IPsecprotected

IPsecprotected is a term used in network security to indicate that a resource, data channel, or traffic flow is protected by IPsec. The IPsec suite secures IP communications by providing confidentiality, integrity, and authentication at the Internet Layer.

It is typically implemented through IPsec policies that select traffic to be protected, and by establishing Security Associations (SAs) that define how to protect the traffic using the ESP (encryption and optional authentication) and/or AH (authentication header). Key exchange is usually performed via IKE. IPsec can operate in transport mode, which protects the payload of individual packets, or tunnel mode, which protects all IP traffic between endpoints.

In practice, IPsecprotected is commonly used for site-to-site VPNs and remote access VPNs, aligning with corporate security policies. Routers, firewalls, and VPN gateways commonly enforce IPsec protection; applications can also request IPsec protection by policy label or configuration, depending on platform.

Security considerations include the need for correct key management, timely SA setup, and protection against denial of service, as well as NAT traversal issues (NAT-T). IPsec adds overhead and can complicate network topology and device interoperability. It does not inherently protect higher-layer protocols unless end-to-end within the IPsec tunnel is used.

See also IPsec, ESP, AH, IKE, VPN, NAT-T, Security Association.