Cisco Systems VPN Client: Difference between revisions

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Latest revision as of 17:40, 15 July 2024

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| name = Cisco Systems VPN Client

| logo =

| screenshot = [[Image:vpnguiCisco Systems VPN Client screenshot.png|290px]]

| caption = Cisco VPN Client on [[Windows 7]].

| developer = [[Cisco Systems]]

| released =

| frequently updated =

| programming language =

| latest release version = {{Plainlist|
*'''Windows''' -: 5.0.07.0440<ref name="r5">[httphttps://www.cisco.com/web/software/282364316/47352/5.0.07.0440-rel-notes.txt VPN Client release notes]</ref> / {{release date and age|2011|3|15}}

*'''Mac OS XmacOS''' -: 4.9.01.0180<ref>[httphttps://www.cisco.com/cisco/software/release.html?mdfid=281940729&flowid=4465&softwareid=282364316&os=Mac%20OS Cisco VPN Client v4.x …... Mac OS]</ref> / {{release date and age|2009|02|05}}

}}

| latest release date = <!-- For the sake of formatting, just put dates above -->

| latest preview version = 4.9.01.0230 for Mac

| latest preview date = {{release date and age|2010|7|27}}

| operating system = [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]], [[Mac OS X]] 10.4]] and [[Mac OS X 10.5|10.5]], [[Solaris (operating system)|Solaris UltraSPARC]], [[Linux]] (Intel)<ref name="hp">{{cite web|url=httphttps://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/sw/secursw/ps2308/|title=VPN Client Homepage}}</ref>

| language = English

| genre = [[Virtual private network|VPN software]]

| license = [[Proprietary software|Proprietary]]

| size = {{Plainlist|
* '''x86''' -: 7.63 MB

* '''x64''' -: 4.78 MB

| website = [http://cisco.com/en/US/products/sw/secursw/ps2308/ cisco.com/en/US/products/sw/secursw/ps2308/]

}}

| website = {{URL|https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/security/vpn-endpoint-security-clients/index.html}}

The '''Cisco Systems VPN Client''' enables computers to connect to a [[virtual private network]]. The client makes remote resources of another network available in a secure way as if the user was connected directly to that "private" network.

}}

'''Cisco Systems VPN Client''' is a software application for connecting to [[virtual private network]]s based on [[Internet Key Exchange#IKEv1 phases|Internet Key Exchange version 1]].

On July 29, 2011, Cisco announced the end of life of the product. No further product updates were released after July 30, 2012, and support ceased on July 29, 2014.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/collateral/security/vpn-client/end_of_life_c51-680819.html|title = Cisco Secure Products and Solutions}}</ref> The Support page with documentation links was taken down on July 30, 2016, replaced with an Obsolete Status Notification.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/web/obsolete/security-vpn-client.html|title = Cisco-VPN-client}}</ref>

It was succeeded by [[Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client]].

== Installation ==

The client is normally distributed with an executable installer and profile file(s), which contain all the necessary information to easily connect to a network. Cisco VPN Client Profile files have a [[#Security|security]] vulnerability which can potentially put the virtual private network at risk. {{Citation needed|date=May 2011}}

== Availability and compatibility ==

The software is not free but is often installed on university and business computers in accordance with a site-license. As with most corporate licenses, administrators are allowed to freely distribute the software to users within their network.

The open-source [https://www.unix-ag.uni-kl.de/~massar/vpnc/ vpnc client] can connect to most VPNs supported by the official client.

== Compatibility ==

VPN Client 4.9.01.0230 Betabeta added support for Mac OS X 10.6.<ref>[httphttps://www.cisco.com/web/software/282364316/35919/4.9.1.0230-beta-rel-notes.txt Release Notes for VPN Client, Release 4.9.01.0230 Beta for Mac OS X]</ref> Stable version 4.9.01.0180 appears to lack that support; 4.9.00.0050 explicitly did ''not'' support versions of Mac OS X later than 10.5.<ref>[httphttps://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/security/vpn_client/cisco_vpn_client/vpn_client49/release/notes/49client.pdf Release Notes for VPN Client, Release 4.9.00.0050 for Mac OS X, Revised: May 21, 2010, OL-11179-04]</ref>

VPN Client 5.0.07.0290 added support for 64-bit versions of Windows Vista and Windows 7.<ref>[httphttps://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/security/vpn_client/cisco_vpn_client/vpn_client5007/release/notes/vpnclient5007.html#wp84047 Release Notes for Cisco VPN Client, Release 5.0.07.0290]</ref>

== Security ==

VPN Client does not run on any Linux 64 bit dual core systems that have SMP turned on. {{Citation needed|date=May 2010}}

The client uses [[profile filesconfiguration file]]s ('''*.pcf'''), inthat whichstore anVPN encryptedpasswords passwordeither for[[cryptographic thehash VPNfunction|hashed]] networkwith is[[type usually7]], or stored as [[plaintext]]. A vulnerability has been identified,<ref name="cSec">{{cite web|url=httphttps://www.cisco.com/warpen/publicUS/707tech/cisco-sn-20040415-grppasstk583/tk372/technologies_security_notice09186a0080215981.shtmlhtml|title=Cisco Security Notice: Cisco IPsec VPN Implementation Group Password Usage Vulnerability}}</ref> and those passwords can easily be decoded using software or online services.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.unix-ag.uni-kl.de/~massar/bin/cisco-decode|title=Cisco Systems VPN Client Group Password Decoder}}</ref> To workaroundwork around these issues, network administrators are advised to use the Mutual Group Authentication feature, or use unique passwords (that aren't related to other important network passwords).<ref name="cSec"/>

== Security ==

The client uses profile files ('''*.pcf'''), in which an encrypted password for the VPN network is usually stored. A vulnerability has been identified,<ref name="cSec">{{cite web|url=http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/707/cisco-sn-20040415-grppass.shtml|title=Cisco Security Notice: Cisco IPsec VPN Implementation Group Password Usage Vulnerability}}</ref> and those passwords can easily be decoded using software or online services.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.unix-ag.uni-kl.de/~massar/bin/cisco-decode|title=Cisco Systems VPN Client Group Password Decoder}}</ref> To workaround these issues, network administrators are advised to use the Mutual Group Authentication feature, or use unique passwords (that aren't related to other important network passwords).<ref name="cSec"/>

==See References also==

* [[Cisco ASA]], the product line that replaced Cisco VPN Concentrator on the server side

==References==

{{Reflist}}

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[[Category:Computer network security]]

[[Category:Tunneling protocols]]

[[frCategory:Cisco software|VPN Client]]

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