This article provides an in-depth analysis of the global overseas VPS security landscape and corresponding countermeasures. Overseas VPS are facing rapidly evolving and increasingly complex security threats. The latest industry reports and security research data show that the overseas VPS security landscape is characterized by diversification, intelligence, and scale. Understanding these risks has become a primary prerequisite for building an effective defense system.
Cloud Configuration Errors and Uncontrolled Access According to CyCognito's research on nearly 5 million exposed internet assets, 38% of Google Cloud-hosted assets have at least one security issue. These configuration errors mainly manifest as excessive permissions for public buckets, improper IAM role settings, and unencrypted data. Trend Micro's research also found that over 1 billion organizations have disabled multi-factor authentication when logging into Entra ID accounts. This lax authentication setting makes it easier for attackers to gain initial access.
Unpatched Vulnerabilities and Delayed Virtual Patch Installation The time difference in cross-border operations leads to a 12-36 hour response gap for overseas VPS vulnerability patching. Data shows that during the Log4j2 vulnerability outbreak, North American overseas VPS users experienced an average patch installation time 19 hours longer than Asian users. The healthcare industry has the longest average patching time for vulnerabilities, reaching 41.5 days, providing attackers with ample exploitation opportunities. More worryingly, 63% of production environments contain high-risk, unpatched vulnerabilities, with high-risk vulnerabilities with CVSS scores of 9.0 or higher accounting for only 0.07% of the Azure platform.
Remote access protocol abuse. Data from 2025 shows that 60% of high-risk vulnerabilities in overseas VPS systems stem from SSH configuration flaws, and the continued exposure of the default port 22 increases the success rate of forced cracking by hackers by 3.8 times. Meanwhile, private dedicated network devices have become a major entry point for ransomware attacks. An At-Bay report indicates that 80% of ransomware attacks use remote access tools as entry vectors, with companies using Cisco and Citrix SSL private dedicated networks (PDMs) at nearly 7 times higher risk of ransomware attacks than those without.
AI-driven automated attacks. The widespread adoption of generative AI has spurred new attack methods. A Trend Micro report lists AI-assisted deepfake phishing, virtual kidnapping scams, and automated hacking reconnaissance as the most important emerging threats in 2025. AI technology can generate more persuasive phishing emails and automatically scan for weaknesses in overseas VPS configurations, significantly improving attack speed and accuracy. According to predictions, AI-driven exploitation of logical vulnerabilities is ranked first in the OWASP Top 10 for 2025, and such attacks could lead to serious consequences such as financial security issues and traffic accidents.
Supply Chain and Cloud-Native Risks. With the widespread adoption of cloud-native technologies, supply chain attacks are frequent. Research shows that 13% of assets on small and medium-sized cloud platforms have exploitable vulnerabilities, making these platforms prime targets for attackers. Outdated software packages in pre-installed system images are another major risk; for example, a CentOS 7 template from a well-known cloud platform contained a PHP 5.4 version with 18 CVE records. In containerized overseas VPS deployments, misconfigurations can lead to container escape, thereby compromising host security.
Account Authentication System Defects. Account security issues remain prominent in 2025. Security audits have found that 92% of overseas VPS instances have unnecessary services running as root, significantly increasing the severity of vulnerability exploitation. Among the top ten most dangerous incidents, "access to dangerous cloud applications," "idle accounts," and "email risks" rank highly, with idle accounts and weak password policies serving as springboards for attackers' lateral movement.
API abuse and data exposure. With the expansion of the API economy, insecure API interfaces have become a primary target for hackers. Data shows that 63% of public storage buckets contain sensitive data, and 44% of enterprises have experienced cloud data breaches, primarily due to human misconfiguration. Attackers can traverse user data or launch DDoS attacks through unlimited API calls, especially in generative AI integration scenarios, where insecure APIs have a wider impact.
To address the security challenges of overseas VPS in 2025, enterprises need to adopt a multi-layered defense strategy: implement strict cloud configuration management, regularly audit permission settings, and ensure multi-factor authentication is enabled; establish a rapid vulnerability response mechanism, shorten patch installation cycles, and use virtual patches as temporary protection for critical systems; strengthen remote access security, change the default SSH port, adopt key authentication, and consider using zero-trust networks instead of traditional private dedicated networks; deploy AI-driven security tools to address AI-generated threats and achieve real-time detection and response; implement the principle of least privilege and network micro-segmentation, restrict lateral movement, and regularly clean up idle accounts; strengthen API security protection, set strict access controls and rate limits, and encrypt transmitted and stored data.
