Check Point Urges VPN Configuration Review Amid Attack Spike

Cybersecurity firm Check Point has urged customers to review their VPN configurations to prevent potential exploitation by threat actors seeking initial access to enterprise networks.

Writing in a security advisory on Monday, the company reported that VPNs from various cybersecurity vendors have been increasingly targeted. 

In particular, Check Point has observed attempts to breach its customers’ VPNs, identifying a small number of login attempts on May 24 2024, using outdated VPN local accounts with password-only authentication. These attacks did not exploit a software vulnerability but instead leveraged weaker authentication methods.

Check Point reportedly responded by mobilizing specialized teams to investigate these incidents. 

“In light of these events, we have been monitoring attempts to gain unauthorized access to VPNs of Check Point’s customers,” the company wrote. “Relying on these customer notifications and Check Point’s analysis, the teams found within 24 hours a few potential customers who were subject to similar attempts.” 

The advisory also highlighted the inadequacy of password-only authentication for securing remote access to certain types of networks.

“Password-only authentication is considered an unfavorable method to ensure the highest levels of security, and we recommend not to rely on this when logging-in to network infrastructure,” reads the advisory. 

To defend against similar attacks, Check Point recommended that organizations reassess their use of local accounts, advising them to disable unnecessary accounts. For essential accounts, they suggest enhancing security by adding another layer of authentication, such as certificates, to supplement passwords.

To assist their customers, Check Point has also released a solution designed to automatically prevent unauthorized access via local accounts using password-only authentication. This solution can be deployed on security gateways to strengthen defenses against these types of attacks.

“This will automatically prevent unauthorized access to your VPNs by local accounts with a password-only authentication method,” the company explained.

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