Analyzing Generic Routing Encapsulation (GRE) and IP Security (IPSec) Tunneling Protocols for Secured Communication over Public Networks

Abstract

The extensive use of the Internet has created excessive demand for security and privacy in the communication channels. The increase in connected devices and the need to remotely access network resources has also amplified the need for strong security measures. Virtual Private Networks, tunneling methods, and multi-layer encryptions have all been used in different network architectures and topologies to secure end-to-end transmission of information. The increase in cyber-attacks and data breaches in the past decades is a clear indication of the concerns surrounding information security. From network flooding, Denial of Services (DoS) to sensitive data exposure, the consequences of a poorly secured network can be detrimental to an organization and end-users. With the projected IoT technology, devices communication needs to be efficiently protected if it has to pass through public networks such as the Internet. This paper analyses two of the most widely used tunnelling protocols in secured data transmission, the Generic Routing Encapsulation (GRE) and the IP Security (IPSec), establishes a comparison between them and evaluate their capabilities for security and privacy measures on the internet network, using network simulators. We use the graphical network simulator 3 (GNS3) emulator for traffic analyses.