How do you interpret the output of ipsec whack --trafficstatus and ipsec whack --status?

1 IPsec whack command

The ipsec whack command is a utility that allows you to interact with the pluto daemon, which is the main component of the IPsec implementation in Linux. You can use ipsec whack to send commands, queries, and options to pluto and get responses or feedback. The ipsec whack command has many options and arguments that you can use to control and monitor various aspects of IPsec. To see the full list of options, you can run ipsec whack --help or man ipsec_whack.

2 IPsec whack --trafficstatus

One of the options that you can use with ipsec whack is --trafficstatus, which shows you the status of the IPsec Security Associations (SAs) that are established between your host and the remote endpoints. An IPsec SA is a set of parameters and keys that define how IPsec packets are encrypted, authenticated, and exchanged between two parties. The ipsec whack --trafficstatus command displays information such as the source and destination IP addresses, the protocol and port numbers, the encryption and authentication algorithms, the bytes and packets transferred, and the expiration time of each SA. You can use this command to verify that your IPsec tunnels are working correctly and that the traffic is flowing as expected.

3 IPsec whack --status

Another option that you can use with ipsec whack is --status, which shows you the status of the IPsec connections and policies that are configured on your host. An IPsec connection is a logical representation of a VPN tunnel that defines the parameters and options for establishing and maintaining IPsec SAs. An IPsec policy is a rule that specifies what traffic should be protected by IPsec and how. The ipsec whack --status command displays information such as the name and state of each connection, the local and remote subnets, the authentication and encryption methods, the IKE and IPsec proposals, and the IPsec policies. You can use this command to check that your IPsec connections and policies are consistent with your configuration and expectations.

4 How to interpret the output

To interpret the output of ipsec whack --trafficstatus and ipsec whack --status commands, you need to understand some basic concepts of IPsec such as IKE and IPsec phases, main mode and aggressive mode, roles of initiators and responders, types and modes of IPsec SAs, and meanings of different states and flags. You can find more details in the official documentation or online resources. Here are some tips to help you interpret the output: look for the connection name and state in ipsec whack --status; IKE and IPsec proposals in ipsec whack --status; IPsec policies in ipsec whack --status; source and destination IP addresses in ipsec whack --trafficstatus; protocol and port numbers in ipsec whack --trafficstatus; encryption and authentication algorithms in ipsec whack --trafficstatus; bytes and packets transferred in ipsec whack --trafficstatus; expiration time of each SA in ipsec whack --trafficstatus. By doing so, you can inform and reassure stakeholders, as well as gain valuable insights for improving your cloud security posture.