Internet Key Exchange or IKE is an IPSec-based tunneling protocol that provides a secure VPN communication channel and defines automatic means of negotiation and authentication for IPSec security associations in a protected manner. The first version of this VPN protocol (IKEv1) was introduced in 1998, and the second (IKEv2) came out 7 years later. There are several differences between IKEv1 and IKEv2, not the least of which is the reduced bandwidth requirements of IKEv2.
Why use IKEv2:
Security. IKEv2 employs server certificate authentication, which means it won’t perform any actions until it determines the requestor's identity. This derails most of the man-in-the-middle and DoS attack attempts.
Reliability. In the first version of the protocol, if you tried to switch to a different internet connection, e.g. from WiFi to mobile internet, with VPN on, it would disrupt the VPN connection and would require a reconnection. This has certain undesirable consequences like performance drops and a previous IP address getting changed.
Thanks to the reliability measures implemented in IKEv2, this issue has been fixed. Moreover, IKEv2 implements a MOBIKE technology, which allows it to be used by mobile and multi-homed users. It is also one of the few protocols that support Blackberry devices.
Speed. Well-minded architecture and effective message exchange system in IKEv2 allow for better performance. Also, its connection speed is significantly higher, not least because of a built-in NAT traversal which makes passing through firewalls and establishing a connection much faster.
The goal of IKE is to independently produce the same symmetric key for the communicating parties. This key serves to encrypt and decrypt the regular IP packets, used to transfer data between VPN peers. IKE builds a VPN tunnel by authenticating both sides and reaching an agreement on methods of encryption and integrity. The outcome of an IKE negotiation is a Security Association (SA).
IKE is based on the underlying security protocols, such as the Internet Security Association and Key Management Protocol (ISAKMP), A Versatile Secure Key Exchange Mechanism for internet (SKEME), and the Oakley Key Determination Protocol. ISAKMP specifies a framework for authentication and key exchange but does not define them. SKEME describes a versatile key exchange technique, which provides a quick key refreshment. Oakley allows authenticated parties to exchange keying material across an insecure connection using the Diffie–Hellman key exchange algorithm. This method provides perfect forward secrecy for keys, identity protection, and authentication.
The IKE protocol uses UDP port 500 that is perfect for network applications in which perceived latency is critical, such as gaming, voice, and video communications. Moreover, the protocol does not involve the overhead, associated with Point-to-Point protocols (PPP). This makes IKE faster than PPTP and L2TP. While supporting AES and Camellia ciphers with a key length of 256 bits, IKE is considered to be a very secure protocol.
Check our detailed guide on how to configure the IKEv2 connection on your device!
IKEv2 introduced many improvements and is undeniably better than IKEv1. The benefits of IKEv2 over IKEv1 are as follows:
IKEv2 protocol is available in VPN Unlimited for:
IKEv2 is one of the VPN protocols available in VPN Unlimited. To connect to it:
Unless configured otherwise, IKEv2 uses IPSec that requires ESP IP Protocol 50 and UDP ports 500 and 4500.
IKEv2 supports most leading encryption algorithms. As a result, it’s security is on par with the safest VPN protocols.
Thanks to encryption, IKEv2 is well-protected against brute-force attacks. The main vulnerability of IKEv2 is related to password strength. When you enter a password, IKEv2 hashes it and compares it with stored hash values to see if they match. The weaker your password is, the easier it is for someone to hack the hash.
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