How to Use Scripts in Barracuda VPN Client

Barracuda VPN client is one of the most popular VPNs on Android because of its simple and elegant interface. One of the biggest appeals of the app is its ease of use. You can install it and start using it immediately. No credentials are needed. No configuration is needed. You don’t even have to enter a username or a password. While this level of convenience may be appealing, it also makes the app much more vulnerable. Because there are no security prompts, it is easy for an attacker to gain access to your device and use it to commit fraud or damage your personal information. In this article, we’ll discuss how you can use scripts in Barracuda VPN client to add an additional layer of security and privacy.

The Basics of Using Scripts

Adding a scripting component to your VPN client isn’t all that complex, but it does require you to adapt some of the app’s behavior. Let’s examine how you can use scripts in Barracuda VPN client to make the app more secure and private.

Barracuda VPN client is a freemium app. This means that you can use it entirely free but that it also contains ads. We consider this a fair tradeoff given the value that the app provides. In order to use scripts, you’ll need to enable them as described below.

Enable Scripts

When you first open the app, you’ll see a cog icon on the upper-right corner of the screen. This will be the first place that you’ll notice a difference. When you click on it, a settings menu will appear with a key called ScriptsEnabled. If this key is set to 0, then scripts are disabled and you can’t use any of the app’s functionalities that require scripting. In most cases, you’ll want this key set to 1 so that you can take advantage of the app’s functionalities that can be enhanced with scripts. There is one exception. If you use the app’s Tor feature, then it is recommended that you set this key to 0.

Add A Script

Once you’ve enabled scripts, you can add a script to the app. To do this, you’ll need to go to the Scripts menu in the app, then press the + icon. A menu will open up where you can enter a script. The best practice is to use a separate document to write your script in. You’ll then need to navigate to the file in your NAS through a suitable share. You can then click on the Upload button to have the script uploaded to the server where you can test it. Once you’ve tested it, you can either run it locally or deploy it to a remote server.

Make Sure Your System Is Script-Ready

Before you start writing any scripts, you’ll need to make sure that your system is prepared to run them. This means that you need to have Java 8 installed, as well as a Python interpreter (pip install -U python). You’ll also need to enable the AppArmor feature on your Android device (echo ‘android.permissions.INTERNET’ >> /etc/apparmor.d/com.barracuda.fingerprint) to allow the app to access the Internet. When you’re done, remove the above-mentioned echo to restore the original configuration. You can now start writing your script.

Useful Scripts For Barracuda

Barracuda VPN client comes with some useful scripts out of the box. You can find a complete list of the app’s scripts on the company’s website. Some of these are described below.

Script Name Description ActivateApp When an app is closed, it sometimes remains in the background even when you exit the app. This keeps the app running in the background even after you close it. The purpose of this script is to bring down the number of processes that are left running in the background after you close an app. This includes things like background tasks from the device administration area, as well as tasks that keep the device connected to Wi-Fi networks. deactivateApp If an app is closed, it sometimes remains in the background even when you exit the app. This keeps the app running in the background even after you close it. The purpose of this script is to bring down the number of processes that are left running in the background after you close an app. This includes things like background tasks from the device administration area, as well as tasks that keep the device connected to Wi-Fi networks. restartApp When you close an app, the processes that were running in the background before the app crashed or was closed remain active. This is where the risk of an unsuccessful app launch comes from. When this happens, the processes can’t be stopped, and they will keep running in the background until you manually terminate them. Even if you don’t mind the occasional app crash, you’ll still want to run these scripts to fix things up. deleteApp If an app is closed, it sometimes remains in the background even when you exit the app. This keeps the app running in the background even after you close it. The purpose of this script is to bring down the number of processes that are left running in the background after you close an app. This includes things like background tasks from the device administration area, as well as tasks that keep the device connected to Wi-Fi networks. clearAppCache Caches that are left by uninstalled apps remain on the device and can slow down the system. Clearing these caches is non-trivial and can take a lot of time. This is where the advantage of a VPN comes from. When you connect to a VPN, all the caches are removed and the system is returned to its original state. showApp When an app is closed, it sometimes remains in the background even when you exit the app. This keeps the app running in the background even after you close it. The purpose of this script is to bring down the number of processes that are left running in the background after you close an app. This includes things like background tasks from the device administration area, as well as tasks that keep the device connected to Wi-Fi networks. toggleWiFi If networks change a lot (for example, when you move from an office network to a public network), then you’ll notice a significant drop in your connection quality. This is where the advantage of a VPN comes from. When you connect to a VPN, the app will detect the network configuration change and will prompt you to re-authenticate. Once you’ve re-authenticated, the system will reconnect to the new network automatically.

Writing Secure Scripts

As we’ve established, it is easy for an attacker to gain access to your device and take control of it. If you connect to a public Wi-Fi network while you’re writing a script, then anyone with access to the network can see what you’re doing. They can even interrupt you while you’re writing and steal the information that you’re entering. In order to make the scripts more secure, you need to take the following steps:

Enter The Scriptlocally

When you’re developing a script, it is usually a better idea to test it locally before you deploy it. For the purposes of this article, we’ll be deploying our script to a remote server. While this is practical, it does mean that should anything go wrong, you’ll need to figure out a way to fix it yourself. To do this, you’ll need to login to the server where the script is located using the credentials that you’ve used to log in to the remote server. Once you’ve done this, you can use the script as usual. Go to the Scripts menu in Barracuda VPN client, then press the Run button to execute the script. If all goes well, you’ll see a message like this one at the top of the screen:

“Script successfully executed”

Remotely Execute The Script

Once you’ve written a secure script and tested it locally, it is time to move it to a remote server and see it in action. When you’re done with your local testing, you can use FTP to upload the script to a remote server. Make sure that you use a secure FTP connection by using the SFTP (Secure FTP) option when creating the connection. Ensure that you keep all the original file permissions and that you give the uploaded file the appropriate permissions. If you’re using a Linux-based operating system, then you can use the ‘chmod’ utility to give the script the proper permissions. In the event of a problem, you’ll need to have the FTP client re-establish the connection and start over again. You cannot use automated tools to perform this action. If this happens frequently, then you’ll need to investigate why the connection is being lost.