What is IKEv2, and what is it used for?
In the modern era, internet security is more important than ever. There are several malicious entities operating online. Everyone with a device that connects to the internet is now required to ensure that the personal or business data on those devices is secure against unauthorized access.
A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a technique to protect your devices from malicious users. These users try to monitor your internet connection and steal your data or delete your files.
To ensure security, VPNs use many protocols. One of them is IKEv2.
A VPN encryption protocol that manages request and response operations is known as IKEv2 (Internet Key Exchange version 2). Establishing and managing the SA (Security Association) characteristic within an authentication suite (typically IPSec because IKEv2 is primarily dependent on and built into it) ensures online safety.
IKEv1 was replaced by IKEv2, which was created by Microsoft and Cisco.
IKEv2’s role in creating a secure tunnel between the VPN client and the server is the same as any other VPN protocol. It achieves this by first requiring authentication from both the client and the server and then deciding on the appropriate encryption techniques.
What is the difference between IKEv2 and a VPN?
IKEv2 is itself a VPN protocol. VPN functions on it. The term “IKEv2” refers to Internet Key Exchange Version 2. This VPN protocol is sometimes known as IKEv2/IPsec, but as IPsec encryption is always used with IKEv2, it is most commonly abbreviated to IKEv2. While maintaining some customizability, it is thought to be more lightweight and stable than OpenVPN. However, it can only be accessed over UDP, and certain firewalls prohibit UDP.
One of the newest protocols, IKEv2, has several advantages. However, its speed is particularly great. It works well on mobile devices of all platforms.
The fastest VPN protocol currently in use is IKEv2. Through the use of Network Address Translation-Traversal (NAT-T), a firewall conducting Network Address Translation (NAT) between the VPN client and VPN server is prevented from slowing down the connection.
Its superior performance is also a result of its effective architecture and message exchange design. IKEv2 VPN is a good choice because it uses UDP port 500 and is suitable for low latency applications like gaming.
A wide variety of strong encryption, hashing, and authentication algorithms are supported, making it one of the most secure protocols. Attacks such as Denial of Service (DoS) and Man-in-the-Middle (MITM) are prevented by using cookies to verify the identities of both ends of the VPN connection (MITM). By constantly updating the encryption keys, perfect forward secrecy also guards against key disclosure.
What operating systems support IKEv2?
All significant operating systems, including Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Linux, and routers, are supported by IKEv2.
IKEv2 VPNs are excellent options if you’re looking for a Mac VPN because they run remarkably quickly on macOS. Additionally, the protocol works with various streaming gadgets and smart TVs.
Due to its high levels of security, stability, and dependability, IKEv2/IPSec is the default protocol offered by the majority of VPN providers on their client apps.
