Secure IPsec VPN Tunnel Establishment Using IKE-Version 2

Abstract Advancement in technology comes with several opportunities and issues. Organizations are able to move their businesses online to reach a greater number of potential customers. Security and privacy in cyberspace are posing a threat to organizations due to establishment of communication links. These connections are based on trust relationships, where resources are permitted to be accessed from one party or the other, it is critical to implement the necessary security measures such that, these established communication links will not be used as a conduit for exploitation. This paper proposes the use of cryptography (IPsec) and its proper implementation to secure virtual communication links over the internet. The objective is to illustrate effective implementation of IPsec to secure L2L (LAN-to-LAN) or S2S (Site-to-Site) communication between systems hosted at two different organizations to promote security. We answer these questions: Is IPsec able to secure traffic between two endpoints over the internet? Is it possible to send traffic not permitted to go through the VPN to reach systems at either side of the VPN tunnel? Proposed model encrypts the entire communication link and any data sent through it. It further guarantees only the nodes permitted to exchange information can communicate over such links.