STIGQter STIGQter: STIG Summary:

Virtual Private Network (VPN) Security Requirements Guide

Version: 3

Release: 5 Benchmark Date: 01 Jul 2026

CheckedNameTitle
SV-207184r1138024_ruleThe VPN Gateway must ensure inbound and outbound traffic is configured with a security policy in compliance with information flow control policies.
SV-207185r1173942_ruleThe Remote Access VPN Gateway and/or client must display the Standard Mandatory DOD Notice and Consent Banner before granting remote access to the network.
SV-207186r1173943_ruleThe Remote Access VPN Gateway and/or client must enforce a policy to retain the Standard Mandatory DOD Notice and Consent Banner on the screen until users acknowledge the usage conditions and take explicit actions to log on for further access.
SV-207189r608988_ruleThe VPN Gateway must limit the number of concurrent sessions for user accounts to 1 or to an organization-defined number.
SV-207190r803417_ruleThe TLS VPN Gateway must use TLS 1.2, at a minimum, to protect the confidentiality of sensitive data during transmission for remote access connections.
SV-207191r803418_ruleThe remote access VPN Gateway must use a digital signature generated using FIPS-validated algorithms and an approved hash function to protect the integrity of TLS remote access sessions.
SV-207192r916146_ruleThe VPN Gateway must be configured to use IPsec with SHA-2 at 384 bits or greater for hashing to protect the integrity of remote access sessions.
SV-207193r916149_ruleThe IPSec VPN must be configured to use a Diffie-Hellman (DH) Group of 16 or greater for Internet Key Exchange (IKE) Phase 1.
SV-207194r608988_ruleIf the site-to-site VPN implementation uses L2TP, L2TPv3 sessions must be authenticated prior to transporting traffic.
SV-207195r608988_ruleThe VPN Gateway must generate log records containing information to establish what type of events occurred.
SV-207196r608988_ruleThe VPN Gateway must generate log records containing information to establish when (date and time) the events occurred.
SV-207197r608988_ruleThe VPN Gateway must generate log records containing information that establishes the identity of any individual or process associated with the event.
SV-207198r608988_ruleThe VPN Gateway must generate log records containing information to establish where the events occurred.
SV-207199r1038960_ruleThe VPN Gateway must generate log records containing information to establish the source of the events.
SV-207200r608988_ruleThe VPN Gateway must produce log records containing information to establish the outcome of the events.
SV-207201r608988_ruleThe VPN Gateway must protect log information from unauthorized read access if all or some of this data is stored locally.
SV-207202r608988_ruleThe VPN Gateway log must protect audit information from unauthorized modification when stored locally.
SV-207203r608988_ruleThe VPN Gateway must protect audit information from unauthorized deletion when stored locally.
SV-207204r608988_ruleThe VPN Gateway must be configured to prohibit the use of all unnecessary and/or nonsecure functions, ports, protocols, and/or services, as defined in the PPSM CAL and vulnerability assessments.
SV-207205r608988_ruleThe IPsec VPN Gateway must use IKEv2 for IPsec VPN security associations.
SV-207206r608988_ruleThe Remote Access VPN Gateway must be configured to prohibit Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP) and L2F.
SV-207207r608988_ruleFor site-to-site VPN implementations, the L2TP protocol must be blocked or denied at the security boundary with the private network so unencrypted L2TP packets cannot traverse into the private network of the enclave.
SV-207208r608988_ruleThe VPN Gateway must uniquely identify and authenticate organizational users (or processes acting on behalf of organizational users).
SV-207209r954210_ruleThe VPN Gateway must use multifactor authentication (e.g., DoD PKI) for network access to non-privileged accounts.
SV-207210r984299_ruleThe VPN Client must implement multifactor authentication for network access to nonprivileged accounts such that one of the factors is provided by a device separate from the system gaining access.
SV-207211r984302_ruleThe TLS VPN must be configured to use replay-resistant authentication mechanisms for network access to nonprivileged accounts.
SV-207212r984303_ruleThe IPsec VPN Gateway must use anti-replay mechanisms for security associations.
SV-207213r608988_ruleThe VPN Gateway must uniquely identify all network-connected endpoint devices before establishing a connection.
SV-207214r608988_ruleThe VPN Gateway, when utilizing PKI-based authentication, must validate certificates by constructing a certification path (which includes status information) to an accepted trust anchor.
SV-207215r608988_ruleThe site-to-site VPN, when using PKI-based authentication for devices, must enforce authorized access to the corresponding private key.
SV-207216r608988_ruleThe Remote Access VPN Gateway must use a separate authentication server (e.g., LDAP, RADIUS, TACACS+) to perform user authentication.
SV-207217r608988_ruleThe VPN Gateway must map the authenticated identity to the user account for PKI-based authentication.
SV-207218r803427_ruleThe VPN Gateway must use FIPS-validated SHA-2 or higher hash function to protect the integrity of hash message authentication code (HMAC), Key Derivation Functions (KDFs), Random Bit Generation, hash-only applications, and digital signature verification.
SV-207219r608988_ruleThe VPN Gateway must uniquely identify and authenticate non-organizational users (or processes acting on behalf of non-organizational users).
SV-207220r608988_ruleThe VPN Gateway must be configured to route sessions to an IDPS for inspection.
SV-207221r971530_ruleThe VPN Gateway must terminate all network connections associated with a communications session at the end of the session.
SV-207222r608988_ruleThe VPN Gateway must use FIPS 140-2 compliant mechanisms for authentication to a cryptographic module.
SV-207223r916152_ruleThe IPSec VPN must be configured to use FIPS-validated SHA-2 at 384 bits or higher for Internet Key Exchange (IKE).
SV-207224r608988_ruleThe VPN Gateway must invalidate session identifiers upon user logoff or other session termination.
SV-207225r608988_ruleThe VPN Gateway must recognize only system-generated session identifiers.
SV-207226r803431_ruleThe VPN Gateway must generate unique session identifiers using FIPS-validated Random Number Generator (RNG) based on the Deterministic Random Bit Generators (DRBG) algorithm.
SV-207227r608988_ruleThe VPN Gateway must fail to a secure state if system initialization fails, shutdown fails, or aborts fail.
SV-207228r856701_ruleThe VPN Gateway must be configured to perform an organization-defined action if the audit reveals unauthorized activity.
SV-207229r856702_ruleThe VPN Gateway administrator accounts or security policy must be configured to allow the system administrator to immediately disconnect or disable remote access to devices and/or users when needed.
SV-207230r987747_ruleThe IPsec VPN Gateway must use AES encryption for the Internet Key Exchange (IKE) proposal to protect confidentiality of remote access sessions.
SV-207234r856706_ruleThe VPN Gateway must off-load audit records onto a different system or media than the system being audited.
SV-207235r878129_ruleThe VPN Gateway must generate a log record or an SNMP trap that can be forwarded as an alert to, at a minimum, the SCA and ISSO, of all log failure events where the detection and/or prevention function is unable to write events to either local storage or the centralized server.
SV-207237r987783_ruleThe VPN Gateway must renegotiate the IPsec security association (SA) after eight hours or less.
SV-207238r987783_ruleThe VPN Gateway must renegotiate the IKE security association (SA) after eight hours or less.
SV-207239r856712_ruleThe VPN Gateway must accept the Common Access Card (CAC) credential.
SV-207240r856714_ruleThe VPN Gateway must electronically verify the Common Access Card (CAC) credential.
SV-207241r856715_ruleThe VPN Gateway must authenticate all network-connected endpoint devices before establishing a connection.
SV-207242r1138028_ruleThe VPN Gateway must use an approved Commercial Solution for Classified (CSfC) when transporting classified traffic across an unclassified network.
SV-207243r1005432_ruleThe VPN Gateway must disable split-tunneling for remote clients VPNs.
SV-207244r916233_ruleThe IPsec VPN Gateway must specify Perfect Forward Secrecy (PFS) during Internet Key Exchange (IKE) negotiation.
SV-207245r856719_ruleThe VPN Gateway and Client must be configured to protect the confidentiality and integrity of transmitted information.
SV-207247r1207726_ruleFor accounts using password authentication, the site-to-site VPN Gateway must use SHA-2 or later protocol to protect the integrity of the password authentication process.
SV-207248r608988_ruleThe VPN Gateway must generate log records when successful and/or unsuccessful VPN connection attempts occur.
SV-207249r1138029_ruleThe VPN Gateway must use a FIPS-validated cryptographic module to generate cryptographic hashes.
SV-207250r1138030_ruleThe VPN Gateway must use a FIPS-validated cryptographic module to implement encryption services for unclassified information requiring confidentiality.
SV-207251r1138031_ruleThe IPsec VPN Gateway IKE must use NIST FIPS-validated cryptography to implement encryption services for unclassified VPN traffic.
SV-207252r608988_ruleThe IPsec VPN Gateway must use Internet Key Exchange (IKE) for IPsec VPN Security Associations (SAs).
SV-207254r856725_ruleThe VPN Client logout function must be configured to terminate the session on/with the VPN Gateway.
SV-207255r856726_ruleThe VPN Client must display an explicit logout message to users indicating the reliable termination of authenticated communications sessions.
SV-207256r984307_ruleFor site-to-site, VPN Gateway must be configured to store only cryptographic representations of pre-shared Keys (PSKs).
SV-207257r916158_ruleThe IPsec VPN must use AES256 or greater encryption for the IPsec proposal to protect the confidentiality of remote access sessions.
SV-207258r608988_ruleThe TLS VPN Gateway that supports Government-only services must prohibit client negotiation to TLS 1.1, TLS 1.0, SSL 2.0, or SSL 3.0.
SV-207259r608988_ruleThe TLS VPN Gateway that supports citizen- or business-facing network devices must prohibit client negotiation to SSL 2.0 or SSL 3.0.
SV-207260r878130_ruleThe VPN Gateway that provides a Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) Network Management System (NMS) must configure SNMPv3 to use FIPS-validated AES cipher block algorithm.
SV-207261r1138034_ruleThe VPN remote access server must be configured use cryptographic algorithms approved by NSA to protect NSS for remote access to a classified network.
SV-207262r1138037_ruleThe VPN gateway must use cryptographic algorithms approved by NSA to protect NSS when transporting classified traffic across an unclassified network.
SV-207263r608988_ruleThe VPN Gateway must validate certificates used for Transport Layer Security (TLS) functions by performing RFC 5280-compliant certification path validation.
SV-251044r971530_ruleThe Remote Access VPN Gateway must terminate remote access network connections after an organization-defined time period.
SV-264328r984313_ruleThe VPN Gateway must employ organization-defined controls by type of denial of service (DoS) to achieve the DoS objective.
SV-264329r1138038_ruleThe VPN Gateway must implement physically or logically separate subnetworks to isolate organization-defined critical system components and functions.
SV-264330r984319_ruleThe VPN Gateway must establish organization-defined alternate communications paths for system operations organizational command and control.
SV-264331r984329_ruleThe VPN Gateway must implement a local cache of revocation data to support path discovery and validation in case of the inability to access revocation information via the network.
SV-264332r984332_ruleThe VPN Gateway must configure OCSP to ensure revoked user certificates are prohibited from establishing an allowed session.
SV-264333r984335_ruleThe VPN Gateway must configure OCSP to ensure revoked machine certificates are prohibited from establishing an allowed session.
SV-264334r984338_ruleThe VPN Gateway providing authentication intermediary services must only accept end entity certificates (user or machine) issued by DOD PKI or DOD-approved PKI Certification Authorities (CAs) for the establishment of VPN sessions.
SV-264335r1138025_ruleThe TLS VPN must be configured to limit authenticated client sessions to initial session source IP.
SV-264336r1056131_ruleThe VPN Gateway must use Always On VPN connections for remote computing.
SV-279018r1138041_ruleThe VPN Gateway must enforce approved authorizations for logical access to information and system resources in accordance with applicable access control policies.
SV-279019r1138044_ruleThe VPN Gateway must enforce approved authorizations for controlling the flow of information within the network based on organization-defined information flow control policies.
SV-279020r1138047_ruleThe VPN Gateway must use organization-defined security attributes associated with organization-defined information, source, and destination objects to enforce organization-defined information flow control policies as a basis for flow control decisions.
SV-279021r1138050_ruleThe VPN Gateway must uniquely identify and authenticate source by organization, system, application, and/or individual for information transfer.
SV-279022r1138053_ruleThe VPN Gateway must uniquely identify and authenticate destination by organization, system, application, and/or individual for information transfer.
SV-279023r1138056_ruleThe VPN Gateway, when transferring information between different security domains, must apply the same security policy filtering to metadata as it applies to data payloads.
SV-279024r1138059_ruleThe VPN Gateway must implement cryptographic mechanisms to prevent unauthorized disclosure of information and/or detect changes to information during transmission.
SV-279025r1138062_ruleThe VPN Gateway must dynamically associate security attributes with organization-defined objects in accordance with organization-defined security policies as information is created and combined.
SV-279026r1138065_ruleThe VPN Gateway must use a FIPS-validated cryptographic module to provision digital signatures.
SV-279027r1138068_ruleThe VPN Gateway must use a FIPS-validated cryptographic module to implement encryption services for unclassified information requiring confidentiality.