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Use strong authentication: Use strong authentication protocols like two-factor authentication or multi-factor authentication to ensure that only authorized users can access the VPN server.
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Use strong encryption: Use strong encryption protocols like AES-256 and implement industry-standard encryption algorithms for data transmitted.
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Avoid outdated protocols: Do not use outdated or insecure protocols like PPTP, and implement only secure protocols like OpenVPN, L2TP/IPsec, and IKEv2.
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Secure your server host: The server host’s operating system should be up-to-date and configured to limit unnecessary access to server resources.
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Implement firewall rules: Implement firewall rules to limit access to specific ports and services, allowing only the necessary traffic into the server.
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Disable all logs.
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Use virtual segmentation: Deploy the VPN service in a demilitarized zone (DMZ), or on a separate network segment to virtualize controls and mitigate the impact of any breach.
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Limit user access: Limit user access to only the necessary resources that they need to use while connected to the VPN.
Remember, password security and access management are also critical aspects of VPN security. Minimizing risks also depend on safe and responsible use of the VPN. Stay informed and up-to-date on the most effective methods to keep your VPN server and users secure.
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Once you have SSH setup and running with your Ubuntu or any linux distro based OpenVPN installation, you can run the following command to access the server file
nano /etc/openvpn/server.conf -
At the end of the config file simply add the next two lines, and it will disable logging so that you will have a logless VPN.
log /dev/null
log-append /dev/null
status /dev/null
verb 0
- After adding, push ctrl+x to save and restart the OpenVPN service
service openvpn restart
Once all steps are completed, your VPN connection will be anonymous, secure and you will have a logless VPN.
- However using the following command it will output connection logs which includes client IP addresses.
journalctl --identifier openvpn
It say this:
-- Logs begin at Sat 2023-04-29 04:49:22 UTC, end at Sat 2023-04-29 05:09:36 UTC. --
-- No entries --
- Now Connect your .ovpn config with OpenVPN Connect
By default, WireGuard logs important information about its operations to the system log files. This is useful for troubleshooting issues, but may not be desirable if you want to use the VPN anonymously. Here are steps to turn off WireGuard logs:
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Edit the WireGuard configuration file: Open your WireGuard configuration file with a text editor using administrator privileges. The location of the configuration file can vary depending on your system and how WireGuard was installed.
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Add the following lines to the configuration file: Under the [Interface] section of the configuration file, add the following two lines:
PrivateKey = omit
SaveConfig = false
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Save the configuration file: Save the updated configuration file and close the text editor.
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Restart WireGuard: Restart the WireGuard service to apply the changes to the configuration file. The exact command to use will vary depending on your system and how WireGuard was installed.
With these steps, WireGuard logs will be turned off and important information will no longer be recorded. However, it's still possible that some logs or traces may exist elsewhere on the system, so it's important to take other measures to ensure anonymous use of the VPN, such as using Tor or another privacy-focused technology.
Open the Pritunl configuration file for editing:
sudo nano /etc/pritunl.conf
Add the following line to the file to disable logging:
log_path = /dev/null
The /dev/null path discards all log output.
Save the file and exit.
Restart the Pritunl service to apply the changes:
sudo systemctl restart pritunl
That's it! You've now successfully disabled all logs on Pritunl on your Ubuntu 20.04 machine. Note that this may affect your ability to diagnose any issues with the Pritunl service, so use this option with caution.