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Education => Homework Help => Topic started by: blueberry123 on September 03, 2022, 10:42:22 PM

Title: Why not authenticate the whole packet in ESP mode?
Post by: blueberry123 on September 03, 2022, 10:42:22 PM


In AH:

a) Transport Mode:
Entire packet Authenticated

b) Tunnel Mode:
Entire packet authenticated

https://imgur.com/a/yfnyRxn


In ESP:

1) Transport Mode:
Only ESPH-ESPT  authenticated
Original IP Header not authenticated.

2) Tunnel Mode:
Only ESPH-ESPT  authenticated
New IP Header not authenticated.

https://imgur.com/a/TawV5KA


Why is this difference found in them? Is there a reason behind them? Why not authenticate all of the packet? What problem would it create?

And why is there no such thing called AH auth but there's ESP Auth? Shouldn't AH Auth data also be in the figure shown above?

Also, Is there a reason why the modes are named "Tunnel" And "Transport"?

Source:https://networklessons.com/cisco/ccie-routing-switching/ipsec-internet-protocol-security

Title: Re: Why not authenticate the whole packet in ESP mode?
Post by: deanwebb on September 04, 2022, 02:30:54 PM
Found a good summary of the differences: https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/zos/2.3.0?topic=ipsec-ah-esp-protocols

AH auth would be redundant: Authentication Header auth. Rather, AH is auth, nothing more. ESP can provide richer functions, but you may want to use AH and ESP together to have the functions ESP brings enclosed in the full auth we get with AH.