Virtual private network a veritable tool for network security

IJRET: International Journal of Research in Engineering and Technology eISSN: 2319-1163 | pISSN: 2321-7308
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Volume: 03 Issue: 05 | May-2014, Available @ http://www.ijret.org 319
VIRTUAL PRIVATE NETWORK: A VERITABLE TOOL FOR NETWORK
SECURITY
Ekwe O. A1
, Iroegbu C2
1
Department of Electrical/Electronics Engineering, Mouau, Abia, Nigeria
2
Department of Electrical/Electronics Engineering, Mouau, Abia, Nigeria
Abstract
Due to the increase demand nowadays to connect to internal networks from distant locations, the important of establishing secure
links across the network cannot be overemphasized. Employees often need to connect to internal private networks over the Internet
which is by nature insecure, thus, security becomes a major consideration. This research is on the implementation of Virtual Private
Network (VPN). Virtual Private Network(VPN) technology provides a way of protecting information being transmitted over the
Internet, by allowing users to establish a virtual private to securely enter an internal network, accessing resources, data and
communications via an insecure network such as the Internet. This involves a combination of some or all of these features namely:
encryption, encapsulation, authorization, authentication, accounting, and spoofing.
Keywords: Virtual Private Network, Authorization, Authentication, Encryption, Internet.
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1. INTRODUCTION
As the Internet became more and more accessible and
bandwidth capacities grew, companies began to put their
Intranets onto the web and create what are now known as
Extranets to link internal and external users [1]. However, as
cost-effective and quick-to-deploy as the Internet is, there is
one fundamental problem – security. But today, Virtual
Private Network (VPN) has overcome the security factor in
the network using special tunneling protocols and complex
encryption procedures, data integrity and privacy is achieved,
and the new connection produces what seems to be a
dedicated point-to point connection [2].
Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a generic term used to
describe a communication network that uses any combination
of technologies to secure a connection tunnelled through an
otherwise unsecured or untrusted network. It uses public
network paths but maintains the security and protection of
private networks. Instead of using a dedicated connection,
such as leased line, a "virtual" connection is made between
geographically dispersed users and networks over a shared or
public network, like the Internet. Data is transmitted as if it
were passing through private connections [3].
Virtual Private Network employs encryption, encapsulation,
authentication, authorization, and firewalls among other
techniques. VPN has become the defacto standard for secure
Internet communications, providing traffic integrity,
confidentiality and authentication
2. BACKGROUND INFORMATION
As enterprises dabbled in e-commerce, it became clear that the
internet was the practical and cost effective way to connect
with customers and partners. The concept of connecting with
external users came to be known as extranet. The internet
began as a concept in 1964, when the Rand Corporation of
USA introduced the idea of Packet Switching Network (PSN).
A PSN divides a message into packets of fixed size and routes
them to the destination [5]. An example of this is the X.25
network.
The physical implementation of the internet began in 1969
with a four-node network called the ARPANET, a project
funded by Advanced Research Project Agency (ARPA) of the
U.S Department of Defense. In 1984, the ARPANET was
shutdown but the remaining nodes and subnets connected to
the network of computer world-wide remained, thus causing
the internet to become a public network. And since it is a
public network, there is no security on it [6].
One of the ways to achieve the needed security is the
implementation of the Virtual Private Network, which
employs encryption, encapsulation, authentication,
authorization, and firewalls among other techniques to ward-
off intruders by blocking or disallowing all traffic except
messages from designated places or for a designated type (as
in firewall) using a router[7].

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3. DESIGN METHODOLOGY, SIMULATION AND
TESTING
Figure 1 shows a generalized Model of a VPN.
Fig-1: A VPN Model [3]
Figure 2 illustrates how to set up a VPN Tunnel between
Gateways
Fig-2: Setting Up a VPN Tunnel between Gateways
Figure 3 shows an X.25 Network model similar to one on
which the data to be secured by this research runs.
Fig-3: X25 Network Model
X.25 is an ITU-T protocol standard model for WAN
communications designed to operate effectively regardless of
the type of systems connected to the network and used in the
public switched networks (PSNs) of common carriers, such as
the telephone companies [6]. Its devices fall into three
categories: Data Circuit-terminating Equipment (DCE), Data
Terminal Equipment (DTE), and Packet-Switching Exchanges
(PSE). The VPN encryption program developed in this
research was installed on the DTE at both ends (i.e. sender and
receiver‟s personal computers). Data circuit-terminating
equipments are communications devices, such as modems and
packet switches that provide the interface between data
terminal equipment devices and packet-switching exchanges,
and are generally located in the carrier‟s facilities Packet-
switching exchanges are switches that compose the bulk of the
carrier‟s network. They transfer data from one DTE device to
another through the X.25 public switched network.
3.1 The Flowchart for the VPN Implementation
Figure 4 shows the flowchart for the VPN implementation.
Fig-4: Flowchart of VPN implementation.
The message to be encrypted was juggled in such a way that
the character at every sixth count in the message was used in
conjunction with every second character in the ASCII count to
form an encrypted version of the message. The design could
take as much as 256 different input characters in the message

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construction. The decryption process involved the reversal of
the encryption process.
3.2 Symmetrical or Private Keys
The same key was used both to encrypt and to decrypt
information, hence called a symmetrical key. This is the
method adopted in this work. Symmetrical keys require users
of a VPN to share the same key at each end of the connection.
Because the key is shared, symmetrical keys are frequently
referred to as shared secrets. Symmetric key encryption has a
single key that is used by both communication partners. Figure
5 shows a symmetric key encryption and decryption method.
 When party A sends to party B, party A encrypts with
the single symmetric key and party b decrypts with the
same key.
 When party B transmits to party A, in turn party B
encrypts with the single symmetric key and also party
A decrypts with the same key.
Fig -5: Symmetric key encryption and decryption [8]
3.3 Authentication
Authentication proves the sender‟s identity. If we get a
message claiming to be from someone, we want to be certain
that it is not really coming from someone else; we apply the
concept of authentication. A common technique for
authentication is for each side to “challenge” the other side by
sending a random number. The challenger decrypted the
returned value and if the decrypted value matched the original
random number, the challenged party was treated as authentic.
There are many forms of authentication; passwords
authentication, authentication card, biometric authentication
etc.
3.4 Authorization
Authorization allows the network to permit or deny a person
access to a particular database or services.
4. RESULT ANAYSIS AND DISCUSSIONS
The result of a sample obtained from the Virtual Private
Network implementation is shown in Figure 6 below.
Fig-6: Result obtained from the implementation of Virtual
Private Network
The program challenged a user to provide user name and
password for authentication and authorization purposes. To
maintain responsibility for message validity, the recipient of
the message would need to decrypt the document using the
sender‟s private key. If the encryption codes are the same
when compared, the message is decrypted. After a total of
three unsuccessful trials, the intending user is completely
logged out and the VPN system platform is automatically
exited, while for a successful login, the VPN main window
menu is displayed, availing the user the opportunity to:
 Compose a message
 Checking his mail
 Create and delete user accounts
 Change user‟s passwords
 Exit the window.
5. CONCLUSIONS
Since the Internet offers no security for the data sent across it,
the need of establishing a secure links across the network
becomes inestimable. VPN provides a means of accessing a
secure, private, internal network over insecure public networks
such as the Internet. To achieve data security on the Internet,
a combination of techniques namely: encryption,
encapsulation, authorization, authentication, accounting, and
spoofing were implemented in the Virtual Private Network.
REFERENCES
[1]. Ryan, Jerry. 2001. “A Practical Guide to the Right VPN
Solution”. The Applied Technologies Group. pp.5, 20, 21.
[2]. AXENT Technologies, Inc. 1998. “Everything You Need
to Know AboutNetwork Security. Pg21.
[3].http://cisco.com/univercd/cc/td/doc/cisintwk/ito_doc/vpn.h
tm
[4]. Chapman, D.B. and Zwicky, E.D. Building Internet
Firewall, O‟ Reilly &
Associates, Sebastopol, C.A, 1995
[5]. CISCO. 2000. “Internetworking Technologies
Handbook.” pp. 1-2.
[6]. BNET. 2006. Louisville, KY. http://www.techguide.com

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[7]. AXENT Technologies, Inc. 1998. “Everything You Need
to Know About Network Security.
[8]. Aru, O., Iroegbu C., and Enyenihi, H., „„Analysis of Data
Security Approach for Digital Computers‟‟. International
Journal of Modern Engineering Research, Vol. 3, Issue. 6,
Nov - Dec. 2013 pp-3449-3451
BIOGRAPHIES
Engr. Ogbonna A. Ekwe is a highly motivated Electronic
Engineer with a bias in Communications. He obtained his
Bachelor of Engineering (B.Eng.) degree in Electronics
Engineering at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka in 2005, and
a Master‟s Degree in Electronic Communications and
Computer Engineering from University of Nottingham, United
Kingdom in 2011. He possesses many years of experience in
different work environments with excellent team leadership
qualities. Engr. Ekwe, O. A is presently lecturing in the
department of Electrical/Electronic Engineering, Michael
Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State,
Nigeria. His research interest are in the areas of Interference
management for cellular communication, Communication
techniques for next generation cellular systems, Channel
fading mitigation for fixed and mobile wireless
communication systems, etc.
Iroegbu Chibuisi received his B.Eng. degree in Electrical and
Electronics Engineering from Michael Okpara University of
Agriculture, (MOUAU) Umudike, Abia State Nigeria in 2010,
and currently doing a Master of Engineering degree in
Electronics and Communication Engineering, Michael Okpara
University of Agriculture, (MOUAU) Umudike, Abia State
Nigeria. He is a member of International Association of
Engineers. His research interests are in the fields of wireless
sensor networks, Electronic and Communication Systems
design, Security system design, Expert systems and Artificial
Intelligence, Design of Microcontroller based systems,
Channel coding etc

Virtual private network a veritable tool for network security

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Virtual private network a veritable tool for network security