How to Run ike-scan: A Quick Tutorial for Security Analysts

ike-scan vs. Other IKE Discovery Tools: A Comparison

Summary

• ike-scan is a focused, lightweight C program for discovering and fingerprinting IKE (IPsec) servers using crafted IKEv1/v2 requests, vendor-ID inspection, retransmission backoff timing, and optional PSK parameter extraction.
• Other IKE discovery tools (Nmap, IKESS, custom scripts, vendor tools) trade breadth, automation, or protocol testing features for different strengths: protocol flexibility, reporting, transform testing, or integration with larger toolchains.

Why compare

• IKE discovery is commonly used for network asset inventory, vulnerability assessment, and pentesting of VPN infrastructure. Choosing the right tool matters for accuracy, noise, fingerprinting capability, and operational safety.

Tool overview (concise)

• ike-scan
  • Primary function: discovery + fingerprinting of IKE servers.
  • Strengths: low-level