There are a number of VPN protocols that are commonly used to establish secure, encrypted connections between devices. Some of the most popular VPN protocols include:
- OpenVPN: OpenVPN is a free and open-source VPN protocol that is widely used and highly configurable. It uses SSL/TLS for encryption and supports a wide range of authentication methods.
- IPSec: IPSec is a VPN protocol that is designed to provide secure, encrypted communication for IP-based networks. It is widely used in corporate environments and can be configured to support various authentication methods.
- L2TP/IPSec: L2TP/IPSec is a combination of the Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol (L2TP) and IPSec. It is often used to provide a secure connection for remote clients to access corporate resources.
- PPTP: PPTP is a simple VPN protocol that is easy to set up and use, but it is not considered to be as secure as some of the other options listed here.
- Wireguard: Wireguard is a relatively new VPN protocol that is designed to be simpler, faster, and easier to audit than other VPN protocols. It uses modern cryptographic techniques, such as curve25519 and ChaCha20, to provide strong security for the VPN connection.
The most suitable VPN protocol for a given use case will depend on a number of factors, including the level of security required, the performance needs of the application, and the available resources and infrastructure.