Introduction
StrongSwan is a reliable and cost-effective solution for implementing VPN connections on AWS. Its strong security features, scalability, flexibility, and easy integration make it a popular choice for businesses of all sizes.
Understanding StrongSwan VPN
Some key features of StrongSwan include:
Flexible configuration: StrongSwan allows for flexible configuration of VPN tunnels, providing support for various network topologies, routing policies, and authentication methods.
Robust security: StrongSwan uses strong encryption algorithms, such as AES and SHA, to secure all traffic passed through the VPN tunnel. It also supports digital certificates for authentication.
Multiple platforms: StrongSwan is cross-platform, which means it can be installed on various operating systems and devices, including Linux, Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android.
Scalability: StrongSwan can be deployed in high-availability and load-balanced configurations, making it suitable for large-scale deployments.
Centralized management: StrongSwan supports a centralized management system, which allows for easy management and monitoring of VPN connections, policies, and certificates.
Open-source: StrongSwan is an open-source software, which means it is free to use and can be customized as per specific requirements.
Key Considerations for Deploying StrongSwan on AWS:
Deployment Model: StrongSwan can be deployed on AWS using various deployment models, such as a site-to-site VPN, remote-access VPN, or a combination of both. It is important to understand the specific requirements and use cases before choosing the appropriate deployment model.
Network Topology: StrongSwan can be deployed in various network topologies, such as hub-and-spoke, full-mesh, or a hybrid model. The network topology should be chosen based on the requirements for connectivity and data flow between different network segments.
Security Requirements: StrongSwan offers a wide range of encryption algorithms and protocols, but it is important to choose the appropriate options based on the sensitivity and classification of the data being transmitted.
High Availability: To ensure continuous availability of VPN services, StrongSwan can be deployed in a high-availability configuration on AWS. This requires careful consideration of the load-balancing and failover options offered by AWS.
Cost: StrongSwan is open-source software, but its deployment on AWS may incur additional costs, such as AWS EC2 instances, storage, network data transfer, and management services. It is important to carefully estimate the cost before deploying StrongSwan on AWS.
Comparison of StrongSwan with other VPN solutions on AWS:
OpenVPN: Both StrongSwan and OpenVPN are open-source VPN solutions with similar features, such as support for various encryption algorithms and protocols. However, StrongSwan offers more flexibility and scalability in terms of deployment options.
AWS Client VPN: AWS Client VPN is a managed VPN solution provided by AWS, which simplifies the deployment and management of VPN connections. However, it is limited in terms of features and customization options compared to StrongSwan.
IPsec VPN: AWS offers IPsec VPN as a built-in feature for VPC connectivity, which allows for easy integration with other AWS services. However, it has limitations in terms of encryption options and is not suitable for remote access VPN.
Deploying StrongSwan on AWS
Step 1: Launch EC2 Instances
First, let’s launch two EC2 instances in the same VPC. Make sure to select a VPC with a public subnet, as we will need to assign public IP addresses to our instances. Also, make sure to select an appropriate security group that allows traffic on the necessary protocols and ports for StrongSwan.
Step 2: Install StrongSwan
SSH into both of your EC2 instances and update the packages by running the command:
sudo apt-get update
Next, install StrongSwan on both instances by running the command:
sudo apt-get install strongswan
Step 3: Configure StrongSwan on Instance #1
On the first instance, we will configure StrongSwan as a VPN server. Open the StrongSwan configuration file using your preferred text editor. In this tutorial, we will be using Nano.
sudo nano /etc/ipsec.conf
Add the following lines at the end of the file:
# StrongSwan Configuration
conn myvpn
authby=secret
type=tunnel
left=%defaultroute
auto=start
keyexchange=ikev2
leftsubnet=0.0.0.0/0
leftfirewall=yes
right=%any
rightsourceip=10.0.0.0/16
rightdns=8.8.8.8, 8.8.4.4
In this configuration, we are using the IKEv2 protocol for the key exchange and allowing any address to connect to our VPN server (right=%any). We also specify a range of IP addresses (rightsourceip) that will be assigned to the clients connecting to our VPN server. In this case, we are using the 10.0.0.0/16 subnet.
Next, create a file for the pre-shared key by running the command:
sudo nano /etc/ipsec.secrets
Add the following line to the file:
“your-pre-shared-key”
Replace “your-pre-shared-key” with a strong password of your choice.
Save and close the file, then restart StrongSwan:
sudo systemctl restart strongswan
Step 4: Configure StrongSwan on Instance #2
On the second instance, we will configure StrongSwan as a VPN client. Open the StrongSwan configuration file using your preferred text editor.
sudo nano /etc/ipsec.conf
Add the following lines at the end of the file:
conn myvpn
authby=secret
type=tunnel
auto=start
keyexchange=ikev2
left=%defaultroute
leftsubnet=0.0.0.0/0
leftfirewall=yes
right=[IP_ADDRESS_OF_INSTANCE_1]
rightsubnet=0.0.0.0/0
rightfirewall=yes
In this configuration, we are setting up a tunnel between instance #1 and #2 using IKEv2, and allowing all traffic on both sides. Replace “[IP_ADDRESS_OF_INSTANCE_1]” with the public IP address of instance #1.
Next, create a file for the pre-shared key by running the command:
sudo nano /etc/ipsec.secrets
Add the following line to the file:
[IP_ADDRESS_OF_INSTANCE_1] [IP_ADDRESS_OF_INSTANCE_2] : PSK “your-pre-shared-key”
Replace “[IP_ADDRESS_OF_INSTANCE_1]” with the public IP address of instance #1 and “[IP_ADDRESS_OF_INSTANCE_2]” with the public IP address of instance #2. Replace “your-pre-shared-key” with the same pre-shared key used on instance #1.
Save and close the file, then restart StrongSwan:
sudo systemctl restart strongswan
Step 5: Enable IP Forwarding & Configure Security Group
On both instances, edit the sysctl.conf file by running the command:
sudo nano /etc/sysctl.conf
Uncomment the line with “net.ipv4.ip_forward=1” to enable IP forwarding and save the file.
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