ipsec
control interface for strongSwan/Libreswan IPsec VPN implementations
TLDR
Start IPsec service
$ sudo ipsec start
Stop IPsec service$ sudo ipsec stop
Check status$ sudo ipsec status
Show all connections$ sudo ipsec statusall
Reload configuration$ sudo ipsec reload
Start specific connection$ sudo ipsec up [connection]
Stop specific connection$ sudo ipsec down [connection]
Show version information$ ipsec --version
Reload secrets from ipsec.secrets$ sudo ipsec rereadsecrets
SYNOPSIS
ipsec command [options]
DESCRIPTION
ipsec is the control interface for strongSwan/Libreswan IPsec VPN implementations. It manages IKE (Internet Key Exchange) connections for encrypted network tunnels.IPsec provides network-layer encryption for VPNs, supporting site-to-site tunnels and remote access. Configuration is typically in /etc/ipsec.conf and /etc/ipsec.secrets.
PARAMETERS
start
Start IPsec daemon.stop
Stop IPsec daemon.restart
Restart daemon.status
Show active connections.statusall
Show detailed status.reload
Reload configuration.up connection
Start connection.down connection
Stop connection.update
Apply config changes without full restart.route connection
Install kernel IPsec policy for a connection.unroute connection
Remove kernel IPsec policy for a connection.rereadsecrets
Reload secrets from ipsec.secrets.listalgs
List supported cryptographic algorithms.listcerts
List certificates.listcacerts
List CA certificates.listall
List all information.rereadall
Execute all reread operations.--version
Show version information.
CONFIGURATION
$ # /etc/ipsec.conf
conn myvpn
left=%defaultroute
leftid=@myserver
right=remote.example.com
rightid=@remote
auto=start
conn myvpn
left=%defaultroute
leftid=@myserver
right=remote.example.com
rightid=@remote
auto=start
INSTALL
sudo apt install libreswan
sudo dnf install libreswan
sudo pacman -S strongswan
sudo apk add strongswan
sudo zypper install strongswan
brew install strongswan
nix profile install nixpkgs#libreswan
CAVEATS
Requires kernel IPsec support. Certificate management can be complex. Firewall rules needed for IKE (UDP 500, 4500). Debug with ipsec statusall.
HISTORY
IPsec was standardized by IETF in the 1990s. strongSwan (forked from FreeS/WAN in 2005) and Libreswan are the main Linux implementations, providing the ipsec command interface.
