IPSec VPN Vs SSL VPN
Wikipedia defines Virtual Private Network as “a private computer network that interconnects remote (and often geographically separate) networks through primarily public communication infrastructures such as the Internet . A VPN could be used to securely connect the branch offices of an organization to a head office network through the public Internet. A VPN can also be used to interconnect two similar networks over a dissimilar middle network.” The growing popularity of VPNs is due to the fact that it reduces costs considerably as it uses existing infrastructure to provide secure and private communication. Hence, there is no need of dedicated leased lines.
VPNs are of several types namely
● Internet Protocol Security (IPSec)
● Secure Sockets Layer (SSL VPN)
● Transport Layer Security (TLS)
● Datagram Transport Layer Security (DTLS)
● Microsoft Point-to-Point Encryption (MPPE)
● Secure Socket Tunneling Protocol (SSTP)
● Multi Path Virtual Private Network (MPVPN)
● Secure Shell (SSH)
Of the different VPNS, the most widely used are IPSec and SSL VPNs. An IPSec offers great security and meets most security goals namely authentication, integrity, and confidentiality. As far as SSL VPNs are concerned, it provides remote users with access to web applications, client/server applications, and internal network connections.
Though IPSecs are one of the most widely used VPN protocols for site-to-site access, SSL VPNs are much popular today. Hence, let’s look at the fundamental differences between the two in order to understand the growing popularity of SSL VPNs.
Internet Protocol Security (IPSec) VPN
● To access IPSec VPN, third-party hardware / software is required
● An IPSec client software application need to be installed and configured on all remote machines
● In IPSec protocols, maintaining the licenses for the client software can turn to be a financial burden for enterprises
● IPSec connectivity can be impaired by firewalls, routers, and proxy devices
● IPSec deployment is not easy due to complications from Network Address Translation (NAT)
● All resources on the network is exposed and therefore requires complex ACL management
● In case of IP conflicts, complicated NAT and IP Mapping required
Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) VPN
● It can be used with a standard Web browser.
● Without any specialized client software, it ensures secure remote access
● Only needed resources are exposed
● IP conflicts are automatically resolved
● No need to open firewalls for SSL traffic as it is allowed by default
Moreover, SSL VPNs require no pre-installed clients, support a broad range of access methods, provide encrypted connectivity and end-point security, and offer industry-leading scalability and price-performance. All this contribute to its growing popularity.
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