Configuring HP-UX IPSec

Step 1: Configuring Host IPSec PoliciesStep 1: Configuring Host IPSec Policies

Host IPSec policies specify HP-UX IPSec behavior for IP packets sent or received by the local system as an end host. Each host IPSec policy includes address specifications used to select the host IPSec policy for a packet, and the action for packets using the policy: pass the packets in clear text, discard the packets, or apply an IPSec transform (AH or ESP) to the packets.

If the host policy is for an end host in a host-to-host tunnel topology or an end host in a host-to-gateway topology, the host policy includes a reference to a tunnel policy.

HP recommends that you use an ipsec_config batch file to configure host IPSec policies.

Policy Order and Selection

When an IPSec system sends a packet or receives a packet for an address on the local system, HP-UX IPSec searches the host IPSec policies according to the value of the priority parameter for each policy and selects the first policy with address, protocol and port specifications that match the packet. HP-UX IPSec then takes the action specified in the selected host IPSec policy.

default Host IPSec Policy

The HP-UX IPSec configuration database includes a host IPSec policy named default. HP-UX IPSec uses the default host IPSec policy for a packet if no other host IPSec policies match the packet. The default host IPSec policy allows packets to pass in clear text. You cannot delete the default host IPSec policy, or modify any argument values except the value for the its behavior (the action argument). Use the following command to change the default host IPSec policy so it discards packets:

ipsec_config add host default -action DISCARD

To change back the behavior of the default host IPSec policy to pass packets in clear text, use the following command:

ipsec_config add host default -action PASS

Chapter 3

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