Designing Access Controls

Make Decisions about Remote Access (VPN)

has a valid certificate installed on it. If so, the digital certificate method shouldn’t pose problems even for less skilled users. If you use PPTP, users can log in with their normal credentials and have one fewer password to remember.

Finally, encryption algorithms are similar as far as ease in selecting them in a client’s security policy. However, the more options you allow in the gateway’s security policy, the less likely it is that a misconfigured policy will prevent a user from connecting.

Example

At PCU, only members of the faculty can log in to the university’s VPN. These users have a wide range of skills. PCU network administrators narrow their choices to PPTP configured with the Windows Network Connection Wizard or IPsec using the ProCurve VPN Client with a pre-configured policy.

Users already have digital certificates, so they will continue to use those. (They may need instructions on installing them on a personal endpoint.)

The IT staff is responsible for setting up the VPN gateway, so user type and sophistication won’t affect that choice. The network administrators just need to to select a gateway that meets the needs of their network environment.

When factoring in only user type and sophistication, the PCU network administrators have decided that the two options shown in Table 3-29are equally desirable.

Table 3-27. Selecting VPN Options Based on User Type and Sophistication

Factor

VPN Protocol

Authentication

Encryption

Client

Gateway

 

 

Method

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

User type and

PPTP

EAP-TLS

MPPE

Windows native

Windows Server 2000

sophistication

 

 

 

 

 

or 2003

 

 

 

 

 

Other vendor:

 

 

 

 

 

 

– Software built in to

 

 

 

 

 

 

router or firewall

 

 

 

 

 

 

– Hardware

 

 

 

 

 

 

appliance

 

IPsec with IKE

Digital certificates

Any

ProCurve VPN

Secure Router 7000dl

 

 

 

 

Client with

 

 

preconfigured policy

3-43