What is IKEv2 ?
Internet Key Exchange Version 2 (IKEv2) is a type of VPN encryption protocol which takes care of request and response actions. It came as a successor to IKEv1 and was jointly developed by Microsoft along with Cisco. Basically IKEv2 is a tunneling protocol, only when it is used with an authentication standard it becomes a VPN protocol.
What is the use of IKEv2 ?
Its basic function is to secure the traffic using a process known as Security Authentication (SA). For this it gets the assistance from an authentication suite, usually the IPSec. In fact it is considered to be an advanced VPN protocol since it balances speed and security. There are many other features of IKEv2 such as EAP authentication, DoS protection and NAT-T as well. However similar to other VPN protocols, IKEv2 has both advantages and disadvantages. By looking at the pros and cons of IKEv2 you can disclose whether this protocol will be useful for your Virtual Private Network.
In this article, I am going to tell you about 5 Advantages and Disadvantages of IKEv2 | Limitations & Benefits of IKEv2. Through this post, you will know the pros and cons of using IKEv2.
Let's get started,
Advantages of IKEv2
1. Speed
Connection speed offered by a IKEv2 protocol is significantly greater because of the fact that it uses a networking technique known as the Network Address Translation-Traversal (NAT-T). With NAT-T establishing a connection to a network that has a firewall can be done quickly. Similarly there are other factors such as well built architecture and better message exchange system that enables for a higher performance.
2. Security
IKEv2 is quite strong on the side of security since it holds large selection of high end ciphers including Camellia, AES and Blowfish. And also for preventing Man In the Middle (MiM) and Denial of Service (DoS) attacks, it uses a certificate based authentication. In here actions of the users are refused until the requester's identity is verified.
3. Latency
Some network applications are highly conscious about latency. It should be kept minimum for a better app experience. Since IKEv2 uses UDP port 500, it can reduce latency level to the maximum so that it can support such network applications.
4. Mobility
IKEv2 features a MOBIKE support which can be helpful to keep the VPN connection active. Especially in instances where the user constantly switches between Wifi and Cellular data. Therefore, it is highly recommended by devices where mobility is an important factor.
5. Stability
Similarly, IKEv2 can keep your connection stable whenever there is an interruption in the connection. In case if the connection happens to drop, it will immediately take measures to restore them so that the work can be resumed back as normal.
Disadvantages of IKEv2
1. Trustworthiness
The developers of IKEv2, the Microsoft and Cisco shows constant interest in developing vulnerabilities around this protocol. In order for working as a VPN protocol, the IKEv2 needs to be usually paired with IPSec. Sometimes if the NSA succeeds, it will take mere actions to weaken the IKEv2 protocol.
2. Configurations
Apart from newer versions of Windows, IOS and Mac OS, using IKEv2 in other operating system needs some manual configurations. Usually these instructions are readily available at the VPN provider's website.
3. Source
Another drawback of IKEv2 is being a closed source. Al though there are open source versions, most of them are closed source developed by the Microsoft and Cisco.
4. Device Support
Most VPN providers are reluctant to include IKEv2 because of their limited support of devices. It is not default available for many devices. Currently it works great on devices with Windows, Mac OS and IOS since they are natively supported by IKEv2. Other devices needs to be questioned.
5. Firewall Restrictions
IKEv2 on default only uses UDP port 500. There are chances where this port can be blocked either by a firewall or a network admin. As a result the VPN using it might stop working.
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