The Future of VPN Protocols.

The Future of VPN protocols : Important Trends and Developments.

In an increasingly interconnected world, where personal data and digital privacy have become paramount concerns, Virtual Private Network (VPN) protocols have emerged as a crucial tool for secure online communications. However, as technology continues to evolve at a rapid pace, it is essential to stay abreast of the latest trends and developments in VPN protocols. From the rise of WireGuard and its potential to revolutionize VPN performance, to the increasing adoption of Transport Layer Security (TLS) in VPN connections, this article explores the important advancements shaping the future of VPN protocols. Whether you are a cybersecurity enthusiast or simply seeking ways to safeguard your online activities, understanding these emerging trends will be key in navigating the ever-evolving landscape of digital security.

Evaluation of VPN Protocols:

Transfer Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) was ARPANET’s first encrypted communication protocol. After that, several companies started researching IP-layer encryption, which led to the development of the Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol or PPTP.

This is the oldest VPN protocol that paved the way for other VPN protocols we use today. Though this was the fastest VPN then, its compromised security due to lack of encryption led to the need for a more sophisticated consumer-ready security system.

After extreme security breaches, especially in 2010, more secure technologies developed to be used by enterprises. However, this led to a new disadvantage; censorship of regional content and streaming services. So users sought to combat this disadvantage as well.

Today, we have a range of VPN tunneling protocols with their own pros and cons, offering you a choice to choose them according to your needs. For instance, opt for the fastest VPN protocols, such as WireGuard, for your gaming needs. Conversely, OpenVPN has a high-end encryption level if you focus on security. However, you need to install a third-party client app for OpenVPN. For this reason, some users opt for TLS VPN as this security protocol operates on browsers, and there is no need to download an app.

The Emergence of Hybrid VPN Protocols

When two VPN protocols are combined with an intent to increase efficiency, they are termed hybrid protocols. Hybrid protocols have become very popular among VPN providers. IKEv2/IPSec and L2TP/IPSec hybrid protocols are two hybrid protocols to enhance the security and speed of the user’s internet.

IKEv2/IP Sec

Internet Key Exchange Version 2 or IKEv2/IPSec is a famous tunneling protocol among mobile users because of its fast internet speed and the use of MOBIKE protocol to deal with changing networks.

IKEv2 focuses on authentication and creates a secure VPN tunnel but doesn’t offer encryption. That’s why it is combined with IPSec (Internet Protocol Security) to create a hybrid VPN protocol to ensure a safe encrypted tunnel for surfing the internet.

L2TP/ IP Sec

Layer 2 tunneling protocol offers strong encryption by packing your data with two-layer protection. However, the double coating drastically reduces its browsing speed.

So this hybrid is not as successful as IKEv2/IPSec regarding speed and privacy. However, it could be used if no other protocol is available and your concern is just the security of your data.

Need for Quantum - Safe VPN Protocols

Quantum computing can be taken as a new challenge for cybersecurity. The powerful quantum calculations can influence and decipher certain encryption algorithms, which means quantum physics can significantly reduce the strength of VPN encryptions. This has increased concerns among users, who may question the security of VPNs. However, most reputable encryption algorithms are quantum-safe. Quantum computing finds it hard to crack 256-bit encryption algorithms. It can reduce it to 128 bits but not completely crack it down. Therefore, VPN protocols with 256-bit encryption are preferred to deal with quantum computing concerns. OpenVPN uses AES-256-bit key encryption with 2048-bit RSA authentication and a 160-bit SHA1 hash function, making it one of the most powerful protocols against quantum computing.

Moreover, the future of quantum computing might enable computers to decode data which can create havoc if they fall into the wrong hands. Therefore, a quantum-safe VPN will deter the harms of quantum computing. These quantum-safe VPNs use Post Quantum Cryptography which enhances the encryption and makes it difficult for quantum computers to crack it.