How Anonymous is a VPN on AWS?

[newcbomb]

Ive got a L2TP w/ Pre-Shared Key VPN running on the AWS Free tier. It works great, but how anonymous and private is it? Thanks.

[orbitalbuzzsaw]

Very few VPN services (only ExpressVPN if I recall) host their own servers so it's about as good as you're going to get

[Alex Atkin UK]

The way I see it, a VPN that is audited to ensure they are taking no identifiable logs is WAY more anonymous than AWS where due to it being shared they almost certainly ARE keeping logs of some sort.

 

It also helps many VPNs accept cryptocurrency whereas AFAIK with AWS you have to provide your name and address.

[Mornincupofhate]

Short explanation: do something illegal on it, and you'll get caught. 

 

The second an aws employee gets a call from the FBI who has a subpoena, they're gonna be shitting bricks, because its the fbi, and they're going to forward them everything they have on you; including your: credit card, IP address used to connect to the remote server, IP address used to register the account, your full name on file, your address, phone number, etc. 

[Alex Atkin UK]

Yeah I absolutely wouldn't even run torrents on a AWS or a VPS, a VPN is the only option.

[newcbomb]

59 minutes ago, Alex Atkin UK said:

Yeah I absolutely wouldn't even run torrents on a AWS or a VPS, a VPN is the only option.

Im not running torrents, just Mega, ZippyShare, G-Drive, and a few other download sites. 

[dalekphalm]

2 hours ago, newcbomb said:

Im not running torrents, just Mega, ZippyShare, G-Drive, and a few other download sites. 

Let me clarify some things.

 

You've creating a server off of AWS's free tier. On said server, you're hosting your own VPN Server. You're then connecting to said VPN server from home.

 

Is that correct?

[Alex Atkin UK]

I'm confused too, are you using this VPN to access the Internet or you are downloading stuff to your AWS and then using the VPN to download FROM there?

There is a key distinction there as unless I'm looking in the wrong place:

"You may only use Amazon VPC to connect your computing resources to certain AWS computing resources via a Virtual Private Network (VPN) connection.

When you transfer data between AWS computing resources running inside Amazon VPC and AWS computing resources running outside Amazon VPC, you will be charged VPN data transfer rates in addition to any applicable Internet data transfer changes. VPN connection charges accrue during any time your VPN connection is in the “available” state."

So I'm honestly curious which AWS services you are using to achieve this.

[newcbomb]

@dalekphalm @Alex Atkin UK

 

Sorry I didnt clarify.. Im using an Amazon EC2 Instance Running a VPN Server. At home, i have a server that is connected to that VPN. Im using my at home server to download files. 

[dalekphalm]

2 hours ago, newcbomb said:

@dalekphalm @Alex Atkin UK

 

Sorry I didnt clarify.. Im using an Amazon EC2 Instance Running a VPN Server. At home, i have a server that is connected to that VPN. Im using my at home server to download files. 

Okay. So the answer to how anonymous it is... is zero. 

 

It’s not anonymous at all. 

 

You’re paying for Amazon AWS, which is an American service, that is required by law to keep information about you the client, and the services you use. 

 

They might not have direct access to your server logs, but if law enforcement provides them with a valid warrant, they will give them access to your server. 

 

Everything you do between home and your AWS server is trackable by Amazon.

 

Plus it’s all in your name too. 

 

If you want to download illegal content, you’re better off paying for a VPS in a country that doesn’t cooperate with American law enforcement. 

 

But then the service wouldn’t be very reputable or trustworthy, so you’re boned  either way. 

[Peter S]

On 04/08/2018 at 1:18 AM, dalekphalm said:

Okay. So the answer to how anonymous it is... is zero. 

 

It’s not anonymous at all. 

 

You’re paying for Amazon AWS, which is an American service, that is required by law to keep information about you the client, and the services you use. 

 

 

Dalek is on the money here! Just because you have a different IP won't mean your anonymous, and AWS will happily release your data if you do anything illegal. It will give you some protection security wise but not much privacy wise.

I'd check out this useful list of VPNs , as Orbital said ExpressVPN is probably a good shot.

You might also want to check out Tor but that's probably not so useful for you as it kills your speed like hell.

[dalekphalm]

2 minutes ago, Maria Phene said:

Dalek is on the money here! Just because you have a different IP won't mean your anonymous, and AWS will happily release your data if you do anything illegal. It will give you some protection security wise but not much privacy wise.

I'd check out this useful list of VPNs , as Orbital said ExpressVPN is probably a good shot.

You might also want to check out Tor but that's probably not so useful for you as it kills your speed like hell.

Bingo.

 

AWS "self hosted" VPN is great if you want some additional security against stuff like Hackers or whatever - or wanted to slightly obscure your advertisement data, etc.

 

It will not protect you against the Government who can issue court orders to gain access to your data and Amazon's logs.

[LAwLz]

Just a reminder to everyone. VPNs do not provide anonymity. They were never designed to provide anonymity, nor do they have any kind of mechanism to provide it.

The three things they can provide are:

Confidentiality - Nobody between the VPN endpoints can read what is being sent. 

Integrity - The receiver can validate that the packet has not been modified. 

Authentication - The receiver can validate that the sender is in fact the one it claims to be.

 

In order to get anonymity, you need a protocol like the one used in Tor.

[dalekphalm]

1 hour ago, LAwLz said:

Just a reminder to everyone. VPNs do not provide anonymity. They were never designed to provide anonymity, nor do they have any kind of mechanism to provide it.

The three things they can provide are:

Confidentiality - Nobody between the VPN endpoints can read what is being sent. 

Integrity - The receiver can validate that the packet has not been modified. 

Authentication - The receiver can validate that the sender is in fact the one it claims to be.

 

In order to get anonymity, you need a protocol like the one used in Tor.

The problem is that most of the paid subscription based VPN's market themselves as giving you "additional privacy" and feed into the misconception that it gives you anonymity.

 

Sure it does, if you can trust some random company not to sell you out when the feds come knocking. And assuming you used fake info to sign up, paid with currency that is not traced back to you (Crypto can easily be traced using the blockchain). Do you really rust them that well? Even if they face potential criminal charges or even jail time for not cooperating?

 

Yeah.

 

No.

 

And even in that "ideal" scenario, there are still plenty of ways to track or identify a person.