Cisco Systems VPN Client: Difference between revisions

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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]].

InOn July 29, 2011, Cisco announced the end of life of the product. No further product updates will bewere released after July 30, 2012, and support willceased ceaseon inJuly 29, 2014.<ref>[http{{Cite web|url=https://www.cisco.com/c/en/USus/prodproducts/collateral/vpndevcsecurity/ps5743/ps5699/ps2308vpn-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.

== 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 beta 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 4.9.01.0230 beta added support for Mac OS X 10.6.<ref>[http://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>[http://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>

The client uses [[profile filesconfiguration file]]s (.pcf) that store VPN passwords either [[Cryptographiccryptographic hash function|hashed]] with [[type 7]], or stored as [[cleartextplaintext]]. 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 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"/>

VPN Client 5.0.07.0290 added support for 64-bit versions of Windows Vista and Windows 7.<ref>[http://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>

==See Security also==

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

The client uses profile files (.pcf) that store VPN passwords either [[Cryptographic hash function|hashed]] with [[type 7]], or stored as [[cleartext]]. 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 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"/>

== References ==

{{Reflist}}

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[[Category:Computer network security]]

[[Category:Tunneling protocols]]

[[Category:Cisco productssoftware|VPN Client]]