Hello!
For the context: You might know, that recently in Russia the federal network service (Roskomnadzor) started utilizing “white lists” for mobile internet (meaning - you can access only “allowed” IP addresses), so now almost everywhere in the country you have to use VPN with a specific protocol and configured in a special way just to brake free from these white lists. And now they are trying to deploy a literal spyware inside of the local Russian apps (banking, maps, search, messenger, marketplace, etc.). Some of these services can be used in a web browser, but some cannot.
Anyway, right now it is known for sure, that the governmental messenger app called “Max”, that came to replace Telegram in Russia, detects the fact of using VPN on a device and sends the data to the federal security service. This data contains almost everything about the connection, which is a disaster. I will not put out the whole list of consequences here, I hope you’ve got the idea. And it seems, that even putting those apps in “private” zone (with Shelter, for example) wouldn’t help the situation.
So the feature I want to propose is some way of hiding the fact of using VPN, if it’s even possible. Nobody’s saying anything on the topic on the Internet, so just to get started, I’d like to at least discuss the possibility.
Thanks in advance!
P.S.: Sorry if my English is weird in any way.
Isn’t split tunneling what you’re looking for?
Hello! Thank you for the reply.
No. The thing is, that we need to use VLESS protocol to get around the white lists, and at the same time all of the VLESS clients have a critical vulnerability, that reveals usage of split tunneling. So now it’s not a problem for the spyware.
Here is the article about the issue on habr: Из-за критической уязвимости VLESS клиентов скоро все ваши VPN будут заблокированы / Хабр
I know that this is a problem that should solve the developers of those VPN clients, but if there will be an option to hide usage of VPN from certain apps for good within the system, then it could solve more general problem.
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According to the habr article there might be fixes for VLESS coming soon? Aren’t any of these VPN apps open source? Doesn’t Proton VPN work?
Hopefully Ukraine will end soon, it seems that’s the reason for these blocks?
I have been following the VPN situation in the news and I read that some minister was tasked with figuring out how to reduce the VPN usage, but VPN users won’t be fined:
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VPN apps removed from the Russian App Store.
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Possible fee for VPN/foreign traffic.
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Rumours about whitelists coming to Russia, but it was blamed on a DDoS attack.
@mikaeldui
Hello! The problem is not only with vless clients wich are exposing socks port. The problem is with Android API itself. Because apps have privileged (?) acces for checking interfaces even from Shelter working profile.
There is a tool imitating vpn detecting behavior GitHub - xtclovver/RKNHardering · GitHub wich checks vpn apps leaks. You could try it.
The biggest leak is from Android API. All apps could easily check interfaces, default route and detect tun0 for default route. It causes vpn detected state in apps wich could cause problems for a person nowadays. And in current Russian law all mainstream russian apps should work as backdoor vpn detectors…
RKNHardering check example detects tun0.
The app i’m using it’s not vless, but it has split tunnelig feature.
Also it detects foundation.e.advancedprivacy as vpn
So probably /e/os could fix it but i’m not sure since it’s in Android architecture itself.
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