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VPN Facts

In order to securely communicate between multiple locations, many organizations used to rely on costly wide area networks (WANs). However, virtual private networks (VPNs) have emerged as a cost-effective alternative that provides secure connections to remote resources using the internet.

This section covers the following topics:

  1. How VPNs work
  2. VPN protocols

How VPNs Work


A VPN establishes a point-to-point connection between two sites, utilizing the internet as the transport mechanism. Here are some key facts about VPNs:

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  • VPNs employ encryption methods and protocols to ensure data security.
  • Encryption protocols commonly used by VPNs include:
  • IPSEC
  • L2TP
  • SSL
  • VPNs can be utilized to maintain internet activity anonymity.
  • Additionally, tunnels can be employed to create secure communication pathways. Tunnels create an encrypted and protected shield that allows data to travel safely on public networks. In certain cases, using a tunnel can be more convenient and secure compared to a VPN. Tunnels differ from VPNs in the following ways:
  • Tunneling encapsulates packets.
  • Data may or may not be encrypted.
  • Multiple protocols can utilize a tunnel, whereas only one protocol is used per VPN.

VPN Protocols

VPNs are configured to use specific tunneling protocols, which determine the security measures (encryption methods) and connection speed. The following table describes several protocols that can be used with VPNs:

Protocol Description

Point-To-Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP)


– PPTP is the oldest and most widely used tunneling protocol.
– It was developed by Microsoft for dial-up networks.
– It utilizes 128-bit encryption, which is relatively easy to break due to its age.
– PPTP tends to be faster due to lower encryption standards.

Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol with Internet Protocol Security (L2TP/IPSec)

– L2TP was developed by Microsoft and Cisco in the 1990s.
– It is not secure on its own, but when paired with IPSec, it becomes one of the more secure VPN methods.
– L2TP is slower (when used with IPSec) compared to PPTP due to higher encryption standards.

Secure Socket Tunneling Protocol (SSTP)

– SSTP was developed by Microsoft and comes preloaded and configured in Windows Vista and later versions.
– It is commonly used in conjunction with the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES).
– SSTP is exclusive to Windows and is not compatible with other operating systems.

Internet Key Exchange v2 (IKEv2)

– IKEv2 is a unique tunneling protocol that can automatically reconnect dropped connections. It is often favored by mobile devices for this reason.
– It was developed by Microsoft and Cisco.
– IKEv2 is one of the fastest and most secure protocols available but is not compatible with many operating systems.

OpenVPN

– OpenVPN was introduced in 2001.
– It is an open-source protocol that offers high configurability, allowing for customization of ports and encryption methods.
– OpenVPN is commonly used by third-party VPN providers.
– When properly configured, OpenVPN provides extremely high security and comparable speed to L2TP/IPSec.