on VPNs and proxies. Many organizations exposed critical infrastructure rapidly—sometimes without proper hardening.

Attackers followed.

Conclusion: Protect the Gate Before the House

Firewalls, VPNs, and proxies are targeted not because they are weak—but because they are strategically powerful. Compromising them provides attackers with stealthy, high-impact access that bypasses many traditional defenses.

Hardening these systems first—through patching, strong authentication, reduced exposure, and continuous monitoring—is one of the most effective steps organizations can take to reduce breach risk.

In modern cybersecurity, protecting the gate matters just as much as protecting what lies behind it.