Quiz: IPsec vs. SSL VPNs
VPNs made headlines this week with a report of a severe flaw in a protocol that IPsec VPNs rely on. Test your knowledge of IPsec and SSL VPNs with this quiz, and

    Requires Free Membership to View

    Login

    SearchSecurity.com members gain immediate and unlimited access to breaking industry news, virus alerts, new hacker threats, highly focused security newsletters, and more -- all at no cost. Join me on SearchSecurity.com today!

    Michael S. Mimoso, Editorial Director

    By submitting your registration information to SearchSecurity.com you agree to receive email communications from TechTarget and TechTarget partners. We encourage you to read our Privacy Policy which contains important disclosures about how we collect and use your registration and other information. If you reside outside of the United States, by submitting this registration information you consent to having your personal data transferred to and processed in the United States. Your use of SearchSecurity.com is governed by our Terms of Use. You may contact us at webmaster@TechTarget.com.

click through to our additional resources to help you determine which technology best suits your organization's needs.

1.) Which type of VPN encryption sets up a secure, encrypted link between two points, but does not encrypt the headers of the data packets?
a. Transport encryption
b. Tunneling encryption
Answer

2.) Which of the following is a basic requirement of an SSL VPN?
a. Proxy access and protocol conversion
b. Remote-access orientation
c. Extranet support
d. Highly granular access controls
e. All of the above
Answer

IPsec vs. SSL VPNs

Learn what an SSL VPN is and how it compares to existing IPsec-based solutions in this PowerPoint presentation

Read an overview of VPN options and remote access alternatives

IT pros weigh the benefits of SSL and IPsec VPNs

3.) In which scenario is an IPsec VPN generally considered a better solution than an SSL VPN for remote access?
a. Telecommuters coming from fixed sites, using managed corporate devices and terminating in a secure, private network on either side.
b. Telecommuters without fixed access who want to come in from a variety of sites.
Answer

4.) Which layer of the network does an IPsec VPN operate on?
a. Layer 3
b. Layer 4
c. Layers 4 though 7
d. None of the above
Answer

5.) Which of the following operational modes is the simplest and most usable, as well as the most supported by SSL VPNs?
a. Application translation
b. Port forwarding
c. Proxy
d. Network extension
Answer

6.) Which of the following describes an IPsec VPN?
a. Requires host-based clients and hardware at a central location. Users have full office functionality, but there's very little granularity in access control.
b. Does not require a client download. Remote connections made via a Web browser or a downloadable Java or ActiveX agent. Role-based access can be assigned for each user, and application and client administration is eliminated.
Answer

7.) True or False: SSL VPNs are inherently less secure than IPsec VPNs.
a. True
b. False
Answer

8.) Encapsulating Security Payload (ESP) allows for...
a. Authentication of the sender of data
b. Encryption of the data
c. Both authentication of the sender and encryption of the data
d. None of the above
Answer

9.) Which of the following features of SSL VPNs help avoid the risk of leaving sensitive information on public PCs used to access a corporate network?
a. Secure logout
b. Credential scrubbing
c. Auto forms completion disabling
d. All of the above
Answer

10.) What is the transmission of data through a public network in such a way that the routing nodes in the public network are unaware that the transmission is part of a private network?
a. Tunneling
b. Virtual private network
c. Output feedback
d. Promiscuous mode
Answer

How'd you score?
9-10 correct: VPN virtuoso
6-8 correct: VPN savvy
3-5 correct: VPN novice
0-2 correct: Unversed in VPNs

This was first published in November 2005