Comparison of VPN Protocols
This document provides a comprehensive comparison of four popular VPN protocols: PPTP, IPSec IKEv2, OpenVPN, and WireGuard. Each protocol has its unique features, strengths, and weaknesses, which are essential for users to consider when choosing a VPN solution. The following sections delve into the specifics of each protocol, including encryption methods, security vulnerabilities, speed, firewall compatibility, setup requirements, and overall stability.
PPTP
Overview
PPTP is a very basic VPN protocol based on PPP (Point-to-Point Protocol). The PPTP specification does not actually describe encryption or authentication features and relies on the PPP protocol being tunneled to implement security functionality.
Encryption
The PPP payload is encrypted using Microsoft's Point-to-Point Encryption protocol (MPPE), which implements the RSA RC4 encryption algorithm with a maximum of 128-bit session keys.
Security Weaknesses
The Microsoft implementation of PPTP has serious security vulnerabilities. MSCHAP-v2 is vulnerable to dictionary attacks, and the RC4 algorithm is subject to bit-flipping attacks. Microsoft strongly recommends upgrading to IPSec where confidentiality is a concern.
Speed
With RC4 and 128-bit keys, the encryption overhead is the least of all protocols, making PPTP the fastest.
Firewall Ports
PPTP uses TCP port 1723 and GRE (Protocol 47). PPTP can be easily blocked by restricting the GRE protocol.
Setup / Configuration
All versions of Windows and most other operating systems (including mobile) have native support for PPTP. It only requires a username, password, and server address, making it incredibly simple to set up and configure.
Stability / Compatibility
PPTP is not as reliable, nor does it recover as quickly as OpenVPN.
IPSec IKEv2
Overview
IKEv2 (Internet Key Exchange version 2) is part of the IPSec protocol suite and is standardized in RFC 7296. IPSec has become the de facto standard protocol for secure Internet communications, providing confidentiality, authentication, and integrity.
Encryption
IKEv2 implements a large number of cryptographic algorithms, including 3DES, AES, Blowfish, and Camellia. IVPN implements IKEv2 using AES with 256-bit keys.
Security Weaknesses
IPSec has no known major vulnerabilities and is generally considered secure when implemented using a secure encryption algorithm and certificates for authentication. However, leaked NSA presentations indicate that IKE could be exploited in an unknown manner to decrypt IPSec traffic.
Speed
IPSec with IKEv2 should, in theory, be faster than OpenVPN due to user-mode encryption in OpenVPN; however, it depends on many variables specific to the connection. In most cases, it is faster than OpenVPN.
Firewall Ports
IKEv2 uses UDP 500 for the initial key exchange, protocol 50 for the IPSec encrypted data (ESP), and UDP 4500 for NAT traversal. IKEv2 is easier to block than OpenVPN due to its reliance on fixed protocols and ports.
Setup / Configuration
Windows 7+, macOS 10.11+, and most mobile operating systems have native support for IPSec with IKEv2.
Stability / Compatibility
IKEv2 is generally stable and compatible with most modern operating systems.
OpenVPN
Overview
OpenVPN is an open-source VPN protocol developed by OpenVPN Technologies. It is very popular; however, it is not based on standards (RFC). It uses a custom security protocol and SSL/TLS for key exchange, providing full confidentiality, authentication, and integrity.
Encryption
OpenVPN uses the OpenSSL library to provide encryption, implementing a large number of cryptographic algorithms such as 3DES, AES, RC5, and Blowfish. IVPN implements AES with 256-bit keys.
Security Weaknesses
OpenVPN has no known major vulnerabilities and is generally considered secure when implemented using a secure encryption algorithm and certificates for authentication.
Speed
When used in its default UDP mode on a reliable network, OpenVPN performs similarly to IKEv2.
Firewall Ports
OpenVPN can be easily configured to run on any port using either UDP or TCP, thereby easily bypassing restrictive firewalls.
Setup / Configuration
OpenVPN is not included in any operating system release and requires the installation of client software. Installation typically takes less than 5 minutes.
Stability / Compatibility
OpenVPN is known for its stability and compatibility across various platforms.
WireGuard
Overview
WireGuard® is an extremely fast VPN protocol with very little overhead and state-of-the-art cryptography. It has the potential to offer a simpler, more secure, more efficient, and easier-to-use VPN over existing technologies.
Encryption
WireGuard® is built atop ChaCha20 for symmetric encryption, Curve25519 for Elliptic-curve Diffie–Hellman (ECDH) anonymous key agreement, BLAKE2s for hashing, SipHash24 for hashtable keys, and HKDF for key derivation. It makes use of a UDP-based handshake and the key exchange uses perfect forward secrecy while avoiding both key-compromise impersonation and replay attacks.
Security Weaknesses
WireGuard® has no known major vulnerabilities. It is relatively new and has not seen the thorough vetting of OpenVPN, though the codebase is extremely small, allowing for full audits by individuals and not just large organizations. WireGuard® is in-tree with Linux Kernel 5.6 and has been reviewed by a third-party auditor.
Speed
WireGuard® benefits from extremely high-speed cryptographic primitives and deep integration with the underlying operating system kernel, resulting in very high speeds with low overhead. Most customers report higher speeds than OpenVPN.
Firewall Ports
WireGuard® uses the UDP protocol and can be configured to use any port. It may succumb to traffic shaping more easily than OpenVPN due to a lack of support for TCP.
Setup / Configuration
WireGuard® is in-tree with Linux Kernel 5.6. Other non-Linux operating systems require the installation of a WireGuard® client app. Installation typically takes less than 5 minutes.
Stability / Compatibility
WireGuard® is known for its high stability and compatibility, especially in Linux environments.
Conclusion
When choosing a VPN protocol, it is essential to consider factors such as security, speed, ease of setup, and compatibility with your operating system. Each protocol has its strengths and weaknesses, making it crucial to select the one that best meets your needs.
A detailed research by DigitalD.tech for Best VPN Protocol
