How to Create a Linux VPN

Secure and private communication is a necessity for today’s world, and more and more people are looking to technology to provide that security and privacy that traditional means of communication cannot. Secure and private communication has become even more important with the rise of the web based working environment, where employers can monitor employee activity, and where traditional methods of keeping confidential information securely are not always possible. The demand for secure, private Internet connections is growing, and thanks to developments in the VPN world, it is now possible to create a Linux-based VPN that is both secure and private.

Why Use A VPN?

Whether you’re using public or private hotspots, or you’re just connecting from one device to another, a VPN can protect your data as it travels to and from your computer. A VPN provides a secure connection that can encrypt all your data, including both your Internet traffic and your local network traffic, ensuring that nobody, not even you, can eavesdrop on your communications. When you use a VPN, all your Internet traffic is encrypted, rendering your data impossible to see or read by an Internet surfer, cloud service, application, or web server.

Unfortunately, not every VPN is created equal, and it’s important to do your research before you buy. Several companies exist solely to make money off of VPN users by promising superior performance and lack of logging, and it’s important to be vigilant against these companies since they will make you think that just because your data is protected that it is also secure. Luckily, with a little research, it’s easy to find a trustworthy VPN that will not log your activities, and will in fact, encrypt your data before it even enters the server.

Whether you’re moving between offices, connecting to a different network at school, or just want to feel a bit more secure while using public WiFi, a VPN is a must. If you’re searching for a VPN for a particular purpose, consider sticking to a no-logging policy to keep your activities private, or choosing a PPTP connection for its high security standards.

How To Create A VPN

Now that you have your heart set on a VPN, it’s time to move forward with building your own personal VPN service. There are several different methods that can be used to set up a VPN, from pure OpenVPN to the more traditional PKI based methods, so it’s important to learn a little bit about each of these methods to have a better idea of what is available and suitable for your purpose. Keep in mind that if you’re using public WiFi to connect to the Internet, your setup isn’t secure since you’re then at risk of being intercepted or man‐in‐the‐middle attacks.

The Two Most Popular Methods For Setting Up A VPN

Although OpenVPN is certainly the most popular and most flexible VPN method available, if you want a secure and private connection that is easy to use, then PPTP is a great choice. The main reason for this is because many Internet service providers, including Google (GOOG), Facebook, and Microsoft (MSFT), use the PPTP protocol to securely connect their servers to their customers. So, if you do a bit of homework, you’ll see that most of the VPN servers that you’ll find online are based on the PPTP protocol, so it’s easy to get started with this method. 

OpenVPN

OpenVPN is a protocol that allows for several different methods of connection and is the most popular choice for those that want a secure and private connection. OpenVPN was originally developed by Richard Stephenson, and Richard received the LLD for his work in this area. OpenVPN uses strong encryption techniques, such as AES-256 bit encryption, to create a secure connection between two points that are connected through several servers around the world. 

Although OpenVPN is the most popular and most flexible VPN method available, it isn’t always the best choice for those that want a quick and easy way to set up a VPN. For instance, if you’re using a public WiFi connection to connect to the Internet, then OpenVPN is certainly not the best choice since you are then at risk of being intercepted or man‐in‐the‐middle attacks. However, if you’re using a private WiFi network, then OpenVPN is the perfect choice since it’s not attacked by man in the middle attacks and is usually very secure.

PKI Based Certificate Authenticiation

If you do a bit of research on the subject, you’ll see that most large Internet service providers, including Amazon (AMZN), Google, and Apple (AAPL), use a PKI (public key infrastructure) based authentication method to securely connect their servers to their customers. A PKI based certificate authentication system works by using a certificate to authenticate a user with a service provider during a login attempt. A certificate is basically a password protected piece of information that can be used to authenticate a user with a service provider. PKI based authentication is great for those that want to create a secure connection to WiFi networks, since it is a more trusted method of authentication than OpenVPN when it comes to securing a WiFi connection.