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IPSec
Internet Protocol Security (IPSec) is a suite of protocols designed to secure IP communications by authenticating and encrypting each IP packet in a communication session. It is widely used to establish secure VPNs, protecting data traffic over untrusted networks, including the internet. Port 1293 is specifically assigned for the IPSec Network Address Translation-Traversal (NAT-T), facilitating IPSec operation behind NAT devices..
IPSec operates at the network layer, providing security features directly to IP packets through two main protocols: Authentication Header (AH), which ensures data integrity and origin authentication, and Encapsulating Security Payload (ESP), which offers encryption alongside authentication. It supports both transport mode, encrypting the payload of IP packets, and tunnel mode, encrypting the entire IP packet for VPN scenarios.
Port 1293 is allocated for IPSec's NAT Traversal method, which encapsulates IPSec packets within UDP to bypass NAT device limitations. When traditional IPSec cannot traverse NAT due to issues with preserving packet integrity or IP headers, NAT-T encapsulates ESP packets over UDP, usually via port 4500. However, the original specification also defined port 1293 for this purpose, mainly seen in older or specialized implementations.
IPSec can utilize several cryptographic algorithms, including AES, Triple DES, SHA, and Diffie-Hellman, negotiable through protocols like IKE (Internet Key Exchange). This negotiation process ensures mutual authentication and agreement on security parameters before data transmission begins.