VPN credentials are the account details—typically a username and password, sometimes combined with a certificate or one-time code—that authenticate a user to a virtual private network. A VPN can provide a route into an organization’s private network, so valid credentials may expose internal services to unauthorized access, especially if the account has broad permissions or lacks additional safeguards.
Attackers may use stolen, guessed, or reused credentials to sign in remotely and then explore reachable systems or attempt to move deeper into a network. Defenders should protect credentials with multifactor authentication, unique passwords, restricted account privileges, and monitoring for unusual sign-ins. If credentials may have been exposed, revoke or rotate them promptly and review access logs; a credential leak alone does not prove that an account was used.