anyconnect

Wrapper for "vpncli". Connect to your VPN from Emacs!

This is a wrapper over the vpncli command line tool from Cisco AnyConnect. I bet most Linux users have a nice bash wrapper around it, but if they didn't, or if they work in a Windows environment like I do, this little package skips one trip to the mouse. Plus, mode line indicator :)

Table of contents

• Installation and configuration
• Connection steps setup
• Usage

Installation and configuration

Place anyconnect.el in your load-path, and (require 'anyconnect). The package is not in MELPA yet, not sure of the wide audience appeal for this.

The next step would be to call customize-group for anyconnect.

1. Add the location of vpncli.exe in anyconnect-path. Defaults to "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Cisco\\Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client\\vpncli.exe"

2. You can set anyconnect-modeline-indicator to specify if you want to see a "VPN" indicator only when connected, all the time, or never. The default is 'connected.

3. By default anyconnect-log-buffer-name is *VPN Log*. This buffer shows timestamped package messages and collects the output of process used to connect, which is very useful to debug

Connection steps setup

Last piece to customize is the alist anyconnect-steps, which has the steps to the connection dance. Each element has a function, and a value to pass to it. In the most common cases this will look like the default value:

 '((identity . "\n")
   (read-string . "Username: ")
   (read-passwd . "Password: ")
   (read-passwd . "Second password: ")
   (identity . "y"))

The above will:

1. Send an empty newline, which would accept the default group.
2. Prompt for a clear text username.
3. Prompt for a password.
4. Prompt for a second password, which is usually a 2FA code
5. Send a literal 'y" to accept after the connection banner

NOTE: A final \n is appended to the last step automatically.

The simplest way to figure out the right value for you is to make a manual call to vpncli and note the steps required. On each connection attempt, the ouput of the process will be logged for easy debugging. Another example of anyconnect-steps:

 '((identity . "\n1")
   (identity . "sebasmonia")
   (read-passwd . "Password: ")
   (identity . "y"))

These steps would connect to the group "1" in the on-screen menu, use a fixed username, prompt for a single password, and accept the connection banner.

Usage

Commands

M-x...

• anyconnect-connect: You will go through you configured steps, get a message for connection success/failure.

• anyconnect-status: Will show you the current VPN status, and if needed refresh the mode line. Use prefix arg to invoke vpncli instead of relying on the internal state, in case you had a network hiccup, etc.

• anyconnect-disconnect: to...disconnect.

• anyconnect-abort: if after you try connecting the process seems stuck, this will send the vpncli output to the log buffer, and close the process.

Other functions

• anyconnect-connected-p: As expected, returns t if you are connected to the VPN. Call with a true argument to invoke vpncli instead of returning the package state.

• anyconnect-connect: You can add to your bindings (anyconnect-connect "Host Name" "ConnName") to skip the host name selection menu, and jump straight to the connection steps. The optional "ConnName" lets you specify a custom string to display in the mode line (either "ConnName" or "VPN:ConnName"), in case you have different configurations.