feat: add post on connecting to UCL VPN on Fedora/Linux

content/20241125-accessing-ucl-vpn-using-openconnect-on-linux-systems.rst

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+Accessing UCL VPN using OpenConnect on Linux systems
+####################################################
+:date: 2024-11-25 14:49:25
+:modified: 2024-11-25 14:49:25
+:author: ankur
+:category: Tech
+:tags: UCL, VPN, AnyConnect, OpenConnect, Linux, Fedora
+:slug: accessing-ucl-vpn-using-openconnect-on-linux-systems
+:summary: A quick note on accessing UCL VPN using OpenConnect on Linux systems.
+
+
+I needed to use the `UCL VPN <https://www.ucl.ac.uk/isd/services/get-connected/ucl-virtual-private-network-vpn>`__ again, on my Fedora/Linux machine.
+Linux isn't really supported by the university infrastructure, but there are `instructions that others have come up with <https://blogs.ucl.ac.uk/dh/2015/09/18/tutorial-ucl-vpn-linux/>`__ and they had worked for me the last time I'd needed VPN access.
+Unfortunately, that was a few years ago, and things have changed a little since then.
+Notably, UCL has introduced two factor authentication (2FA).
+
+I had to look around a little but I did manage to get it to work again using NetworkManager.
+I thought I'd write it up quickly so everyone that needs it, including future me, have a quick reference to look at.
+
+This is on Fedora 41 with the following OpenConnect packages:
+
+.. code:: bash
+
+    $ rpm -qa \*openconnect\*
+    openconnect-9.12-6.fc41.x86_64
+    NetworkManager-openconnect-1.2.10-6.fc41.x86_64
+    NetworkManager-openconnect-gnome-1.2.10-6.fc41.x86_64
+
+
+In NetworkManager one needs to create a new VPN connection with the following settings:
+
+
+.. figure:: {static}/images/20241125-openconnect-nm.png
+    :width: 80%
+    :align: center
+    :alt: Screenshot of settings in Network Manager for setting up a VPN connection to UCL VPN using Open Connect (settings are listed below)
+    :target: {static}/images/neuroml-logo.png
+    :class: text-center img-responsive pagination-centered
+
+Here are the settings in a list too:
+
+- VPN Protocol: Cisco AnyConnect or OpenConnect
+- Gateway: vpn.ucl.ac.uk
+- User Agent: AnyConnect
+- CA Certificate: <None>
+- Proxy: <leave blank>
+- Allow security scanner trojan (CSD): Yes (checked)
+- Trojan (CSD) wrapper script: :code:`/usr/libexec/openconnect/csd-post.sh`
+- Reported OS: Windows 10 (I didn't try another)
+- Machine certificate: <None>
+- Machine private key: <will be greyed out>
+- User certification: <None>
+- User private key: <will be greyed out>
+- Use FSID for key passphrase: No (unchecked)
+- Prevent user from manually accepting invalid credentials: No (unchecked)
+- Token mode: TOTP - manually entered
+
+
+This is similar to what had worked before.
+What changed:
+
+- It didn't work without setting the User Agent to "AnyConnect"
+- I set the token mode to "TOTP - manually entered"
+
+This opens up a web login page where one can enter their credentials.