Which connection protocol offers data integrity and confidentiality for cloud-based VPN access?

IPsec is the connection protocol that is specifically designed to secure Internet Protocol (IP) communications by providing data integrity, confidentiality, and authentication. It operates at the network layer, which allows it to protect and authenticate IP packets. By using various cryptographic techniques, IPsec ensures that data is encrypted during transit, making it unreadable to unauthorized users, thus maintaining confidentiality. Additionally, it verifies that the data has not been tampered with during transmission, ensuring data integrity.

In the context of cloud-based VPN access, IPsec is commonly used because it enables secure connections between remote users and cloud services. This is particularly important in a cloud environment where sensitive data is accessed over potentially insecure public networks.

The other options do not provide the same level of functionality. AES, while a strong encryption standard, does not encompass all the components needed for a VPN protocol and is typically used as an encryption algorithm rather than a standalone connection protocol. SOC-3 is related to service organization control reports and does not pertain to connection protocols or VPNs. RC5 is an older encryption algorithm and lacks the comprehensive security capabilities of IPsec and is not widely used for modern secure communications.