Hot Take VPN Detection: Overview of Methods and Techniques (Blog)

[Ink]

Blog: VPN Detection: Overview of Methods and Techniques

Topics covered​

• Overview of VPN detection methods
  • Database validation
  • Time zone mismatch
  • Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) /IP Detection
  • OS mismatch
  • Maximum Transmission Unit (MTU)
• Other VPN detection techniques
  • Port Scanning
  • WebRTC IP address leakage
  • DNS IP address leakage
  • Latency Test
  • HTTP/Proxy Headers
  • Detecting VPN Browser Extensions

Tor​

Tor is also worth mentioning. Tor, short for The Onion Router, is a well-known anonymity network. Detection of the Tor network involves recognizing the IP addresses associated with Tor nodes and output relays. Tor user traffic passes through a series of servers, and the IP address of the exit relay becomes visible when the user goes out to the open Internet. Identification of these IP addresses can indicate the use of the Tor network.

Tor users are well aware of the detection method and often employ countermeasures to protect their anonymity. They may configure Tor bridges, use obfuscation techniques, or use VPNs, creating additional detection challenges. These countermeasures illustrate the constant cat-and-mouse game between privacy-conscious users and those trying to identify their browsing practices.

Conclusion​

VPN usage has drastically increased over the last few years, with a third of all internet users having used a VPN. While there are many added security and user experience benefits for an internet user to utilize a VPN provider, there's the darker side of fraudulent activities conducted through VPN usage, including malware distribution, click fraud, and identity theft.

We showed several VPN detection methods, which range from simple timezone mismatch that correlates with anonymizing services usage to more advanced techniques that inspect the packet structure to search for known deviations from the standard and are therefore able to detect underlying VPN protocols.

 

[ForgottenSeer 103564]

Blog: VPN Detection: Overview of Methods and Techniques

Topics covered​

• Overview of VPN detection methods
  • Database validation
  • Time zone mismatch
  • Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) /IP Detection
  • OS mismatch
  • Maximum Transmission Unit (MTU)
• Other VPN detection techniques
  • Port Scanning
  • WebRTC IP address leakage
  • DNS IP address leakage
  • Latency Test
  • HTTP/Proxy Headers
  • Detecting VPN Browser Extensions

By identifying the hosting provider they can also detect proxy chains as long as the IP is form a "known" provider.

 

[codswollip]

Now tell us how to defeat these detection means.

 

[ForgottenSeer 103564]

Now tell us how to defeat these detection means.

Now just why in the world would you need to know how to hide and bypass firewall IDS/IPS?

(The only real reason anyone would waste time with detection of real identity via any of those listed.)

 

[Ink]

Now tell us how to defeat these detection means.

Here is what your BOT friend has to say:

Defeating VPN detection methods can be challenging, but there are some techniques that can help enhance your anonymity and avoid being detected. Here are a few strategies:

1. Use a reputable VPN provider: Choose a VPN service that has a strong reputation for privacy and security. Look for providers that have a no-logs policy, meaning they do not keep any records of your online activities.
2. Dedicated IP addresses: Some VPN providers offer dedicated IP addresses that are not associated with VPN servers. This can help avoid detection as your IP address won't be recognized as belonging to a VPN.
3. Obfuscation techniques: Utilize VPN protocols or tools that employ obfuscation techniques, which make VPN traffic appear as normal web traffic. This can help bypass detection methods that are specifically looking for VPN protocols.
4. Multi-hop VPNs: Consider using multi-hop VPN connections, also known as VPN cascading. This involves routing your VPN traffic through multiple VPN servers in different locations, adding an extra layer of complexity and making it harder to detect.
5. Tor network: Combining a VPN with the Tor network can add an additional layer of anonymity. By using Tor over VPN, your traffic is first encrypted by the VPN before being routed through the Tor network, making it more difficult to associate your traffic with a VPN.
6. Disable WebRTC: WebRTC is a browser feature that can potentially leak your real IP address, even if you are connected to a VPN. Disable WebRTC or use browser extensions that prevent IP address leakage to avoid detection through this method.
7. Use DNS leak protection: Enable DNS leak protection in your VPN client settings or use third-party tools to prevent DNS leaks. DNS leaks can reveal your true IP address and compromise your anonymity.

Remember that while these techniques can help enhance your anonymity, there is no foolproof method to completely defeat VPN detection. It's important to stay informed about the latest detection methods and regularly update your VPN software to ensure optimal privacy and security.

A message from Google Bard:

VPN companies use a variety of techniques to stop VPN detection tactics, including:

• IP address rotation: VPN companies have large networks of servers, and they regularly rotate the IP addresses that their users are assigned. This makes it difficult for websites and services to block VPN users, because they have to constantly update their blacklists of known VPN IP addresses.
• Obfuscation: VPN obfuscation is a technique that makes VPN traffic look like regular internet traffic. This can be done by using encryption protocols that are difficult to detect, or by disguising VPN traffic as other types of traffic, such as HTTPS traffic.
• Dedicated IP addresses: Some VPN companies offer dedicated IP addresses to their users. This means that each user has their own unique IP address, which is not shared with any other users. This can make it more difficult for websites and services to detect VPN users, because they cannot simply block a range of IP addresses.
• Split tunneling: Split tunneling is a feature that allows users to choose which traffic goes through the VPN and which traffic goes directly through their internet connection. This can be useful for bypassing VPN blocks on websites and services that do not allow VPN access.

In addition to these technical measures, VPN companies also work to improve their privacy and security practices. This includes measures such as using strong encryption protocols, keeping no logs of user activity, and having their security practices audited by independent third parties.

It is important to note that no VPN is completely undetectable. However, by using the techniques described above, VPN companies can make it very difficult for websites and services to detect and block VPN users.

Here are some additional tips for avoiding VPN detection:

• Use a reputable VPN provider with a large server network.
• Choose a VPN protocol that is known to be difficult to detect, such as WireGuard or OpenVPN with obfuscation.
• Use a dedicated IP address if possible.
• Use split tunneling to bypass VPN blocks on specific websites and services.
• Keep your VPN software up to date.