[BYPASS] IKEv2 Fortinet Misconfiguration
Overview The target was a Fortinet Next-Generation Firewall (NGFW), a formidable system relying on aggressive Deep Packet Inspection (DPI). Its directive was simple: block all unauthorized tunneling. My objective was proving that its "threat intelligence" had exploitable policy blind spots. Initial attempts with solutions like OpenVPN and WireGuard failed instantly. This was not simple port blocking. The FortiGate performed protocol fingerprinting, immediately recognizing the distinct traffic signatures of these protocols and dropping the connections. Any consumer VPN signature was a red flag. The challenge was confirming and exploiting a predictable policy exclusion. The goal crystallized: Protocol-Based Bypass. The IKEv2 Differential Testing revealed the key vulnerability: IKEv2 (Internet Key Exchange version 2) traffic showed inconsistent signs of life while other protocols were instantly terminated. IKEv2 is part of the IPsec suite and is specifically favored for enterpri...