Portforwarding security

[Cordonbleu 0]

hey

if i open a port on airvpn and run a application behind it this still secure cause airvpn needs to know which user reserved which port :-)

[LZ1 672]

Hello !

 

This has been answered a number of times. Please either use the search function on the forum or use a search engine . Alternatively, I've got links in my guide to all sorts of security and privacy related topics, at the bottom. I can tell you however, that Air, as a baseline, makes things secure by default. As per their posts in places like the FAQ/How-To sections, certain practices should be avoided. But they wouldn't offer port-forwarding if they didn't think they could make it secure. It's much the same as how they don't use usernames and passwords, but instead rely on certificates, for when you use their software on your desktop for instance.

[OpenSourcerer 1435]

hey

if i open a port on airvpn and run a application behind it this still secure cause airvpn needs to know which user reserved which port :-)

 

You open a port. [AirVPN server IP] is now reachable through it. Since nothing listens on this port, a connection to the socket (IP:port combination) would time out. Now, let's say, you connect to AirVPN.

In the next step, this port is forwarded to the specified local port. Now, your internal IP address is reachable using this port. If there is nothing listening on the internal socket, a request would again time out.

If you launch some software and configure it to listen to the local port, then it will work. I'm not sure what your definition of "still secure" is, you just open an opportunity to reach your connected computer, and if it runs old software full of vulnerabilities answering requests, well, AirVPN is not securing anything for you.

 

I've been thinking about the last part of your sentence. Technically, the system does not need to know who reserved a given port. What it needs to know is the internal IP to forward requests to, and this one is tied to the connecting client with its certificate. You connect and the system internally updates the information on ports and adds the internal IP information. Something like this.

Therefore, you can't know which user forwarded port 8000 for example. You don't even see internal IPs, so there's no direct way of finding out if it was your account or maybe mine which forwarded this port.

[sundi 8]

Hi,

 

I have a small question. Air allows each user to reserve 20 ports for port forwarding on Air's network out of total 63487 ports (2048-65534). These 20 reserved ports are available on all Air servers. So, how does it work? I mean 63487 ports with 20 ports per user allows for maximum of 3175 users. How all the users' requests are taken care of?

 

Just want to know for my information

[go558a83nk 362]

Hi,

 

I have a small question. Air allows each user to reserve 20 ports for port forwarding on Air's network out of total 63487 ports (2048-65534). These 20 reserved ports are available on all Air servers. So, how does it work? I mean 63487 ports with 20 ports per user allows for maximum of 3175 users. How all the users' requests are taken care of?

 

Just want to know for my information

 

I suppose because a lot of the users don't reserve any ports.

[OpenSourcerer 1435]

I suppose because a lot of the users don't reserve any ports.

 

Or just one or two. I only forwarded one, for example, so you can add my 19 other ports to the pool. Also, I believe, ports are being routinely freed when a user's subscription expired. But this one needs confirmation.

[sundi 8]

Can anybody help us with this mystery

[zhang888 1066]

Can anybody help us with this mystery

 

Giganerd is correct, until now many ports are still unclaimed.

You can still get 20 sequential ports - you can check the port matrix page for that.

[sundi 8]

 

Can anybody help us with this mystery

 

Giganerd is correct, until now many ports are still unclaimed.

You can still get 20 sequential ports - you can check the port matrix page for that.

 

Hi zhang888,

 

Thanks for the reply.

I already have mine. I was just wondering how all the users ports requirement need is taken care of.

Now, it is clear. It is sort of first come first serve basis.

[kraecker 0]

hey

if i open a port on airvpn and run a application behind it this still secure cause airvpn needs to know which user reserved which port :-)

Nope not really secure. I asked the support about this and they told me that they know who is using which port. They don't log any history but when connected to a server they can link the port to your account. So better don't do anything nasty while using a forwarded port.