What can happen if you get scammed while shopping online? They could steal your passwords, bank details, sell you a fake product, or it may not reach you at all. Although shopping online is generally safe, there are exceptions, and it also depends on what precautions you take.

Tips for online shopping

We have seen many cases of websites that turn out to be fake. Also, products that don’t arrive or bank account thefts due to carelessness. But don’t worry, as protecting yourself is easier than you might think. The most important thing is not to make mistakes. With that, you will have a lot to gain from your online shopping.

Protect your passwords

The first thing you should do is to protect your accounts. To do this, it is essential to use good passwords. It is the main barrier that will prevent intruders. You are going to protect your bank accounts, platforms such as Amazon, email, etc. Here you can not get confused, as it is key. How should a good password be? Ideally, it should be unique and totally random. Use uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and other special symbols. This will help you avoid brute force attacks and easy guessing. This is something that can happen if you use your name, date of birth, etc.

To remember all the passwords of the different services, you always have the possibility of using a password manager. You can resort to the one integrated in web browsers such as Chrome and Firefox that have synchronization between devices. It is also possible to use a specific password manager where we have all our credentials of the different online services. It is very important to have a good password management.

There are also specific password managers or administrators for this task. That is, instead of using the built-in password managers of the web browser, we can use those of these programs. Some programs are paid. However, there are others that are completely free, although with limitations. Depending on your needs, you can opt for ones that are more advanced and with cross-platform support, or others that are hosted by you on a NAS server. For example, Vaultwarden is software that can be installed via Docker on a NAS server. In addition, this server will be in charge of storing all our passwords. This in order to have the maximum possible security and prevent hacking of the most popular programs such as KeePass among many others.

Check the website

Of course, when you are going to buy something on a website it is essential that you check it out. You can look at the general appearance of that site, but also look for information on the Internet. For example, you could read comments and ratings from other users who have previously purchased and thus rule out scams. Buying from a guaranteed site is very important. Platforms like Amazon, for example, are reliable. But there are many other pages that may generate doubts or even websites that have been falsified to defraud.

Whenever we get into a website to buy, look very well at the domain of the website. In fact, it could be a domain similar to the original, and that is specifically designed to scam you. These types of attacks are more common than you think, and usually come through email, social networks and even SMS. You should never let yourself be fooled.

Use reliable payment methods

The way you pay on the Internet is essential to avoid risks in e-commerce. Our advice is to use reliable payment methods that have guarantees. For example, you can use services such as PayPal. Also, the use of disposable cards or wallets is a good idea. Ideally, you should not use your main bank card. After all, the less you expose it on the Internet, the better to avoid cyberattacks. Many banks offer the possibility of using virtual cards, which you can recharge with a specific amount and that’s it.

Some neobanks allow the creation of single-use virtual cards. That is to say, to pay once and that number will never be available again. In addition, they also allow the creation of multi-use virtual cards. Their objective is to create an online payment card, and when we make the payment, we automatically freeze the card.

Protect your device

It is important to have your device protected, whether it is your computer or your cell phone. For example, you should install a good antivirus. There are many options, both free and paid. This type of program will help you protect yourself. In addition to detecting any attempt of malicious software that can sneak in. If you use an operating system such as Windows, Microsoft Defender is more than enough to protect your computer from threats, and thanks to the operating system’s own firewall, it will prevent unauthorized connections from being made.

In addition, protecting your device also means keeping it up to date. It is essential that you install the latest versions and avoid problems. There are many cases in which a vulnerability may appear, so correcting it will be the key to shopping with greater security. Updates both in the operating system and in the different programs is something fundamental to be protected.

Beware of public networks

It is not advisable to shop online through public Wi-Fi networks. For example, you should not do it in places such as an airport, a shopping mall, library. In reality, you don’t really know if that network is reliable. Besides, there could be intruders who steal your bank details or intercept the transaction. If you have no choice but to make a purchase from public networks, our advice is to use a VPN. This type of program will encrypt the connection. Everything you do on the Internet will be protected and, in the event of intruders, they will not be able to access the data. If you don’t want to spend money on a commercial VPN, you can use free but reliable services. Below, we will look at two free VPN services:

• WARP by Cloudflare: this VPN service is totally free. Furthermore, it has no limits of any kind, although download and upload speed restrictions are likely to apply. This VPN is perfect for secure browsing. However, it is not useful for bypassing regional blocks because it will always connect to the nearest VPN server.
• Google One VPN: this service is totally free for Google One subscribers, regardless of which plan they have contracted. Initially, only plans with a capacity of 2 TB or more were able to contract it. However, it is now possible to access this interesting option with any plan.

We do not recommend using other types of free VPNs. Indeed, they will probably not protect your data correctly. It is also possible that they do not decrypt the traffic once it has passed through their VPN servers. It is very important that you always choose a reliable service. If you have the possibility of installing an OpenVPN or WireGuard server in your home, all the better. This way, you will have unlimited traffic and it will be as if you were connecting from your home.

The post 5 recommendations for online shopping appeared first on Linux Windows and android Tutorials.

What is Obfsproxy

When talking about Obfsproxy we refer to a subproject that belongs to Tor. It is used to hide web traffic when surfing the Internet. Basically, it is similar to surfing through a VPN or the Tor browser. In fact, the purpose is the same: to hide the IP address and encrypt the information we transfer when browsing. So, what is its raison d’être? The reason is that there are certain countries that use what is known as IPR. These tools are used to block VPN connections so that users cannot bypass geo-blocking, for example. There are even governments that can force operators to filter SSL traffic.

The Obfsproxy project is used to bypass these blockages. In this way we can surf the Internet without information being leaked. Certainly, it was created for Tor. However, it has features that can be exploited by developers to design, implement and test traffic hiding layers that have nothing to do with Tor. In this way, it also began to be used to hide traffic through OpenVPN.

Therefore, Obfsproxy is a project devised from Tor to improve users’ privacy. In other words, it is a way to avoid possible blocks that may exist for the use of a normal VPN or the Onion browser itself. Let’s remember that both are very popular options for accessing the network. On the other hand, it was created mainly for use in countries such as China or Venezuela, where there may be problems to browse freely.

What it is used for and how it works

By now, you are probably wondering what Obfsproxy is really for. Actually, the answer is clear. The purpose of this tool is to make browsing more private. It serves to prevent a government of a certain country from classifying Internet traffic by protocols. In fact, they know exactly what they are: (HTTPS, HTTP, SSL, VPN…). In this way, it could block the protocol it is interested in and cause users to have problems.

If, for example, a user uses OpenVPN, Obfsproxy will hide the traffic to make it look like normal and harmless HTTP traffic. This way, you will avoid blockages and problems to enter a certain web page or use an online service.

An interesting point of Obfsproxy compared to other encryption options is that its developers have managed to leave no trace. The linking protocol it uses has no recognizable patterns. This allows communication to be established without network monitors being able to detect anything strange. Obfsproxy can be used in both OpenVPN and Wireguard. To use it, it is necessary to have a working OpenVPN server. It can be one of our own or of a third party.

Is it enough to maintain privacy?

We have seen how tools such as VPN or proxy help to maintain privacy. However, this is often not enough. It is essential to take certain measures, beyond using Tor or the Obfsproxy project. For this reason, we are going to give you some tips to surf the Internet without problems and without compromising your personal data.

Always use security software

To surf the Internet safely and without privacy problems, it is essential to have a good antivirus and other programs that protect us. For example, Windows Defender is one of the most widely used. You can also try others such as Bitdefender or Avast.

However, there are tools such as a firewall that can block insecure connections. There are also browser add-ons that help improve privacy. Consequently, it avoids attacks that can compromise our personal data and affect us at any given moment.

Avoid exposing data

In this case, it is a common-sense advice. To maintain privacy on the network, it is necessary to avoid making our personal data public. For example, you should not make your e-mail address public when you post a comment on a web page or in an open forum.

It is also advisable to take care of the data we expose through social networks. On this type of platform, there may be bots that collect personal information from users to subsequently trade with it and make a profit. Therefore, it is advisable to control what information we will be exposing publicly on the network and thus improve privacy.

Install applications only from reliable sources

Another tip is to install software only from safe and official sources. For example, websites of the application itself, official stores and warranty platforms. This way we will avoid installing software that can be dangerous and steal our personal data.

It is true that sometimes we can find unofficial applications that may have interesting features. However, we do not really know who may be behind that software. Perhaps it has been created maliciously with the sole purpose of stealing personal information.

Try not to make mistakes

Finally, another recommendation is to avoid making mistakes that could expose our personal data. For example, do not open an attachment that arrives by e-mail without really knowing where it comes from. We do not know if it could be a security threat.

Most cyber-attacks, threats that put privacy at risk, will require the victim’s interaction. They will need us to make a mistake, such as opening a file or installing a program. This also includes exposing our data in some way and thus stealing information.

In short, protecting privacy when surfing the Internet is essential. We can make use of tools such as a VPN, proxy or the Tor browser. In addition, to avoid possible blocking in certain countries, the Obfsproxy project has appeared. As we have seen, this is a great way to enhance our privacy when surfing the Internet. Bye!

The post Using Obfsproxy to encrypt the connection. appeared first on Linux Windows and android Tutorials.

What are router ports?

A router is an essential element for Internet browsing. This device allows you to connect to other devices, either by cable or via Wi-Fi. A router is an essential element for Internet browsing. This device allows you to connect to other devices, either by cable or via Wi-Fi. Consequently, it manages the data we send and receive. Thus, when you access a website, the router acts as an intermediary between the website servers and the computer or cell phone you are using.

Now, what are ports? They are the gateways that the router uses for all the information to pass through. This is where all the information that we send or receive from the network is going to pass through. Therefore, whether these ports are open or closed can be decisive for the data to enter better. A domestic router, whether ADSL or fiber optic, will have a total of 65536 ports. Obviously, it is not necessary to open or use all of them. Many of them have a specific function that is important, but most of them are not really used.

Why router ports are important

These ports are going to act for data input and output. Therefore, if you have any of them closed when using an application that needs it, you may see that the connection is slow or there are cuts. For example, when downloading files or initiating a video call. Consequently, you will need to know exactly which program is used by which program. The information exchanged with the connection could be blocked or even fail to reach the destination, regardless of whether it works better or worse.

In such a case, it is necessary to act. We must know which ports are used by a certain application, for example, and open them correctly in the router. We will see that there are different types and also methods to open them, as well as thousands of ports available.

Types of router ports

The ports are supervised through IANA, an entity that is in charge of assigning them at a global level. Some ports are used by certain system services, router services or protocols. Others, on the other hand, are used for applications that connect to the Internet. For example, video call programs, games, downloads, etc.

• System ports: Those ranging from 0 to 1023. These are those reserved for the operating system and different protocols. For example, 20 is used by FTPS, 21 Ftps, 22 SSH or 25 SMTP.
• Registered ports: They are those for programs or games. They are usually configured during the installation process of that application. They range from 1024 to 49151. For example, we can name the 1194 used by OpenVPN in some NAS or 6881 used by BitTorrent.
• Private or dynamic ports: On the other hand, 49152 to 65535 are the applications that connect to a server. We will also use them in some applications that we install.

How to open router ports

We have already seen how many ports there are and what they are. Well, let’s go into the procedure to open it. Don’t worry, it is a simple procedure. Besides, at some point we will have to do it to ensure that a program works properly. The paths vary depending on the router model we have.

However, a fundamental element is to know the default gateway. Most likely it is 192.168.1.1, but this may vary. To find out what it is in your case, in Windows, you can go to the Terminal and run the ipconfig command. You will see different connection data and one of them is the gateway to access the device.

Consequently, the first thing to do is to set the default gateway and enter the router configuration. You also need to know the login details. The password, if you have not changed it, is usually of the type 1234, admin123 and similar. However, we recommend that you change this password and never leave the factory default.

Let’s get to work!

Depending on the router model, you may need to know your private IP. No problem, as this info is also in ipconfig. Basically, it is the IP of the device where you are going to play or install the program where you need to have those ports open. After obtaining this data, it is time to go to the router configuration. Once there, just open the corresponding section. Next, it is important to enter essential data. Namely, the port number (you can also put a range of several), the protocol it uses and the IP address. You can also give it a name to know in the future to which application or service it belongs.

On some models you will see that default applications are provided. This makes it easier to open the ports. In fact, just check the Default option, and you will see a menu with different programs and choose the one you are interested in. This will apply the corresponding changes without having to set anything manually.

In addition, it is a mistake to open more ports than you really need. Ultimately, the more you have open, the more exposed you are to potential network attacks. Think of your router as a large building that you want to protect; the fewer ports you have open, the better.

Enable UPnP

An alternative option is to use the UPnP protocol. This is not something that is on all routers, but it is on many. The acronym stands for Universal Plug and Play, and its function is to open or close router ports automatically. Specifically, when installing an application that requires it. It is very intriguing since we do not have to touch anything manually.

For example, if you use a video game console or a computer game, having it enabled means that it will open the necessary ports automatically. Furthermore, the good thing is that when they are not being used, it will close them again without us having to do anything. It will also help reduce the risk of security problems.

To activate the UPnP protocol in the router, you have to access the configuration and go to advanced settings. It will depend on the exact model, but you have to search for UPnP and activate the button. Once done, you will have to apply the changes to take effect, and you will be able to open or close ports automatically.

Which router ports to open

You may be wondering which ports to open. There are thousands, as we have indicated. Logically, it is not good to have all of them open for security reasons. In fact, the ideal is to open only those that you really need. For example, ports specific to an application or protocol.

Therefore, let’s take a look at the main ports that you will need to open to use some devices or services correctly. For example, a printer, a Skype video call. Furthermore, to connect a game console to the network so that the games run smoothly, without any interruption.

For the printer

When connecting a printer to the network, connectivity problems may occur. Occasionally, the cause is not having the ports open. It is important to know which ones are used and to open them in the router if necessary to make it work in the best possible way. In the instruction manual or by doing an Internet search, you will be able to see exactly which ones it uses.

However, the usual port that you must open for the printer to work properly is 9100. Other common ports are 9101, 9102, 2501, 5001, 9600, 631, 6310 or 161. All of them work for certain processes and models.

On the other hand, if you decide to open the ports, you should bear in mind the importance of updating the printer and making sure that it is protected at all times. There have been cases of cyberattacks that, for example, exploited vulnerabilities and had port 9100 opens. This flaw affected brands such as Canon and HP. You should always have all patches installed to resolve problems of this type.

Internet gaming on the PC

Another reason for wanting to open router ports is to play online games on the computer. This can be essential to keep the ping as low as possible and to avoid outages. The goal is to achieve a smooth connection and that data can travel easily. Keep in mind that our computer will have to connect to the game servers.

Now, which ports to open to play over the Internet? This will depend on the game itself. Consequently, you will need to know the ports it uses. However, there are some general ports that are usually required: 53, 80 and 443. They are used by the DNS service, browsing through HTTP and through HTTPS, respectively.

Connecting game consoles

In addition to opening ports to play on the Internet from the computer, it is also important to consider which ports should be opened on the game consoles. Each one will have a series of ports that we must open so that they work as well as possible. In this way there will not be any type of cut or speed failure. You must know which is the IP in each case to be able to configure it.

P2P Downloads

When downloading through P2P applications, it is also significant to open the ports. If you have ever used programs such as eMule or Lphant, you will surely remember the bandage next to the icon. That meant that the ports were closed and downloads were very slow, so if you use P2P programs to download files, whatever they are, you should be aware of which ports they use. Consequently, open them in the router so that the speed is adequate and problems do not appear.

For example, in the case of BitTorrent, which is one of the most popular applications, ports 9881-9999 TCP are used. However, you should know which ones are used by the program you are going to use to avoid malfunctioning. You may notice a significant difference in download speed if the ports are open or not.

Video calls

When you make a video call, you need an optimal connection. After all, you are sending and receiving numerous data, and it is important that the image is not interrupted. Therefore, you will also need to open certain ports to ensure a smooth connection and a good result.

Conclusions

Therefore, as you have been able to see in many occasions, it is necessary to open the router ports. For example, to play games over the Internet, to use video calling applications or P2P downloads. You must know exactly which ones to open. Furthermore, the steps to follow depend on the device you are using

However, as we have explained, you should bear in mind that opening router ports should be an exception. That is, you should not leave more ports open than you really need. Indeed, you could be exposing security and end up being a problem instead of a solution or an improvement. As an alternative to having to open ports manually, we have also explained the UPnP protocol alternative to open and close ports automatically. This is done when an app requires the use of the port. This feature is present in many routers. See you later!

The post Which ports should I open in the router for each task? appeared first on Linux Windows and android Tutorials.

TunnelBear

Easy to use, free and with many server options available. In short, TunnelBear is one of the best free VPNs you can have if you are searching for something basic, a simple interface, easy to use and with servers in more than twenty countries. It also has an acceptable connection speed. As a result, you will be able to browse without worries and without advertising, so you won’t have any type of interruption.

Another great aspect is safety. Indeed, e does not keep any record of our data, the identity is completely private and also uses AES 256-bit encryption with which we can be totally safe. Moreover, it is a cross-platform tool available for: Android, Windows, macOS, iOS, Firefox, Opera, or Chrome. The main limitation of this service is that it only provides 500 MB of monthly navigation. Consequently, it will not be useful for watching series or streaming movies. However, if this is not enough for you, you can purchase the premium package starting at $3.33 per month.

Windscribe

Now it is the turn of one of the most attractive options in this list. Indeed, Windscribe provides 10 GB of data to surf during the month. But that’s not all, since this amount can be extended by 5 GB more by simply tweeting about it. It has an application for computers or browser extension and its use is basic, with a very intuitive interface and support options via chat.

This service also offers high security standards. Indeed, it has an advertising and malware blocker and does not keep track of your usage. In addition, it has a good encryption and security system that will keep us protected when using it. It is compatible with macOS, iPhone, Linux, Firefox, Chrome, and Windows. We have already mentioned that it offers enough data capacity, so we can enjoy streaming like Netflix. Additionally, it allows downloading torrents even in the free version, with unlimited access.

Betternet

Betternet offers an unlimited browsing service. It is also available for all types of devices. It is available for all types of devices, and you can install it on iOS, Android, PC or Mac, as well as with its extensions for Chrome or Firefox. Its main advantage is that it has no data or speed restrictions. Therefore, you can use it freely. In addition, it does not require registration, making it a highly recommended option.

Another of its benefits is that it allows you to hide the location and IP address. This platform also offers a paid service. Consequently, we will be able to enjoy more speed, without ads and with larger locations. Betternet is available for Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, and Chrome.

Speedify

Speedify is a private network service that you can have at no cost, although it has a much more complete and unlimited paid version. It has locations in 24 different countries on five continents. It is also available for Windows, iOS, or Android.

Its operation is quite intuitive and simple, and you can choose the locations you want to connect to or let the service automatically choose for you. Once connected, all you have to worry about is surfing the Internet and visiting the pages you want from any of the compatible devices. As a limitation, we will only enjoy up to 1 GB of maximum data.

Cloudfare’s WARP

Cloudfare has a project that allows us to have a free VPN on our cell phone, for iOS and Android. We will be able to access it at no cost to increase security and privacy. However, it does not hide the IP address and sometimes does not allow access to certain blocked content. On the other hand, it will improve security if you connect from a public Wi-Fi network and encrypt the data when you do so.

FreeOpenVPN

FreeOpenVPN provides access to several free OpenVPN servers. There you will find configuration files for OpenVPN that you can download free. Therefore, all we have to do is go to the FreeOpenVPN.org site, search for the service we want to connect to and download the OpenVPN software compatible with our operating system.

Certainly, its interface is not the most attractive. Besides, its use is not for everyone, since it requires minimum technical knowledge. However, it offers several servers to access. In addition, it does not have any type of limitation of use or download. Although its speed is not the best, if it can serve to protect our data in case of accessing a public Wi-Fi.

VPNBook

VPNBook offers free unlimited data, connections via OpenVPN and PPTP protocol and AES encryption. This tool is compatible with Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and Linux. Like the previous option, its interface is not very flashy. Likewise, it is not very well known. However, the company assures us that it does not keep any logs of our Internet activity while using VPNBook, but it does keep some connection logs. However, this is done for a short period of time. This tool is financed by advertising. Since it is unlimited, we can use it to unlock streaming services, and we can also use it to download torrents.

ZoogVPN

It is an unregistered VPN provider that offers users a VPN connection with a limited number of servers and on a single device. On the other hand, its interface is not the most comfortable. Therefore, we recommend its use only on an unplanned basis. That is, if we connect to a free Wi-Fi connection in a hotel or restaurant, for example.

Although it is a free VPN, there are limits. It has a speed limit and a monthly data limit, exactly 2 GB per month. As we have just mentioned, it only allows VPN connection to one device at a time. It does, of course, allow torrent downloads. However, it is not very useful for bypassing streaming content restrictions.

Okay, we have finally looked at the best free VPNs (part 2). This is the culmination of a review of the best services for protecting our data and safeguarding our privacy. See you soon!

The post The best free VPNs (Part 2) appeared first on Linux Windows and android Tutorials.

Features

The key features of Freedombox are following.

Reliable platform:

It’s an open-source software platform and an official partner of Debian. So, we can expert long-term support, stability, and trust as well.

File Sharing:

Provide file sharing service with Dropbox, you can share items with Friends and family.

Secured VPN connection:

Comes with OpenVPN, access you resources whenever required.

Proxy Server:

proxy server provided, can be used to distributed internet among your family members or team mated.

Chat Service:

You can communicate with team without bothering security and privacy concerns.

Data backup and Data Storage:

Inbuilt Network Accessible storage can be utilized to have centralized backups and storage.

Organize your hours

With FreedomBox you can organize and sync calendars and contacts.

Install and setup Server

While installing services, make sure that this server is a fresh installation. After this installation is over no GUI will be visible anymore. Recommended to use this server as dedicated for freedombox only.

Update server.

$ sudo apt-get update 

Install package.

$sudo apt-get install -y freedombox-setup

Provide administrator password.

Ensure LDAP url access is per your need, have a look.

Define DNS services.

Define LDAP lookup service. Click next.

Mail service, if required. Click next.

When installation is almost complete, you will get following message. A secret key will be gnerated which you have to keep safe.

                                                                                                                                                                                                      FreedomBox first wizard secret - sv706mkDyRFUJVXM                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Please note down the above secret. You will be asked to enter this in the first screen after you launch the FreedomBox web interface. In case you lose it, you can retrieve it by running the following   │  command:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              $ sudo cat /var/lib/plinth/firstboot-wizard-secret        

Browse service, when installation is over.

The provide the secret key, click next.

Setup adminsitartion account, provide username and password of your choice.

What type of internet you have ? provide details and proceed.

Define router settings and move ahead.

Congratulations, your setup in complete. Just configure service per your needs.

Conclusion

Freedombox is a decent server. You require a Debian-based derivate to install the server. Installation might be lengthy, so be careful with each and every step.

The post FreedomBox your personal home server appeared first on Linux Windows and android Tutorials.

Look at some salient features of Pritunl VPN

Salient features of Pritunl VPN

• Easy to install & configure
• Support Multi Cloud VPN peering
• Provides upto 5 layers of authentication
• Very quick & easy scaling
• Acess to thousands users at a time
• Based on MongoDB

Now, move towards the installation process.

Step 1: Update Your System

First of all, update your system to have the latest packages installed.

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Step 2: Add Pritunl & MongoDB Repositories in Ubuntu 20.04

Once the update is finished, add the Pritunl & MongoDB repositories and public keys in Ubuntu 20.04. To do so run the below command.

echo "deb http://repo.pritunl.com/stable/apt focal main" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/pritunl.list

As Pritunl VPN is basically built from MongoDB so, we’ll also add the MongoDB repository. Simply, fire the below command in your terminal.

echo "deb [ arch=amd64,arm64 ] https://repo.mongodb.org/apt/ubuntu focal/mongodb-org/4.4 multiverse" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/mongodb-org-4.4.list

Now, add the public keys of both by running

curl -fsSL https://www.mongodb.org/static/pgp/server-4.4.asc | sudo apt-key add -
sudo apt-key adv --keyserver hkp://keyserver.ubuntu.com --recv 9DA31620334BD75D9DCB49F368818C72E52529D4
sudo apt update

Step 3: Install Pritunl & MongoDB on Ubuntu 20.04

Fire the given command in your terminal to install pritunl & MongoDB on Ubuntu 20.04.

sudo apt --assume-yes install pritunl mongodb-server

Once the installation is successfull, hit the below commands to start and enable mongodb services.

sudo systemctl start pritunl mongodb
sudo systemctl enable pritunl mongodb

Step 4: Configure Pritunl on Ubuntu 20.04

Finally configure the Pritunl VPN by visiting your server IP. You’ll see the similar page.

Provide the setup-key by typing the below command.

sudo pritunl setup-key
c76683c87efe4774887a9a223a2f1fd6

Now, provide the setup key and MongoDB url on the first page. Run the given command to see the default credentials to login.

root@sabi:~$ sudo pritunl default-password
[undefined][2020-11-30 8:01:55,033][INFO] Getting default administrator password
Administrator default password:
username: "pritunl"
password: "xGupSTJtdiJ8"

When you login by entering default credentials generate above, you’ll see the similar page.

Now provide new password & save it then you’ll be redirected to the configuration page where you can configure organization,users & servers.

Click on “Add Organization” button in order to add your organization. Provide the name and click “Add”

You’ll see the similar page when organization added.

In the next step, click on “Add User” to add user. Fill up required details to add user.

In order to add many users at once, navigate to “Bulk Add user”.

Now, to create a VPN server click on “servers” & then “Add server”.

Provide the required details and click “Add” and you’ll see that server has been added as seen below:

Don’t forget to attach the server to organization by clicking on “Attach Organization”.

Step 5: Configure Pritunl Client On Ubuntu 20.04

Now, configure the Pritunl VPN client to connect it to the Pritunl Server. On ubuntu 20.04, type the following command.

sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/pritunl.list << EOF
deb https://repo.pritunl.com/stable/apt focal main
EOF

sudo apt-key adv --keyserver hkp://keyserver.ubuntu.com --recv 7568D9BB55FF9E5287D586017AE645C0CF8E292A

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install pritunl-client-electron

Once the client is installed, switch back to the server to download the user profile. To do so, go to the “Users” section & click on the download icon. It’ll be like this.

In order to connect to the VPN server, click on Import Profile.

In CLI use the “nmcli” command to connect to the Pritunl VPN. Make sure you’ve the below dependencies installed.

sudo apt-get install network-manager network-manager-openvpn
# with Gnome Desktop environment, use:
sudo apt-get install network-manager-gnome network-manager-openvpn-gnome

And run,

sudo nmcli connection import type openvpn file Lorna_lorna_Pritunl-VPN.ovpn

To start using the profile, run the below command.

nmcli connection up Lorna_lorna_Pritunl-VPN.ovpn

So, this is how you can install Pritunl VPN on Ubuntu 20.04

The post How To Install and Configure Pritunl VPN Server On Ubuntu 20.04 appeared first on Linux Windows and android Tutorials.

Key Features

• Easy to use: With the help of a simple key exchange, a VPN connection made here.
• Trusted Cryptography: It uses state of the art cryptography like-Curve25519, HKDF, or Blake2.
• Performance: Suitable for both low and high configuration devices.
• Quick deployment: Can be setup quickly, with very few commnads.

Server Settings for WireGuard VPN

Let’s deploy WireGuard VPN with Ubuntu 20.04 LTS. The client machine (Ubuntu 20.04) is required as well.

Update server.

# apt-get update 

Install package.

# apt-get install wireguard

Have a look if ip forwarding enabled or not.

# nono /etc/sysctl.conf

WireGuard work on port 51820, allow that.

 #ufw allow 51820/udp
Rules updated
Rules updated (v6)

Both client and server require to generate their own private and public keys, let’s do that for the server first.

# cd /etc/wireguard/

Change permissions.

# umask 077

Generate private and public keys.

#wg genkey | tee privatekey | wg pubkey > publickey

Have a look, if keys are generated.

Amend WireGuard configuration file, create file /etc/wiregurard.

#touch wg0.conf 

Edit wg0.conf.

# nano wg0.conf

You can copy configuration file from here:

[Interface]
PrivateKey = CA1l0/AkJRoE9HXkjOECJySGD+8D14nwwoRO3HVVCls=
Address = 192.168.1.239/24
SaveConfig=true
PostUp=iptables -A FORWARD -i wg0 -j ACCEPT; iptables -t nat -A POSTROUTING -o eth0 -j MASQUERADE
PostDown=iptables -D FORWARD -i wg0 -j ACCEPT; iptables -t nat -D POSTROUTING -o eth0 -j MASQUERADE
ListenPort = 51820

Where,

PrivateKey= Copy private key.

Address= Server IP address.

Copy IP tables rule from here.

ListenPort= WireGuard VPN default port.

 Make network interface up for WireGuard

# wg-quick up wg0

**Command Output***

[#] ip link add wg0 type wireguard
[#] wg setconf wg0 /dev/fd/63
[#] ip -4 address add 192.168.1.0/24 dev wg0
[#] ip link set mtu 1420 up dev wg0
[#] iptables -A FORWARD -i wg0 -j ACCEPT; iptables -t nat -A POSTROUTING -o eth0 -j MASQUERADE 

Check WireGuard service status

# wg

Output

Client Settings for WireGuard VPN

Let’s login to client. Here we have another Ubuntu machine. Install WireGuard VPN client with apt install WireGuard command as we did for server.

Generate keys

#wg genkey | tee privatekey | wg pubkey > publickey

Create and edit wg0.conf file for client. Where

[Interface]

PrivateKey= The key generated for client.

ListenPort=The Default port for WireGuard VPN.

Address= IP address of that client machine.

[Peer]

PublicKey= copy public key from server.

EndPoint= Ip address of the server.

AllowedIPs = all all traffic via WireGuard VPN.

Make WireGuard up

#wg-quick up wg0

Check services

# wg

Add client to the server, copy client key and paste in server wg conf file, run following command, and paste copied key.

wg set wg0 peer 21aCR8N0sUDuqUlVVm/Y7r5OKVV8FT9cZZr0YcEagUg= allowed-ips 192.168.1.0/24

You can add as many clients are required by adding private keys, and ip ddresses of the clients.

Stop and start back wg service and check, if any update in the conf file. Yes, we can see the changes.

# wg-quick down wg0 && wg-quick up wg0

Here all your WireGuard VPN is set to go. Though WireGuard is getting popular day by day, but still so many changes are going on. WireGuard should be avoided for any critical live environment.

The post How to setup WireGuard VPN with ubuntu 20.04 appeared first on Linux Windows and android Tutorials.

VPN or virtual private network is a set of technologies that allows a network to connect through a protected tunnel with other networks. VPNs are uses by an organization to provide remote access of their protected resource maybe access to some files, software access, or some client communication. A VPN Create private communication between two devices. Devices can be similar or different, I can be a mobile, router, or a computer, it allows remote access while protecting traffic/communication as well.

How a VPN works?

“Private” in VPN refers to network topology instead of privacy. VPN work based on routing, bridging, and encapsulation. Layer 3 VPN creates a new route for virtual network adopter while in bridging VPN method (or Layer 2) method like connected devices are on the same physical network.

Encapsulation means traveling information is wrapped inside packets, these encapsulated packets travel through a secure VPN tunnel between server and client. A VPN server will be only visible to clients. VPN or virtual private network is a set of technologies that allows a network to connect through a protected tunnel with other networks. VPNs are uses by an organization to provide remote access of their protected resource maybe access to some files, software access, or some client communication. A VPN Create private communication between two devices.

So, Devices can be similar or different, I can be a mobile, router, or a computer, it allows remote access while protecting traffic/communication as well.

Configure OpenVPN    

Pre requisites:

1. Ubuntu 20.04 LST
2. Internet connection
3. A mobile/remote device to test your OpenVPN services.

Install required packaged:

So, open a browser and go to the OpenVPN main site

Click on Get OpenVPN visible on upper left corner of the site.

Then, click on the Ubuntu icon.

After that, Install required packages are per instructions provided on website.

# apt update && apt -y install ca-certificates wget net-tools gnupg

wget -qO - https://as-repository.openvpn.net/as-repo-public.gpg | apt-key add -

# echo "deb http://as-repository.openvpn.net/as/debian focal main">/etc/apt/sources.list.d/openvpn-as-repo.list 

When installation process is over you will be able to see following message, where VPN server is accessible on port number 943.

Let’s access admin portal first, assign password to OpenVPN user.

# passwd OpenVPN

Then, open URL https://ip-addr:943/admin, provide user id and password created in previous step:

Then, Click on user management and go to user permissions

Create a new user (demouser in our example scenario), click on more settings, define password and save settings.

Here you have created a VPN client user which can be accessed via remote.

To check if creds are working properly or not, open https://ip-addr:943 in another browser. Provide user id and password created in above step (demouser).

After providing credential, a window something like below will appear. Here you can save your VPN profiles by click on user-locked profile.

To run a OpenVPN client on MS Windows®, download application and install.

When setup is done, open MS Windows VPN client application and provide credentials.

Enable OpenVPN connection, we can see successfully connected VPN connection on MS Windows® client.  

So, let’s try with android device as well. Download OpenVPN application on your mobile device.

Provide credentials and connect OpenVPN connection, steps are exactly as were for Desktop.  

Now both of the devices (Desktop and Android) are connected, lets see if connections are visible on OpenVPN server or not.

Open https://ip-addr:943/admin

We can see 02 active connections up and running.

Conclusion

OpenVPN is one of the most reputed VPN authentication services getting used globally. Also, OpenVPN is a standardized open-source protocol, where a maximum of the devices supports OpenVPN and can connect via that protocol.

So, the application is very easy to set up and robust platform which can be used for corporate, educational, or government organization for secure tunneled communications.

The post Setting up OpenVPN Server on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS appeared first on Linux Windows and android Tutorials.

In simple terms, a VPN connects your Cellular, Computer, & Tablet to any other computer (server) over the Internet and lets in you to access the Internet.
It will connect you using that server’s internet and also get entry to the local community via bypassing Internet censorship remotely. VPN has many other different advantages you can google them for learning in more details.
So, today we will learn that how we can Install VPN on our CentOS 8 system to stay secure and browser different activities securely. Just follow the below steps for an easy installation.

Step 1: Update your system

As usual we do, update your system by runnig

sudo yum update && sudo yum upgrade

Step 2: Disable SELinux

After updating system don’t forget to disable SELinux before further proceeding. Open the file /etc/selinux/config & then change the following line to disable SELinux

sudo nano /etc/selinux/config
SELINUX=disabled

Then save the file & exit.

Step 3: Enable IP Forwarding

Now, enable the IP forwarding in CentOS 8. It will allows the coming packets & then forward it to the network when destination is on another network.

For enabling IP Forwarding type

sudo nano /etc/sysctl.conf

Then add the following line

net.ipv4.ip_forward = 1

After it save the file & exit.

Step 4: Installing OpenVPN Server

If you’ve already installed EPEL repository in your system, leave the first step below. If you don’t have install it by

sudo dnf install epel-release -y

After it run the command to install OpenVPN server

sudo dnf install openvpn -y

When the installation finished, switch to the /etc/openvpn directory & download the easy-rsa for Security purposes.

cd /etc/openvpn
sudo wget https://github.com/OpenVPN/easy-rsa/releases/download/v3.0.6/EasyRSA-unix-v3.0.6.tgz

Then extract the downloaded package.

sudo tar -xvzf EasyRSA-unix-v3.0.6.tgz

And move the resulting

sudo mv EasyRSA-v3.0.6 easy-rsa

Step 5: Configuring Easy RSA

As for security reasons, we’ve to add SSL certificates. And for these purposes configure the Easy RSA on our system.

Switch to the /etc/openvpn/easy-rsa directory & create a new file

cd /etc/openvpn/easy-rsa
sudo nano vars

Then paste the below content into the file

set_var EASYRSA                 "$PWD"
 set_var EASYRSA_PKI             "$EASYRSA/pki"
 set_var EASYRSA_DN              "cn_only"
 set_var EASYRSA_REQ_COUNTRY     "PAKISTAN"
 set_var EASYRSA_REQ_PROVINCE    "PUNJAB"
 set_var EASYRSA_REQ_CITY        "MULTAN"
 set_var EASYRSA_REQ_ORG         "osradar CERTIFICATE AUTHORITY"
 set_var EASYRSA_REQ_EMAIL        "admin@osradar.com"
 set_var EASYRSA_REQ_OU          "osradar EASY CA"
 set_var EASYRSA_KEY_SIZE        2048
 set_var EASYRSA_ALGO            rsa
 set_var EASYRSA_CA_EXPIRE        7500
 set_var EASYRSA_CERT_EXPIRE     365
 set_var EASYRSA_NS_SUPPORT        "no"
 set_var EASYRSA_NS_COMMENT        "osradar CERTIFICATE AUTHORITY"
 set_var EASYRSA_EXT_DIR         "$EASYRSA/x509-types"
 set_var EASYRSA_SSL_CONF        "$EASYRSA/openssl-easyrsa.cnf"
 set_var EASYRSA_DIGEST          "sha256"

Note: Replace the country, province, city & email address with yours.

Save the file & exit.

After it run the command to initiate the PKI directory.

./easyrsa init-pki

Output:

You’ll see the output like this.

Now, build the CA certificates

sudo ./easyrsa build-ca

Output:

Note: You’ll be given two files named as ca.key & ca.crt from the above running command. You can use them while logging in to server & clients.

Step 6: Generating Server Certificate Files

Now, run the command to generate the key-pair & certificate request.

sudo ./easyrsa gen-req osradar-server nopass

Output:

Here’s output sample

Step 7: Sign the Server Key Using CA

Now, sign in the osradar-server key with the help of your CA certificate.

To do this just fire the command

sudo ./easyrsa sign-req server osradar-server

Output:

You will see the output like this

openssl verify -CAfile pki/ca.crt pki/issued/osradar-server.crt 

You’ll see the similar output upon successful configuration.

pki/issued/osradar-server.crt: OK

Now, generate the Diffie-Hellman key for exchange key purposes

sudo ./easyrsa gen-dh

Output:

As you finished all these just copy them to the /etc/openvpn/server/ directory

cp pki/ca.crt /etc/openvpn/server/
cp pki/dh.pem /etc/openvpn/server/
cp pki/private/osradar-server.key /etc/openvpn/server/
cp pki/issued/osradar-server.crt /etc/openvpn/server/

Step 8: Generating Client Certificate & Key File

Generate the client key file using

sudo ./easyrsa gen-req client nopass

Output:

Now, sign the client key with the help of your CA certificate

sudo ./easyrsa sign-req client client

Output:

After finishing these changes, copy them to the /etc/openvpn/client/ directory

cp pki/ca.crt /etc/openvpn/client/
cp pki/issued/client.crt /etc/openvpn/client/
cp pki/private/client.key /etc/openvpn/client/

Step 9: Configuring OpenVPN Server

Make a new config file under the /etc/openvpn/client with your favourite editor

sudo nano /etc/openvpn/server/server.conf

Then paste the below content into it.

port 1194
 proto udp
 dev tun
 ca /etc/openvpn/server/ca.crt
 cert /etc/openvpn/server/osradar-server.crt
 key /etc/openvpn/server/osradar-server.key
 dh /etc/openvpn/server/dh.pem
 server 10.8.0.0 255.255.255.0
 push "redirect-gateway def1"
 push "dhcp-option DNS 208.67.222.222"
 push "dhcp-option DNS 208.67.220.220"
 duplicate-cn
 cipher AES-256-CBC
 tls-version-min 1.2
 tls-cipher TLS-DHE-RSA-WITH-AES-256-GCM-SHA384:TLS-DHE-RSA-WITH-AES-256-CBC-SHA256:TLS-DHE-RSA-WITH-AES-128-GCM-SHA256:TLS-DHE-RSA-WITH-AES-128-CBC-SHA256
 auth SHA512
 auth-nocache
 keepalive 20 60
 persist-key
 persist-tun
 compress lz4
 daemon
 user nobody
 group nobody
 log-append /var/log/openvpn.log
 verb 3

After it save & exit the file.

Step 10: Start OpenVPN Services

Simply run the command below to start & enable the OpenVPN Services

sudo systemctl start openvpn-server@server
sudo systemctl enable openvpn-server@server

Make sure that the status is active by

systemctl status openvpn-server@server

Upon successful setup, OpenVPN Server will create a new network interface. Check it by typing

ifconfig

Output:

Step 11: Generating Client Configuration File

It is necessary to generate the client configuration file in order to connect to the OpenVPN server from the client system.

sudo nano /etc/openvpn/client/client.ovpn

Then paste the below data into it.

client
 dev tun
 proto udp
 remote vpn-server-ip 1194
 ca ca.crt
 cert client.crt
 key client.key
 cipher AES-256-CBC
 auth SHA512
 auth-nocache
 tls-version-min 1.2
 tls-cipher TLS-DHE-RSA-WITH-AES-256-GCM-SHA384:TLS-DHE-RSA-WITH-AES-256-CBC-SHA256:TLS-DHE-RSA-WITH-AES-128-GCM-SHA256:TLS-DHE-RSA-WITH-AES-128-CBC-SHA256
 resolv-retry infinite
 compress lz4
 nobind
 persist-key
 persist-tun
 mute-replay-warnings
 verb 3

Save & exit the file

Step 12: Configuring Routing

Allow the service through the firewalld by typing

firewall-cmd --permanent --add-service=openvpn
 firewall-cmd --permanent --zone=trusted --add-service=openvpn
 firewall-cmd --permanent --zone=trusted --add-interface=tun0

And then add the MASQUERADE on the default zone.

firewall-cmd --add-masquerade
firewall-cmd --permanent --add-masquerade

After it allow the coming requests from VPN to local system (VPN Network to local network)

osradar=$(ip route get 8.8.8.8 | awk 'NR==1 {print $(NF-2)}')
 firewall-cmd --permanent --direct --passthrough ipv4 -t nat -A POSTROUTING -s 10.8.0.0/24 -o $osradar -j MASQUERADE

Reload the changes

firewall-cmd --reload

Step 13: Use OpenVPN from Clients

To use the OpenVPN from the client machine, you’ve to install the OpenVPN package with the following command

dnf install epel-release -y
dnf install openvpn -y

After it download the OpenVPN client config files from server to client system.

Run the given command on client system

scp -r root@vpn-server-ip:/etc/openvpn/client  .

As it get finished switch to the client directory and type

cd client
openvpn --config client.ovpn

When the connection becomes successful, OpenVPN will assign the IP address to your system. Type the command to verify it.

ifconfig tun0

So, this is how you can configure and install the OpenVPN server and client on CentOS 8.

The post How To Install OpenVPN on CentOS 8 appeared first on Linux Windows and android Tutorials.

First, what is a VPN?

A VPN (Virtual Private Network) is a technology that allows several computers to communicate on an internal network using the Internet. That is to say, they allow to communicate as if it were a local network but without being physically close. All thanks to the Internet.

This concept allows large corporations to privately share information, files and resources to manage their systems and equipment. It is something quite useful to use.

On the other hand, the use of VPN is widespread on the Internet to bypass restrictions by countries or to add a little more security to the connection. This is because you need a VPN server that is normally in other countries.

Well, with the aim of offering anonymity and privacy to the connections to Internet of our computer is that ProtonVPN is born and we celebrate the arrival of the Linux client written in Python.

So, let us get started.

Installing ProtonVPN on Debian 10

ProtonVPN has released a new client with terminal interface created in Python. According to the developers it will allow a better support and maintenance of it. In addition, installation on Debian 10 is made very easy.

First, you need to install some necessary dependencies. To do this, open a terminal and run the following:

:~$ sudo apt install openvpn dialog python3-pip python3-setuptools

Then, using the tool called PIP, we will be able to install it without problems.

:~$ sudo pip3 install protonvpn-cli

To use this client, you must first own a ProtonVPN account and choose a plan. You can do it through this link.

Then, you have to initialize the client with the following command:

:~$ sudo protonvpn init

With this command, you can configure your ProtonVPN credentials and select the plan and the preferred protocol.

Then it’s time to connect to a server. For that the command is:

:~$ sudo protonvpn c

And will show a screen in terminal where we can connect to the server interactively.

Once you connect, you will be ready and using Proton’s VPN.

As a final tip, I leave you a link with all the commands you can use with the VPN client.

If you wish to disconnect, just use this command:

:~$ sudo protonvpn d

And that is it, enjoy it.

The post How to install ProtonVPN on Debian 10? appeared first on Linux Windows and android Tutorials.