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VPN - Virtual Private Networks VPN - Virtual Private Networks Matej Kovačič This work is published under Personal blog: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license https://telefoncek.si VPN basics What is VPN? A virtual private network or VPN is a way of connecting a computer to a remote network or remote computer through secure (encrypted) tunnel. Through secure tunnel user can have direct access to the remote network, remote computers or other remote devices regardless of their physical location. Access to remote networks or devices Example: John is located in London, but through VPN has direct and secure access to printer in Dresden and to webcam in his cottage in France. Hiding real IP address If user is using VPN server as a gateway to the internet, website he is visiting does not see his real IP address, but IP address of VPN server. ,ello -isitor .rom (#.#&%."*+.#+#/ eal IP: "#$.%&."#'.#(% VPN)s IP: Please note that website (#.#&%."*+.#+# can identi.0 the real user not onl0 .rom !P, but also .rom coo1ies and with other measures. Protection from hacker’s snooping "ince VPN esta!lishes a secure tunnel between two or more devices, VPNs are often used to protect network traffic from snooping, interference, and censorship. Example 2: 2lice is connected to public or pri-ate Wi4Fi. 5he owner o. Wi4Fi netowork or a hac1er can ea-esdrop her communications. Example 6: 6ob is connected to a public Wi4Fi. 6ut since he is using VPN, his communications .rom his computer to VPN ser-er are encr0pted. Protection from government snooping Example 2: 2lice is located in a countr0 2 which is ea-esdropping all her communications. Example 6: 6ob is located in a countr0 6 which is ea-esdropping his communications, but he is connected to a VPN in countr0 7, which does not ea-esdrop on him. Please note that it is alwa0s possible that countr0 7 is ea-esdropping. 6ut sometimes countr0 7 does not share his in.ormation with other countries. Protection from blocking Example 2: 2lice is behind .irewall and has restricted access to some websites or internet 9ser has ser-ices. unrestricted 8ecure tunnel access to between user and !nternet. VPN ser-er is established. Example 6: 6ob is also behind .irewall, but since he is using VPN, his communications »penetrate; .irewall restrictions and he has access to .ree !nternet. Protection from government cenzorship Example 6: 6ob is also located in a countr0 6 which is bloc1ing access to certain <political= websites. 5his countr0 is also bloc1ing prox0ing, VPN connections, 5or, etc. 6ut since 6ob is using ob.uscated VPN connection, he is able to penetrate go-ernment restrictions. Example 2: 2lice is located in a countr0 2 which is bloc1ing access to certain <political= websites. >b.uscation o. internet tra..ic is a set o. speciali?ed techni@ues which attempt to hide the true nature and content o. connections .rom ea-esdroppers. >b.uscated tra..ic loo1s random or completel0 innocent, while in .act it is encr0pted and is circum-enting censorship. Additional services Additional services Additional services inside VPN network: ● hidden services (NAS, internal we!sites (accessi!le only inside VPN network),...)$ ● private !ridges to other networks (for instance secure remote access to your home network)$ ● notifications (infrastructure monitoring)$ ● intrusion detection; ● !locking unwanted domains$ ● ... Hidden services A VPN users ha-e access to di..erent ser-ices a-ailable onl0 inside VPN network. Example: hidden NAS server Example: John has some important documents. ,e is ma1ing an automated backup cop0 to N28 ser-er located somewhere in VPN network. N2S ser-er has encr0pted dis1s, so !. his computer gets sei?ed b0 the <corrupt= i. it gets sei?ed, ad-ersar0 cannot go-ernment he cannot re-eal the location get data. o. the ser-er and the go-ernment cannot VPN user can additionall0 encr0pt locate N28 ser-er. his data with his own encr0ption 1e0, so e-en the N28 administrator is not able to get the data. 5here could be another hidden N28 ser-er where data are duplicated in case something goes wrong A with the .irst N28... Networ14attached storage <N28= is a computer data storage ser-er which is pro-iding data access to its clients through network. Private bridges to distant networks Example: 6ob ,ome2ssistant installed in his house, but wants it to be securel0 accessible .or him when he is abroad. Distant network is accessed through gatewa0 VPN de-ice ,ome 2ssistant is a .ree and open4source so.tware .or home automation that is designed to be the central control s0stem .or smart home de-ices. Connection notifications 7onnection noti.ications could be use.ul .or in.rastructure When VPN ser-er detects monitoring and to detect when connection, 2lice is noti.ied about and where VPN 1e0s ha-e been that -ia e4mail and 8ignal message. used. 8er-er noti.ies her that new connection with her VPN 1e0s has been made, when it was made and .rom which IP address. Device Alice_laptopMatej_laptop has beenconnected connected to VPN to onVPN 08. on 15.08. 202115. 2021at 21:16:46 at 21:16:46 from IP addressfrom IP216.58.214.195. address 216.58.214.195IP address of. theIP addressdevice ofin the VPN device network in isVPN 10.8.9.8.network is (Do 10.8.9.8 not reply. (Do to notthis reply message, to this since message, it is sinceauto generated)it is auto generated) <!nternet= Intrusion detection Example: 2lice is Bournalist and has been targeted b0 go-ernment malware. VPN ser-er is anal0sing all 2lice)s tra..ic <with her consent/=. !. IDS <!ntrusion Detection 80stem= detects malicious network tra..ic, 2lice is noti.ied about that. IDS warning for device Alice_laptop (08. 15. 2021 at 21:16:46): Network trojan was detected. <!nternet= !ntrusion Detection 80stem <ID8= is a network securit0 technolog0 used .or detecting attac1s against a target application or computer. Blocking unwanted domains VPN ser-er is runing DNS ser-er and IP .iltering so.tware Calware hosting domains Phishing sites 5elemetr0 ser-ers 2d networ1s ... 2ll other sites... 6loc1ing telemetr0 ser-ers and ad networ1s can sa-e bandwith and speed up internet connection. Security Why your own infrastructure? %esearch of VPN apps for Android from &'() (University of New South Wales and the University of ,erkeley)# ● They tested &-. VPN apps from /oogle Play "tore. ● (- percent of the apps .ailed to encr0pt users’ traffic. ● .- per cent of the apps inBected malware or mal-ertising. ● 1ver -& per cent of apps re@uested to access sensiti-e data such as user accounts and text messages. ● Three 3uarters of the apps used third4party user tracking li!raries, ma5ority of them had several security issues (for instance did not prevent 6N" leaking, etc.). Why your own infrastructure? A study from &'&1 analysing different VPN products has shown# ● A lot of these products are owned7operated !y the same company (for at least of ('1 VPN products researchers found out that they are owned or operated !y only &. companies). ● VPN service providers are not transparent with users regarding their owners and parent companies’ locations. ● *p to .'% of VPNs have connections with or were owned !y 9hinese firms. ● VPN services are located in different :privacy unfriendly” countries including 9hina, <ong =ong, Pakistan, *A>, *"A, *=, "wit?erland... "ource# VPN pro, https#77vpnpro.com7. @an Aoungren. <idden VPN owners unveiled# ('( VPN products run !y 5ust &. companies. April (Bth, &'&(. Why your own infrastructure? +hy is this a pro!lemC ● 7hina# high level of surveillance and cy!er spying, sponsors cy!er attacks on foreign officials, government can ask for encryption keys, data, etc., 9hina is leading active »war« against VPN services, VPN owners need a license to operate in China, VPN applications are not availa!le on the Chinese Android and i1" application stores,... ● Pa1istan# government can access any data without a warrant and data can be freely handed over to foreign institutions. Why your own infrastructure? +hy is this a pro!lemC ● 982# founding mem!er of the Five Eyes alliance, a ma5or surveillance state, N"A invests heavily in !ackdooring encryption technology, F, can access any data by secret su!poenas (N"Ls),... ● 9D# founding mem!er of the Five >yes alliance and has surveillance legislation that gives law enforcement strong surveillance power ( nvestigatory Powers Act, or "nooper0s Charter, introduced in 2'()). Why your own infrastructure? +hy is this a pro!lemC ● 8wit?erland# "wiss strong privacy laws are a myth. "wiss Federal Act on the "urveillance of Post and Telecommunications and Federal ntelligence "ervice Act are introducing full and unlimited surveillance of all electronic communication. 6ata protection laws in "wit?erland are in many cases not applica!le to surveillance measures !y secret services, police authorities and pu!lic prosecutors. "urveillance measures in "witzerland are approved !ehind closed doors !y 9ompulsory Heasures 9ourts and there is no effective supervision of the security authorities. %egarding intelligence cooperation, "witzerland has several !ilateral agreements with >U and is !ound !y a Hutual Gegal Assistance Treaty with the *nited "tates. Core in.o# Hartin Steiger. 2'(B. ProtonHail voluntarily offers Assistance for %eal4Time Surveillance. https#77archive.is7VwyGI Why your own infrastructure? Transparency and trust are vital in the VPN industry. ● +ho is the operator of e2it points (VPN gateways to the internet) and how user0s data is handled there. ● +here are VPN servers and e2it points located (country, legislation)C ● <ow trustworthy is the I"P of VPN providerC ● s VPN infrastructure well protected and maintained regularlyC ● <ow transparent and secure is VPN software/hardware on user0s endpointC Full disk encryption Hachine should have hard disks fully encrypted, so when machine is booted, system administrator needs to enter the password to unlock the disks.
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