TunnelVision vulnerability has existed since 2002 and may already be known to attackers.
  • dgmib@lemmy.worldEnglish
    0·
    7 months ago

    So for this attack to work, the attacker needs to be able to run a malicious DHCP server on the target machine’s network.

    Meaning they need to have already compromised your local network either physically in person or by compromising a device on that network. If you’ve gotten that far you can already do a lot of damage without this attack.

    For the average person this is yet another non-issue. But if you regularly use a VPN over untrusted networks like a hotel or coffee shop wifi then, in theory, an attacker could get your traffic to route outside the VPN tunnel.

    • GamingChairModel@lemmy.worldEnglish
      1·
      7 months ago

      Put another way, this means that a malicious coffee shop or hotel can eavesdrop on all VPN traffic on their network. That’s a really big fucking deal.

  • Optional@lemmy.worldEnglish
    0·
    7 months ago

    there are no ways to prevent such attacks except when the user’s VPN runs on Linux or Android.

    So . . . unix? Everything-but-Windows?

    • abhibeckert@lemmy.worldEnglish
      0·
      7 months ago

      Everything-but-Windows?

      No. Any device that implements a certain DHCP feature is vulnerable. Linux doesn’t support it, because most Linux systems don’t even use DHCP at all let alone this edge case feature. And Android doesn’t support it because it inherited the Linux network stack.

      I would bet some Linux systems are vulnerable, just not with the standard network packages installed. If you’re issued a Linux laptop for work, wouldn’t be surprised if it has a package that enables this feature. It essentially gives sysadmins more control over how packets are routed for every computer on the LAN.