The IPsec module incorporates different functions, which are grouped into various menu items. Since the start of our
project we have been offering IPsec features based on the legacy :code:`ipsec.conf` format, which we are migrating to
`swantcl.conf <https://docs.strongswan.org/docs/5.9/swanctl/swanctlConf.html>`__ as of version 23.1. While
migrating the existing featureset we came to the conclusion that the world has changed quite a bit and in order to
offer better (api) access to the featureset available we decided to plan for deprecation of the legacy "Tunnel settings" as they
have existed since we started. No timeline has been set, only a feature freeze on tunnels using the "Tunnel settings" menu item.
One of the main goals for the long run is to better align the gui components so they reflect the reality underneath, as we use
`strongswan <https://www.strongswan.org/>`__, our aim is to follow their terminology more closely than we previously did.
The following functions are available in the menu (as of OPNsense 23.1):
* Connections
* New configuration tool offering access to the connections and pools sections of the :code:`swanctl` configuration
* Tunnel Settings
* Legacy IPsec configuration tool
* Mobile Clients
* Offering access to various options of the `attr <https://docs.strongswan.org/docs/5.9/plugins/attr.html>`__ plugin and pool configurations for legacy tunnels
* Pre-Shared Keys
* Define `secrets <https://docs.strongswan.org/docs/5.9/swanctl/swanctlConf.html#_secrets>`__ to be used for local authentication.
* Key Pairs
* For public key authentication collect public and private keys.
* Advanced Settings
* Define passthrough networks (to exclude from kernel traps), logging options and some generic options
* Status Overview
* Shows tunnel statusses
* Lease Status
* For mobile clients, show address leases for various pools configured
* Security Association Database
* Shows security associations, the fundamental concept of IPsec describing a relationship between two or more entities
* Security Policy Database
* Installed security policies describing which traffic is allowed to pass a tunnel
* Virtual Tunnel Interfaces
* Edit or create new :code:`if_ipsec(4)` interfaces and show the ones created by legacy tunnels
* Log File
* Inspect log entries related to IPsec
..Note::
When migrating Pre-Shared Key type tunnels to connections, make sure to add an entry in the "Pre-Shared Keys" module as well.
If both ends should use their own identifier, fill in both local and remote values. The legacy module requested this information in the phase 1
page and wrote the same information to the secrets.
When setting up IPsec VPNs there are two main types of scenario's with their own advantages and disadvantages.
Policy based
--------------------------
The first one is the standard policy based tunnel, which guards the security of the tunnel with policies and installs kernel
traps to send traffic over the tunnel in case it matches these policies. For example a local network :code:`192.168.1.0/24`
sending traffic to a remote location responsible for :code:`192.168.2.0/24`. The advantage of this scenario is the ease of setup,
no routes are needed to be configured, when in this example :code:`192.168.1.10` contacts :code:`192.168.2.10` the packets
are seamlessly forwarded over the tunnel to the remote location.
When local traffic doesn't match the policies in question due to the tunnel needing Network Address Translation,
that's also possible as long as policies are manually added to the security policy database,
this is also referred to as "NAT before IPsec".
Route based (VTI)
--------------------------
Route based, also known as VTI, tunnels are using a virtual interface known as :code:`if_ipsec(4)`, which can be found under
:menuselection:`VPN -> IPsec -> Virtual Tunnel Interfaces`. This links two ends of the communication for routing purposes
after which normal routing applies. The "(Install) Policies" checkmark needs to be disabled in this case for the child (phase 1 in the legacy tunnel configuration)
definition. Usually the communication policy (phase 2 or child) is set to match all traffic (either :code:`0.0.0.0/0` for IPv4 or :code:`::/0` for IPv6).
So the same example as the policy based option would need (static) routes for the destinations in question (:code:`192.168.1.0/24` needs
a route to :code:`192.168.2.0/24` and vice versa), peering happens over a small network in another subnet (for example :code:`10.0.0.1` <-> :code:`10.0.0.2`)
bound to the tunnel interface.
The advantage of this type of setup is one can use standard or advanced routing technologies to forward traffic around tunnels.
In order to filter traffic on the :code:`if_ipsec(4)` device some tunables need to be set. Both :code:`net.inet.ipsec.filtertunnel`
and :code:`net.inet6.ipsec6.filtertunnel` need to be set to :code:`1` and :code:`net.enc.in.ipsec_filter_mask` and :code:`net.enc.out.ipsec_filter_mask`
need to be set to :code:`0` in order to allow rules on the device. The downside is that policy based tunnels (:code:`enc0`) can not be filtered
anymore as this changes the behaviour from filtering on the :code:`enc0` device to the :code:`if_ipsec(4)` devices.
..Warning::
Currently it does not seem to be possible to add NAT rules for :code:`if_ipsec(4)` devices.
In some (rare) cases one might want to add custom configuration options not available in the user interface, for this reason we
do support standard includes.
While the :code:`swanctl.conf` and the legacy :code:`ipsec.conf` configuration files are well suited to define IPsec-related configuration parameters,
it is not useful for other strongSwan applications to read options from these files.
To configure these other components, it is possible to manually append options to our default template, in which case files
may be placed in the directory :code:`/usr/local/etc/strongswan.opnsense.d/` using the file extention :code:`.conf`
IPsec configurations are managed in `swantcl.conf <https://docs.strongswan.org/docs/5.9/swanctl/swanctlConf.html>`__ format (as of 23.1), merging your own additions is possible by
placing files with a :code:`.conf` extension in the directory :code:`/usr/local/etc/swanctl/conf.d/`.
..Warning::
Files added to these directories will not be mainted by the user interface, if you're unsure if you need this, it's likely
a good idea to skip adding files here as it might lead to errors difficult to debug.
..Note::
Prior to version 23.1 it was also possible to add secrets and ipsec configurations in :code:`/usr/local/etc/ipsec.secrets.opnsense.d/`
and :code:`/usr/local/etc/ipsec.opnsense.d/`, with the switch to 23.1 these files are deprecated and should be manually migrated into swanctl.conf
The mechanism of client overrides utilises OpenVPN :code:`client-config-dir` option, which offer the ability to use
specific client configurations based on the client's X509 common name.
It is possible to specify the contents of these configurations in the gui under :menuselection:`VPN -> OpenVPN -> Client Specific Overrides`.
Apart from that, an authentication server (:menuselection:`System -> Access -> Servers`) can also provide client details in special cases when returning
:code:`Framed-IP-Address`, :code:`Framed-IP-Netmask` and :code:`Framed-Route` properties.
..Tip::
Radius can be used to provisioning tunnel and local networks.
A selection of the most relevant settings can be found in the table below.
..csv-table:: Client Specific Overrides
:header:"Parameter", "Purpose"
:widths:30, 40
"Disabled", "Set this option to disable this client-specific override without removing it from the list"
"Servers", "Select the OpenVPN servers where this override applies to, leave empty for all"
"Common name", "The client's X.509 common name, which is where this override matches on"
"IPv[4|6] Tunnel Network", "The tunnel network to use for this client per protocol family, when empty the servers will be used"
"IPv[4|6] Local Network", "The networks that will be accessible from this particular client per protocol family."
"IPv[4|6] Remote Network", "These are the networks that will be routed to this client specifically using iroute, so that a site-to-site VPN can be established."
"Redirect Gateway", "Force the clients default gateway to this tunnel"
When configuring tunnel networks, make sure they fit in the network defined on the server tunnel itself to allow the server to send data back to the client.
For example in a :code:`10.0.0.0/24` network you are able to define a client specific one like :code:`10.0.0.100/30`.
To reduce the chances of a collision, also make sure to reserve enough space at the server as the address might already be assigned to a dynamic client otherwise.