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What is a WireGuard VPN?

Instasafe Marketing

Aug 24, 2023 • 4 min read

What is a WireGuard VPN?

WireGuard VPN has been gaining a lot of attention in the VPN industry. It is a relatively new VPN protocol that is faster, more secure and easy to implement. It is indeed a game-changer because of its speed and performance.

The WireGuard VPN protocol was earlier developed only for Linux, but considering its top-notch qualities, it was deployed on other major platforms, too.

In this blog, we will understand what a WireGuard VPN is, how it works, its benefits and all.

Understanding of WireGuard VPN

WireGuard VPN is an open-source protocol. This new VPN protocol uses a set of rules to determine data encryption and movement within the VPN network. The new-age protocol uses advanced cryptography to connect devices to VPN servers.

The general motive of all VPN networks is to protect internet traffic from unwanted exposure by hiding the device's IP.

Since the traffic in VPN networks travels between the network and the device via an encrypted tunnel, the speed at which this encryption and decryption of data is done in the VPN server and security determined is where the VPN protocol comes in.

There have been various VPN protocols, such as IPSec, OpenVPN and more. But WireGuard VPN protocol is ahead of the game because of a few reasons:

The WireGuard VPN uses minimum lines of code, which is why it is quick and provides a high level of security.
Since there is no hefty coding, it is very light, which makes the process of debugging and deployment easier.
Lastly, this VPN protocol is way faster to transmit data in VPN networks without compromising security.

How Does the WireGuard VPN Work?

Let's understand in detail how WireGuard VPN works. The WireGuard VPN uses a client device, which can be a laptop, smartphone, etc and a VPN server like any other VPN protocol.

The purpose of the WireGuard protocol is to establish a secure and encrypted tunnel with the client device and VPN server. The data moves within this encrypted tunnel.

The working so far is the same as other VPN protocols, but WireGuard VPN uses ChaCha20-authenticated encryption rather than AES-256, which makes the process of encryption and decryption much faster.

Since the WireGuard VPN was initially released for the Linux platform, it was designed to work on Linux Kernel. The other VPN protocols have to switch between Kernel, but WireGuard VPN doesn't have to, which makes it relatively fast and more secure compared to other protocols.

Not just this, including ChaCha20, WireGuard VPN can support BLAKE2s for hashing, Poly1305 for authentication and more. Other than this, instead of using certificate management, WireGuard VPN uses public key encryption, which makes it less complex and leaves minimal room for attack surfaces.

Benefits of WireGuard VPN

Let's understand in detail why WireGuard VPN has been lauded by everyone instead of being a newcomer. Below are some of the benefits of the WireGuard VPN:

Open Source - The very first benefit of WireGuard VPN is it is an open-source project, which states that anybody can see and audit the code. Many tech experts have reviewed the code and fixed the error to improve its performance. So, even if there is any error in this code, it will get reviewed by the security experts.
Quick Connections - Another significant benefit of the WireGuard VPN is the quick connection. Unlike other VPN protocols, which take 5 to 10 seconds to connect, this VPN protocol connects in 1 to 2 seconds. This VPN protocol can switch between network and router very fast without VPN reconnection.
Easy Setup - One of the benefits of using WireGuard VPN over other protocols is it uses few lines of code, which makes its framework very simple. So, the deployment of this VPN protocol is effortless. Not just this, troubleshooting is also easier since WireGuard can find bugs easily and resolve them because of the minimal coding.
New Cryptography Techniques - Since this new technology it has the advantage of using state-of-the-art cryptography technology. These new cryptographic techniques ensure strong encryption, making it the secure VPN protocol in the market.
Fast - This is the most talked about benefit of the WireGuard VPN; this is the high-speed VPN protocol. The team has conducted many tests to ensure this VPN protocol has 4 times the speed of other VPN protocols.
Stable connection - Lastly, WireGuard VPN offers a stable connection between the network and the device. Many VPN connections get dropped while switching between wireless networks or Wi-Fi networks, but this VPN protocol doesn't.

Disadvantages of WireGuard VPN

Unlike any other VPN protocols, WireGuard VPN also has some limitations, which are listed below:

Lack of Obfuscation - One of the most significant disadvantages of WireGuard VPN is the lack of obfuscation, which means ISPs ( Internet service providers) can be aware of using the VPN network, which leaves room for bypassing the firewalls.
Requires Logging - Another disadvantage of WireGuard VPN is it requires logging to establish a secure connection.
Not Integrated with all VPNs - Further, this type of VPN protocol, being new and modern, cannot be integrated with most VPN providers.

Conclusion

WireGuard VPN is undoubtedly the secure VPN protocol that offers strong encryption using shorter cryptographic keys. However, its lack of built-in obfuscation can be a drawback in certain situations, especially when dealing with networks or regions where VPN use is restricted or blocked.

Further, the VPN network offers explicit trust to all its users, which is like waiting for malicious activity to happen in a network.

However, with the InstaSafe VPN alternative that works on a Zero Trust model, businesses can offer all-around visibility and monitoring.

With zero trust security, only authenticated users and devices can access the applications. Further, InstaSafe Zero Trust Solution offers threat intelligence and alert service which can detect brute force attacks, invalid login attempts, etc, quickly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is WireGuard Free?

Since it is an open-source protocol, it can be used for free. However, while WireGuard itself is free, remember that the specific implementation or service you use with WireGuard may have associated costs.

2. Is WireGuard a suitable VPN protocol?

WireGuard is designed simply, making it easier to understand, configure, and maintain, unlike some older VPN protocols. This simplicity often translates to better security because it reduces the risk of configuration errors, making it a suitable VPN protocol.

3. Can WireGuard be detected?