Complete Guide to VPN Types

Comprehensive analysis of VPN technologies, protocols, and deployment models for enterprise VPN and corporate VPN security assessments and penetration testing services

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VPN Technology Classification

Understanding different VPN types, their use cases, security implications, and penetration testing considerations.

IPsec VPN

High Security

Enterprise

Site-to-Site

Internet Protocol Security (IPsec) is a suite of protocols for securing IP communications by authenticating and encrypting each IP packet in a communication session.

Key Components:

• Authentication Header (AH)
• Encapsulating Security Payload (ESP)
• Internet Key Exchange (IKE/IKEv2)
• Security Association (SA)

Operating Modes:

• Transport Mode (end-to-end)
• Tunnel Mode (gateway-to-gateway)

Use Cases:

• Site-to-site VPN connections
• Remote access for mobile workers
• Securing cloud connectivity
• Branch office connections

Security Considerations:

Encryption:AES-256

Authentication:Strong

Perfect Forward Secrecy:Yes

Penetration Testing Focus:

• IKE aggressive mode vulnerabilities
• Weak pre-shared keys
• Certificate validation issues
• DPD (Dead Peer Detection) bypass

VPN Deployment Models

Understanding different VPN deployment architectures and their security implications.

Site-to-Site VPN

Connects entire networks together, typically used for branch office connectivity.

Use Cases:

• Branch office connections
• Data center interconnection
• Cloud connectivity
• Partner network access

Security Considerations:

• Network segmentation
• Routing security
• Gateway hardening

Remote Access VPN

Provides individual users secure access to corporate networks from remote locations.

Use Cases:

• Remote worker access
• Mobile device connectivity
• Contractor access
• BYOD scenarios

Security Considerations:

• Endpoint security
• User authentication
• Access control policies

Cloud VPN

VPN services delivered through cloud infrastructure, offering scalability and flexibility.

Use Cases:

• Hybrid cloud connectivity
• Multi-cloud networking
• Scalable remote access
• Global presence

Security Considerations:

• Cloud provider security
• Data sovereignty
• Shared responsibility model

VPN Protocol Comparison Matrix

Comprehensive comparison of VPN protocols across security, performance, and enterprise suitability metrics.

Protocol	Security	Performance	Setup Complexity	Enterprise Suitability	Common Vulnerabilities
IPsec	Excellent	High	Complex	Excellent	Weak PSK, IKE aggressive mode
OpenVPN	Excellent	Medium	Medium	Excellent	Config errors, weak ciphers
WireGuard	Excellent	Excellent	Simple	Good	Key management, config exposure
SSL/TLS VPN	Excellent	Medium	Simple	Excellent	Web app vulns, session hijacking
L2TP/IPsec	Good	Medium	Medium	Good	NAT traversal, weak PSK
SSTP	Good	Medium	Simple	Limited	Platform dependency, cert issues
PPTP	Poor	High	Simple	Not Recommended	Weak encryption, auth bypass

Related VPN Security Resources

VPN Security Assessment:

→ VPN Encryption Algorithms Analysis → VPN Vulnerability Assessment → VPN Exploitation Techniques

Professional Services:

→ Security Testing Tools → VPN CVE Database → Professional Consultation