Configure UND GlobalProtect VPN on Unsupported Linux Distributions
This article provides general guidance for connecting unsupported Linux distributions to UND’s GlobalProtect VPN infrastructure. These steps are intended for distributions that are not officially supported by Palo Alto GlobalProtect, such as Kali Linux and other Debian-based distributions.
Unsupported Linux distributions may still be able to connect by using GlobalProtect-openconnect, an open-source client that works with GlobalProtect portals through OpenConnect.
Install Required Packages
Open a terminal and update your package index:
sudo apt update
Install OpenConnect and related NetworkManager dependencies:
sudo apt install -y openconnect network-manager-openconnect network-manager-openconnect-gnome gnome-keyring libsecret-1-0 libayatana-appindicator3-1
Package names may vary by distribution. If a package is unavailable, check your distribution’s package repository for the closest equivalent OpenConnect, NetworkManager OpenConnect, keyring, or application indicator package.
Install GlobalProtect-openconnect
Because unsupported Linux distributions may not match Palo Alto’s official GlobalProtect Linux requirements, use the open-source GlobalProtect-openconnect client instead of attempting to install the official GlobalProtect client.
For Debian-based distributions, download the latest Debian or Ubuntu .deb package from the GlobalProtect-openconnect GitHub releases page.
After downloading the package, change to the download location:
cd ~/Downloads
Install the package:
sudo apt install ./globalprotect-openconnect_*.deb
This installs the GlobalProtect-openconnect tools, including gpclient and gpauth.
Avoid adding Ubuntu PPAs or repositories to non-Ubuntu systems unless you are familiar with the risks of mixing package sources.
Connect to UND GlobalProtect
Use the following command to connect to UND’s VPN portal:
sudo -E gpclient connect --browser default vpn.und.edu
A browser-based UND/NDUS sign-in page should open. Sign in with your UND account and complete Duo multi-factor authentication when prompted.
You may be asked to allow your browser to open the OpenConnect app; please allow this. You may also be prompted to select a gateway after signing in, if you have access to multiple.
After authentication completes, the VPN connection should establish automatically.
Disconnect from the VPN
If your terminal window does not still have the open process, you can disconnect by running the following command:
sudo gpclient disconnect
Notes
These steps are provided as best-effort guidance for unsupported Linux distributions. Functionality may vary depending on the Linux distribution, desktop environment, package availability, and system configuration.
If the connection fails due to package, browser authentication, or OpenSSL compatibility issues, additional troubleshooting may be required.