United Arab Emirates criminalized VPNs

[victorab 12]

Hello,

As you may know, United Arab Emirates have criminilized the use of VPNs: people who use a VPN risk at least 136K$ and it can go up to jail and 545K$.
I will go in Dubai in few days; Am I OK with the standard UDP protocol or should I use SSL or SSH (I don't know if they use DPI)? If this precaution even useful? I know that with systems like in China SSH can be use to bypass a blocking, but when we talk about criminalization it's way different.

 

Thank you

 

[LZ1 663]

Hello !

Using SSH would help hide the fact that a VPN is being used, if someone was monitoring the network, as in China. It can slow down your connection though. You can alao use a VPN is conjunction with Tor or simply use Tor on its own. It depends what you want to achieve. I haven't read what they've said, but a VPN is only 1 of several different technologies to get around blocks and/or hide your activities. Perhaps you could load a portable version of Eddie onto a USB stick and simply plug it in when you need it. That way, even if your computer is seized, it might not be possible for them to determine that a VPN is or was used. You'd best think of what you're trying to achieve and then plan accordingly

[zhang888 1065]

Remember that the only suggestions the community can help you with are technical ones.

If you are intending to break the law of a country you are in, you are doing it under your own responsibility.

No matter how low are the chances of getting caught, this is still an important disclaimer.

[RidersoftheStorm 20]

It is really BAD that you will not have DIPLOMATIC IMMUNITY.

 

Remember, if you are Catholic/Christian just wear the crucifix openly and carry the bible proudly.   LOL

(that is if you want to go jail, lose your job and be deported!!!!) if you are LUCKY!!!!

[victorab 12]

Remember that the only suggestions the community can help you with are technical ones.

If you are intending to break the law of a country you are in, you are doing it under your own responsibility.

No matter how low are the chances of getting caught, this is still an important disclaimer.

As a tourist, I really want to have a trip in jail.

More seriously, I need my VPN  to have access to Whatsapp, Signal and also websites that are very restricted there: I do not want to have this message in my web browser

And of course I want my right of privacy  respected.

I will be there only few days for a stopover so I don't think I'll have any trouble but better to be stealth.

[zhang888 1065]

Whatsapp and Signal are probably fine there even without VPN. Currently the only places where there are complaints

about country-wide blocked Whatsapp are Brazil and Turkey.

 

You can try the SSL/SSH methods and should definitely avoid local ISP DNS servers in order not to get blocked, or have

your blocked hosts logged at some 3d party.

[victorab 12]

Whatsapp and Signal are probably fine there even without VPN. Currently the only places where there are complaints

about country-wide blocked Whatsapp are Brazil and Turkey.

 

You can try the SSL/SSH methods and should definitely avoid local ISP DNS servers in order not to get blocked, or have

your blocked hosts logged at some 3d party.

VoIP is banned in UAE. You can use textchat but you can't call unfortunately.

Thank you for the help

[33781782 1]

It's a damn shame. But shit, it's the UAE - what'd you expect? Rationality and reason?

[ethanpearson 0]

The government do not care foreign business travelers, but forbid anyone local knows much about the outside world. 

Anyway, VPN may be used for economic and commercial purposes. Many companies use it to conduct day to day business. So they'll brake the low and must be prisoned, won't they? 

For me this is one of the silliest laws drafted by non-technical person on a high tech world.