Question regarding security when using AirVPN servers

[aoeirntt 0]

Hi,

 

I’m considering AirVPN’s service, and in that regard I have a few security related questions that I’m hoping some of you will be kind to answer.

 

Several computers on my local network are running server services such as VNC, Windows file sharing and FTP. Since I haven’t forwarded any ports on my router, none of the services running on the computers are visible or accessible from the Internet.

 

From what I understand, no port forwarding is by default enabled up by AirVPN. Hence, if I install the AirVPN client on one of my computers and establish a VPN connection on this using AirVPN, the server services running on the computer still won’t be visible or  accessible from the Internet through the external exit-IP address (i.e. 46.165.208.99) assigned by the AirVPN server. But what about other AirVPN users connected to the same AirVPN server that I’m using?

 

From what I’ve gathered, when establishing a VPN tunnel to one of AirVPN’s servers, my computer will automatically be assigned an IP address (i.e. 10.4.43.30) from the local IP address pool on the AirVPN server I’m tunneled to. Since my computer at this point will be a part of the AirVPN server’s local network, won’t my computer’s server services be visible to the other users connected to the same AirVPN server? Is there anything preventing other users connected to the same AirVPN server from, for example, port scanning the IP range of the AirVPN server’s local network (i.e. 10.4.43.x)?

 

Thanks in advance!

[Staff 9973]

Hello!

 

All you say is correct. The missing information that you could not have is that communications between clients inside the same virtual network are prevented. This limitation, which would be a problem for corporate/companies VPNs, but is not important for our service, is deliberately forced for security reasons (also keep in mind that AirVPN works in routing mode, not bridged mode). Only communications to 10.4.0.1, 10.5.0.1 etc. are allowed, to let clients reach Air VPN DNS and internal VPN services.

 

Kind regards

[aoeirntt 0]

Hi again!

Thank you for your quick response.

Please correct me if I’m wrong, but I’m sensing that you are actually just being polite when you say that all my statements are correct. To make sure that we are on the same page, I’ve tried to be a bit more precise.

Question 1:
If communication between clients inside the same virtual network is in fact prevented, then my computer’s server services would actually be inaccessible and invisible to the other users connected to AirVPN, correct?

Question 2:
If the answer to Question 1 is yes, then the only way clients outside my LAN, both AirVPN clients and non-AirVPN clients (other Internet clients), would ever be able to connect to the mentioned local server services, would be through the external exit-IP address assigned by AirVPN, given that I set up port forwarding through AirVPN’s control panel, correct?

Thanks again!

[Staff 9973]

Hello!

 

2. Correct. We also provide a Dynamic DNS service (included in every subscription, no surcharge) https://airvpn.org/topic/9314-what-is-dynamic-dns/ with a maximum of 20 names *.airdns.org.

 

Kind regards