Over 9,000 VNC servers publicly accessible online without a password

At least 9,000 exposed VNC (virtual network computing) endpoints that can be accessed and used without authentication have been discovered by researchers.

VNC is a platform-agnostic system that allows users to connect to systems that require monitoring and adjustments.

If these endpoints are not properly password-protected, they can serve as entry points for unauthorised users.

The consequences of abusing access could be disastrous for entire communities.

VNC administrators should never expose VNC servers directly to the Internet, and if they must be remotely accessible, they should do so through a VPN.

Many VNC products do not support passwords longer than eight characters, making them insecure even when sessions and passwords are encrypted.