Re: Cisco VPN config files converter

[Bill Moss <bmoss CLEMSON EDU>]

Not all Cisco VPN profiles (*.pcf) files will converter. Clemson uses a 
profile with an encrypted Group password (Secret).  The encryption is 
suppose to provide extra security but due to a bug in an early version 
of the Cisco VPN client, it is easy to decode the Group password and 
obtain the Secret. Cisco will eventually plug this hole but this will 
also break backwards compatibility of Cisco VPN clients. Cisco doesn't 
seem to be moving too fast on this issue. Since the Secret is kind of a 
joke now, many schools just publish their Secret and depend on username 
and password.

My point is for NM users at Clemson, import of a Cisco VPN profile will 
have to be followed by a manual edit of the Secret. If the user is not 
aware that he has to do this, then his first attempt at a VPN connection 
may fail. So the question is how to inform the user. Should the 
converter inform the reader that the Secret was not available?

--
Bill Moss
Professor, Mathematical Sciences
Clemson University