Cisco Systems VPN Client: Difference between revisions

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| programming language =

| latest release version = {{Plainlist|

*'''Windows''': 5.0.07.0440<ref name="r5">[https://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}}

*'''macOS''': 4.9.01.0180<ref>[https://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 = [[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=https://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/sw/secursw/ps2308/|title=VPN Client Homepage}}</ref>

| language = English

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

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

}}

'''Cisco Systems VPN Client''' is a software application for connecting to a [[virtual private network]].s Thebased clienton makes[[Internet remoteKey resourcesExchange#IKEv1 ofphases|Internet anotherKey networkExchange availableversion in a secure way as if the user were connected directly to that "private" network1]].

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 inon 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 thean Obsolete Status Notification link (see also section below). A suggested migration option for customers is the [[Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client]].<ref>[{{Cite web|url=https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/productssupport/collateralweb/obsolete/security/-vpn-client/end_of_life_c51-680819.html|title End-of-Sale= and EndCisco-ofVPN-Life Announcement for the Cisco VPN Client]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.

==Availability and compatibility ==

A .pcf (or [[profile configuration file]]) is used to configure the VPN client for connecting to the remote server.

==Availability==

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 beta added support for Mac OS X 10.6.<ref>[https://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>[https://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>

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==Security==

The client uses [[profile configuration file]]s (.pcf) that store VPN passwords either [[cryptographic hash function|hashed]] with [[type 7]], or stored as [[plaintext]]. A vulnerability has been identified,<ref name=cSec>{{cite web|url=https://www.cisco.com/en/US/tech/tk583/tk372/technologies_security_notice09186a0080215981.html|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 work 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/>

==See also==

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

==References==