Match each IPsec VPN term to its definition.
Drag a concept onto its matching description — or click a concept then click the description.
Internet Key Exchange version 1
Internet Key Exchange version 2
Encapsulating Security Payload
Authentication Header
Perfect Forward Secrecy
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
IKE: Protocol used to establish security associations and authenticate peers.
Correct matches: IKE establishes SAs and authenticates peers; SPI is an index to identify SAs; ESP provides confidentiality, authentication, and integrity. Common confusions include swapping IKE and SA definitions.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
IKE: Protocol used to establish security associations and authenticate peers.
Why this is correct
IKE (Internet Key Exchange) is indeed the protocol that establishes SAs and authenticates peers.
IKE: A set of parameters defining how IPsec processes traffic between peers.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect — this definition describes an IPsec SA, not IKE.
IPsec SA: Protocol used to establish security associations and authenticate peers.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect — this definition describes IKE, not an IPsec SA.
SPI: Index into the Security Association Database (SAD) to identify an SA.
Why this is correct
The Security Parameter Index (SPI) is a unique identifier used to look up an SA in the SAD.
ESP: Protocol providing confidentiality, data origin authentication, and integrity.
Why this is correct
ESP (Encapsulating Security Payload) offers these services, though confidentiality is its primary role.
Quick reference
| Protocol | Port | Encryption | Authentication | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IKEv2 / IPsec | UDP 500 / 4500 | AES-256 | Certificates / PSK | Site-to-site & remote access |
| SSL / TLS VPN | TCP 443 | TLS 1.3 | Certificates / MFA | Clientless remote access |
| L2TP / IPsec | UDP 1701 | AES (IPsec) | PSK / Certificates | Legacy remote access |
| WireGuard | UDP 51820 | ChaCha20 | Public keys | Modern high-performance VPN |
| PPTP | TCP 1723 | MPPE (weak) | MS-CHAPv2 | Legacy — avoid in production |
PPTP is considered insecure. IKEv2/IPsec and SSL VPN are the current recommended options.
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About these practice questions
This NSE7 question is part of Courseiva's 940-question bank — original exam-style content with full explanations and wrong-answer analysis, never real exam questions or exam dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This NSE7 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Fortinet certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the NSE7 exam.