Review and evaluation of internet protocol security (ipsec) in microsoft windows 2000 (build 2195)

Abstract

The Windows IP Security integrated into Windows 2000 Server should provide network managers with a critically important line of security. Windows IP Security is an implementation of the Internet Engineering Task Force's IP Security Protocol, which is designed to assure maximum interoperability with IPSec solutions deployed on other networks. End-to-end security need be ensured on the data sent over any network-whether LAN, WAN, or Internet-this should maintain integrity and secrecy in transit; also authenticated users should be the only ones to access the data. At a time when network security is increasingly vital, Windows 2000 Server claim to make it easy for network managers to provide a strong layer of protection to their organization's information resources. The main objective of this research was to establish the level of IP security implemented in Windows 2000. The exercise carried out was a review and evaluation of the product under certain conditions. To accomplish the main objective, an understanding of the protoc~l and its related protocols was made. The research also was to determine the advantages and weakness of the protocol.