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VPN (Virtual Private Network) is a technology of secure encrypted connection of the user to the World Wide Web, which allows bypassing regional restrictions set by the state or provider for certain resources. Full privacy is guaranteed for all user data that passes through the virtual private network. The data is protected by strong encryption, and only the owner of the key can access it. The company providing VPN services protects its clients from encroachments of any third parties, including government agencies.
Security procedures
Connection to the Internet when a VPN is activated takes place over a private network to which a limited number of people have access. Unauthorized users cannot access this data and it cannot leak outside the private network. This uses either a tunneling protocol or a point-to-point protocol, both of which are considered fairly reliable in terms of anonymity.
The three most common VPN security protocols are:
- OpenVPN. Asymmetric encryption is established by cryptographic protocols SSL/TSL. Message integrity is ensured by authenticity codes, and confidentiality is achieved by symmetric encryption.
- PPTP. Point-to-point tunnel protocol has a number of serious vulnerabilities, and that's why it is used less and less often in recent years.
- L2TP. Layer 2 multilayer tunneling protocol, the main advantage of which is the possibility to create tunnels not only in IP networks, but also in ATM, X.25, and Frame Relay.
The most reliable and secure is considered the third, but it is not a guarantee of complete anonymity. The key problem of user anonymity on the network when using a VPN is that the service provider itself can "leak" customer data to third parties. For this reason, 100% anonymity is only achieved when there is no information about you on the Internet at all - and this scenario is practically impossible, as many service providers require certain data from their users in one way or another.
For this reason, many VPN providers assure customers that they do not keep any logs - this is usually not always true, because the provider needs to keep their customers' data one way or another. At least in order to bill for services.
How to set up a VPN server
If you apply for the service to third-party providers, then everything is done elementary - install the software, enter the account data and connect through the selected region. But a much more reliable and secure option would be your own VPN server, which will allow you to access blocked resources while hiding your traffic from any intruders, providers, and special services. To do this, you need:
- Rent a Virtual Private Server (VPS) from HostZealot.
- Install Linux OS (for example, Debian or Ubuntu) on the VPS server.
- Set up the connection protocol IPsec IKEv2, Open VPN, or any other, depending on your own preferences.
- Install strongSwan as a VPN server with apt-get install strongswan command. Also, connect the necessary plugins with apt-get install libstrongswan-standard-plugins.
- Create access certificates by installing the package by using the command apt-get install strongswan-pki.
Next, we need to configure the strongSwan config, the kernel network settings, and the iptables utility which we need to manage the built-in Linux firewall. Having set the optimal parameters, restart the system, and then configure the connection configs for the target devices, from which you will connect to the VPS VPN. The actions described above are not detailed instructions, but a brief guide on how to properly create and configure your own VPN server. To get more information and consult with specialists, contact HostZealot. We provide ready-made solutions for everyone interested.