ZyXEL ZyWALL 2WG User Guide - Page 287

Negotiation Mode, VPN, NAT, and NAT Traversal

Page 287 highlights

Chapter 14 IPSec VPN Screens Negotiation Mode There are two negotiation modes: main mode and aggressive mode. Main mode provides better security, while aggressive mode is faster. Main mode takes six steps to establish an IKE SA. Steps 1-2: The ZyWALL sends its proposals to the remote IPSec router. The remote IPSec router selects an acceptable proposal and sends it back to the ZyWALL. Steps 3-4: The ZyWALL and the remote IPSec router participate in a Diffie-Hellman key exchange, based on the accepted DH key group, to establish a shared secret. Steps 5-6: Finally, the ZyWALL and the remote IPSec router generate an encryption key from the shared secret, encrypt their identities, and exchange their encrypted identity information for authentication. In contrast, aggressive mode only takes three steps to establish an IKE SA. Step 1: The ZyWALL sends its proposals to the remote IPSec router. It also starts the DiffieHellman key exchange and sends its (unencrypted) identity to the remote IPSec router for authentication. Step 2: The remote IPSec router selects an acceptable proposal and sends it back to the ZyWALL. It also finishes the Diffie-Hellman key exchange, authenticates the ZyWALL, and sends its (unencrypted) identity to the ZyWALL for authentication. Step 3: The ZyWALL authenticates the remote IPSec router and confirms that the IKE SA is established. Aggressive mode does not provide as much security as main mode because the identity of the ZyWALL and the identity of the remote IPSec router are not encrypted. It is usually used when the address of the initiator is not known by the responder and both parties want to use preshared keys for authentication (for example, telecommuters). VPN, NAT, and NAT Traversal In the following example, there is another router (A) between router X and router Y. Figure 190 VPN/NAT Example If router A does NAT, it might change the IP addresses, port numbers, or both. If router X and router Y try to establish a VPN tunnel, the authentication fails because it depends on this information. The routers cannot establish a VPN tunnel. Most routers like router A now have an IPSec pass-through feature. This feature helps router A recognize VPN packets and route them appropriately. If router A has this feature, router X and router Y can establish a VPN tunnel as long as the active protocol is ESP. (See Section 14.9 on page 283 for more information about active protocols.) ZyWALL 2 Plus User's Guide 287

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Chapter 14 IPSec VPN Screens
ZyWALL 2 Plus User’s Guide
287
Negotiation Mode
There are two negotiation modes: main mode and aggressive mode. Main mode provides
better security, while aggressive mode is faster.
Main mode takes six steps to establish an IKE SA.
Steps 1-2: The ZyWALL sends its proposals to the remote IPSec router. The remote IPSec
router selects an acceptable proposal and sends it back to the ZyWALL.
Steps 3-4: The ZyWALL and the remote IPSec router participate in a Diffie-Hellman key
exchange, based on the accepted DH key group, to establish a shared secret.
Steps 5-6: Finally, the ZyWALL and the remote IPSec router generate an encryption key from
the shared secret, encrypt their identities, and exchange their encrypted identity information
for authentication.
In contrast, aggressive
mode only takes three steps to establish an IKE SA.
Step 1: The ZyWALL sends its proposals to the remote IPSec router. It also starts the Diffie-
Hellman key exchange and sends its (unencrypted) identity to the remote IPSec router for
authentication.
Step 2: The remote IPSec router selects an acceptable proposal and sends it back to the
ZyWALL. It also finishes the Diffie-Hellman key exchange, authenticates the ZyWALL, and
sends its (unencrypted) identity to the ZyWALL for authentication.
Step 3: The ZyWALL authenticates the remote IPSec router and confirms that the IKE SA is
established.
Aggressive mode does not provide as much security as main mode because the identity of the
ZyWALL and the identity of the remote IPSec router are not encrypted. It is usually used when
the address of the initiator is not known by the responder and both parties want to use pre-
shared keys for authentication (for example, telecommuters).
VPN, NAT, and NAT Traversal
In the following example, there is another router (
A
) between router
X
and router
Y
.
Figure 190
VPN/NAT Example
If router
A
does NAT, it might change the IP addresses, port numbers, or both. If router
X
and
router
Y
try to establish a VPN tunnel, the authentication fails because it depends on this
information. The routers cannot establish a VPN tunnel.
Most routers like router
A
now have an IPSec pass-through feature. This feature helps router
A
recognize VPN packets and route them appropriately. If router
A
has this feature, router
X
and
router
Y
can establish a VPN tunnel as long as the active protocol is ESP. (See
Section 14.9 on
page 283
for more information about active protocols.)