WebVPN Service

Campus WebVPN Service

The Campus VPN concentrator can be used to access campus services using an 128 bit SSL encryption standard that most banks and online merchants use. WebVPN provides this encryption between the VPN concentrator and the end user’s web browser. This is a useful method for securing a link to the campus network as many campus web services require the user to be within University IP space to access these services.

Any web-based transaction that a user desires to transfer securely between the VPN concentrator and the user’s web browser can be done using the WebVPN. This includes checking web-based email, accessing library catalogs, journal lists, transferring files, accessing departmental web servers and other repositories containing data that is web accessible to campus, but not to the rest of the Internet. Because the WebVPN essentially does the browsing for the user and returns the data to his or her browser, the user appears to originate from within campus.

The WebVPN does not require a client to be installed. The user just needs a web browser, uNID and password. WebVPN sessions are only encrypted on the leg of the journey between the user's computer and the VPN concentrator, so it is important to keep security in mind. However, the tool does provide a strong measure of security between the VPN and the user.

To use the WebVPN point your web browser to:

WebVPN is rated by Cisco as compatible with Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 and Mozilla Firefox 1.0 and above. At this time Netscape is mostly compatible as it shares the same family of code with Firefox and Mozilla.

Macintosh Safari users will notice that some WebVPN features do not work properly. Cisco is addressing this issue.

Cisco SSL Client

The WebVPN SSL “mini” AnyConnect client is a new feature offered in the latest Cisco VPN code 4.7. Users are now provided the option of downloading this SSL client when connecting to the campus WebVPN site with their Windows based computer. The SSL client uses 128 bit encrypted tunneling. The SSL client (similar to the Cisco “heavy” VPN client, but much smaller) is installed on the PC at login and creates an encrypted tunnel between the PC and the VPN concentrator. Like the heavy client, the PC obtains an IP address from the concentrator through the SSL client after successful login and appears as a workstation within the campus network. Unlike the WebVPN, all traffic between the concentrator and the client PC is encrypted through the SSL tunnel.

The primary difference between using the heavy client and the AnyConnect SSL “mini” client is that the SSL client session is secured using 128 bit SSL encryption. (The heavy client uses IPsec for security.) While SSL is not considered as secure as IPsec tunneling, SSL sessions remain an industry standard for encryption technology. SSL is conveniently available on Windows machines without the overhead needed for IPsec. The SSL client is downloaded from the WebVPN start page, used during the session, and later discarded when the user logs out.

To use the Cisco SSL client, from your Windows XP or 2000 computer, direct your Web browser to:

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Frequently Asked Questions

Individual VPN Client

Department VPN Services

For questions or problems using VPN, please contact the Help Desk at 581-4000.