Red Hot Cyber
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Redazione RHC : 11 December 2025 09:54
In the darkest corners of the internet, the trafficking of stolen data and unauthorized access continues to thrive. A recent post on a closed underground forum shows 896 FortiSSL VPN credentials , complete with IP address and clear text credentials, being sold for a combined price of $3,000 .
The ad, posted by a user, lists available logins for several countries, including the United States, Germany, Austria, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Italy, the United Arab Emirates, Brazil, Switzerland, and France . The details are provided in the traditional ip:port user:password format, easily usable by anyone with basic networking skills.
Disclaimer: This report includes screenshots and/or text from publicly available sources. The information provided is for threat intelligence and cybersecurity risk awareness purposes only. Red Hot Cyber condemns any unauthorized access, improper dissemination, or misuse of this data. It is currently not possible to independently verify the authenticity of the information reported, as the organization involved has not yet released an official statement on its website. Therefore, this article should be considered for informational and intelligence purposes only.
The sale of VPN credentials poses a growing threat to businesses and individuals. VPNs, tools designed to ensure online privacy and security, are thus becoming a gateway for targeted cyber attacks, sensitive data theft, and digital espionage.
The fact that these logins are marketed with a “user guarantee” highlights the professionalization of the criminal market, where the seller’s reliability has become a marketing factor among cybercriminals.
According to cybersecurity experts, these forums are becoming increasingly sophisticated, offering not just credentials, but full-fledged access services to corporate networks, FTP servers, and databases. The presence of logins from different countries also highlights the international nature of the phenomenon, which can have global repercussions if the credentials are used for targeted attacks.
Authorities and companies are therefore called upon to strengthen VPN system defenses and adopt advanced security measures, such as multi-factor authentication and continuous access monitoring, to counter the proliferation of stolen credentials on the dark web.
The alarm raised by this post highlights the delicate line between protection tools and vulnerabilities exploitable by criminals: in the digital world, even a compromised VPN can pose a significant cybersecurity risk.
Companies can’t afford to rely on hope: VPN system protection must become a strategic priority. It’s essential to implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all remote access, regularly update device and VPN server configurations, and adopt continuous access and network log monitoring solutions.
Staff training also plays a crucial role: raising awareness among employees and collaborators about the threats associated with compromised credentials significantly reduces the risk of incidents.
Additionally, companies should consider proactive credential management, including periodic password rotation and the use of secure password storage.
Regular vulnerability checks, security audits, and attack simulations allow you to identify and fix weaknesses before they can be exploited. Only by adopting an integrated and constantly updated approach can you reduce the risk of the illicit sale and use of VPN credentials on the dark web.
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