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LFCS · Question #360

Which of the following are valid OpenVPN authentication modes? (Choose TWO correct answers)

The correct answer is C. Static Key E. TLS. OpenVPN primarily supports authentication using a pre-shared static key or the more robust TLS-based certificate authentication.

Submitted by dimitri_ru· Apr 18, 2026Networking

Question

Which of the following are valid OpenVPN authentication modes? (Choose TWO correct answers)

Options

  • AS/Key
  • BKerberos
  • CStatic Key
  • DPassword
  • ETLS

How the community answered

(30 responses)
  • A
    7% (2)
  • B
    3% (1)
  • C
    90% (27)

Why each option

OpenVPN primarily supports authentication using a pre-shared static key or the more robust TLS-based certificate authentication.

AS/Key

S/Key (one-time passwords) is not a native authentication mode directly supported by OpenVPN.

BKerberos

While OpenVPN might be integrated with Kerberos through external plugins, Kerberos is not a native, standalone authentication mode within OpenVPN itself.

CStatic KeyCorrect

OpenVPN can be configured to use a pre-shared static key (PSK) for authentication, which provides a simpler setup for point-to-point connections without requiring a Public Key Infrastructure.

DPassword

While username/password authentication can be layered on top of a TLS connection in OpenVPN (e.g., using `auth-user-pass`), "Password" itself is not considered a primary mode of authentication in the same architectural sense as Static Key or TLS.

ETLSCorrect

TLS (Transport Layer Security) is the most common and secure authentication mode for OpenVPN, where both client and server authenticate each other using X.509 certificates and keys as part of a secure TLS handshake.

Concept tested: OpenVPN authentication modes

Source: https://openvpn.net/community-resources/reference-manual-for-openvpn-2-4/

Topics

#OpenVPN#VPN#Authentication#Network Security

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