VPN, the UAE-way
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 329
Likes: 1
From: Europe
VPN, the UAE-way
http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/if-you-get-caught-using-vpn-uae-you-will-face-fines-545000-1572888
interesting times ahead....
i guess the 2 big Telcom companies are not making enough money....
be careful out there. The fines are no fun....
interesting times ahead....
i guess the 2 big Telcom companies are not making enough money....
be careful out there. The fines are no fun....
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 331
Likes: 0
From: LHR
Not being too skilled or knowledgeable in the voodoo world of IT but how will they be able to check on this without going door to door to check people's computer equipment? The whole point of the VPN is to make your internet presence invisible right?
Seems like the usual response though, few people using the service illegally therefore let's punish the entire population and prevent them having anymore contact with their home country in terms of catch up TV for shows, sports etc etc. just one more needless restriction.
I thought I would be able to hang it out but looks like it's time to start putting that exit plan in motion.
Seems like the usual response though, few people using the service illegally therefore let's punish the entire population and prevent them having anymore contact with their home country in terms of catch up TV for shows, sports etc etc. just one more needless restriction.
I thought I would be able to hang it out but looks like it's time to start putting that exit plan in motion.
Last edited by Cloud Bunny; 29th July 2016 at 07:07.
Joined: Aug 2015
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From: Escaped the sandpit 53° 32′ 9.19″ N, 9° 50′ 13.29″ E
Problem is that it is easy to find out who's using a VPN/Proxy to bypass them.
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 548
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From: Up in the air
Make no mistake, every single data package being transmitted in and out of the UAE is monitored. Using an encrypted VPN will hide what you are downloading for most prying eyes, but not for a government in total control of the internet. It's even simpler to just discover a VPN connection being established, so if indeed the bare use of VPN, even for legit purposes like accessing a remote corporate network, is illegal now, they don't even have to resort to Deep Package Inspection to see what you are doing over that VPN, you're busted anyway.
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 329
Likes: 1
From: Europe
Surely it will also have to do with the increased terrorist activity in the ME. However the implications for us expats are much wider...
It will limit the number of people sending out the true message about what is going here on websites like this one (I have never posted without using vpn).
Forget about watching some of the foreign livestreams in some countries, or a quick visit to your favourite 'kinky' site during thr summer ;-) (no we are never doing that)...
This new law has huge implication and it is clearly another attempt to control your life.
It will limit the number of people sending out the true message about what is going here on websites like this one (I have never posted without using vpn).
Forget about watching some of the foreign livestreams in some countries, or a quick visit to your favourite 'kinky' site during thr summer ;-) (no we are never doing that)...
This new law has huge implication and it is clearly another attempt to control your life.
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 871
Likes: 41
From: Post-Pit and Lovin' It.
I don't wish this to devolve into a geekfest mud-slinging, but...
Deep Packet Inspection does not enable decryption of data being carried over a VPN. Some sort of decryption is still required and requires pretty heavy artillery, cryptographically speaking. Think NSA, not UAE.
Encrypted connections are used all the time. All online banking uses some form of it, as well as many commercial sites such as Gmail and so on. Heck even EK's portal uses encryption. (The "S" in https is for "secure".) Not much reason in having passwords and so on if everyone can see them.
The point is, your data can't be read, but the encrypted data stream can be seen. In other words they may not be able to see inside the tunnel, but the existence of the tunnel itself may now get people in trouble. My guess is the UAE gatekeepers will start cracking down on users connecting to known VPN servers. But they can't just block all encrypted connections or most of the Internet would grind to a halt, given how much traffic travels encrypted. Then again they do seem to want to revert to some sort of Dark Ages so who knows.
China expends an enormous of money and resources attempting to block VPN's and still is unable to do more than make it mildly difficult to circumvent. I seriously doubt the UAE will do better.
Deep Packet Inspection does not enable decryption of data being carried over a VPN. Some sort of decryption is still required and requires pretty heavy artillery, cryptographically speaking. Think NSA, not UAE.
Encrypted connections are used all the time. All online banking uses some form of it, as well as many commercial sites such as Gmail and so on. Heck even EK's portal uses encryption. (The "S" in https is for "secure".) Not much reason in having passwords and so on if everyone can see them.
The point is, your data can't be read, but the encrypted data stream can be seen. In other words they may not be able to see inside the tunnel, but the existence of the tunnel itself may now get people in trouble. My guess is the UAE gatekeepers will start cracking down on users connecting to known VPN servers. But they can't just block all encrypted connections or most of the Internet would grind to a halt, given how much traffic travels encrypted. Then again they do seem to want to revert to some sort of Dark Ages so who knows.
China expends an enormous of money and resources attempting to block VPN's and still is unable to do more than make it mildly difficult to circumvent. I seriously doubt the UAE will do better.
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 591
Likes: 0
From: Escaped the sandpit 53° 32′ 9.19″ N, 9° 50′ 13.29″ E
I don't wish this to devolve into a geekfest mud-slinging, but...
Deep Packet Inspection does not enable decryption of data being carried over a VPN. Some sort of decryption is still required and requires pretty heavy artillery, cryptographically speaking. Think NSA, not UAE.
Encrypted connections are used all the time. All online banking uses some form of it, as well as many commercial sites such as Gmail and so on. Heck even EK's portal uses encryption. (The "S" in https is for "secure".) Not much reason in having passwords and so on if everyone can see them.
The point is, your data can't be read, but the encrypted data stream can be seen. In other words they may not be able to see inside the tunnel, but the existence of the tunnel itself may now get people in trouble. My guess is the UAE gatekeepers will start cracking down on users connecting to known VPN servers. But they can't just block all encrypted connections or most of the Internet would grind to a halt, given how much traffic travels encrypted. Then again they do seem to want to revert to some sort of Dark Ages so who knows.
China expends an enormous of money and resources attempting to block VPN's and still is unable to do more than make it mildly difficult to circumvent. I seriously doubt the UAE will do better.
Deep Packet Inspection does not enable decryption of data being carried over a VPN. Some sort of decryption is still required and requires pretty heavy artillery, cryptographically speaking. Think NSA, not UAE.
Encrypted connections are used all the time. All online banking uses some form of it, as well as many commercial sites such as Gmail and so on. Heck even EK's portal uses encryption. (The "S" in https is for "secure".) Not much reason in having passwords and so on if everyone can see them.
The point is, your data can't be read, but the encrypted data stream can be seen. In other words they may not be able to see inside the tunnel, but the existence of the tunnel itself may now get people in trouble. My guess is the UAE gatekeepers will start cracking down on users connecting to known VPN servers. But they can't just block all encrypted connections or most of the Internet would grind to a halt, given how much traffic travels encrypted. Then again they do seem to want to revert to some sort of Dark Ages so who knows.
China expends an enormous of money and resources attempting to block VPN's and still is unable to do more than make it mildly difficult to circumvent. I seriously doubt the UAE will do better.
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 780
Likes: 10
From: Doctor's waiting room
Emirates 24/7 VPN use punishable under law
The above article stated that:
While suo moto action may not be initiated against anyone using a VPN service, additional charges can be filed against a person caught in an illegal act and when he or she is found to have used VPN as well.
While the law is rather opaque in this part of the world, the above does seem to indicate that they are perhaps more interested in VPN use being linked to other crime rather than focusing on VPN use alone?
If the UAE was serious on tackling VPN use then why have they not gone down the same road as the Chinese and the Iranians and try to restrict VPN use altogether?
The above article stated that:
While suo moto action may not be initiated against anyone using a VPN service, additional charges can be filed against a person caught in an illegal act and when he or she is found to have used VPN as well.
While the law is rather opaque in this part of the world, the above does seem to indicate that they are perhaps more interested in VPN use being linked to other crime rather than focusing on VPN use alone?
If the UAE was serious on tackling VPN use then why have they not gone down the same road as the Chinese and the Iranians and try to restrict VPN use altogether?
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 548
Likes: 0
From: Up in the air
Emirates 24/7 VPN use punishable under law
The above article stated that:
While suo moto action may not be initiated against anyone using a VPN service, additional charges can be filed against a person caught in an illegal act and when he or she is found to have used VPN as well.
While the law is rather opaque in this part of the world, the above does seem to indicate that they are perhaps more interested in VPN use being linked to other crime rather than focusing on VPN use alone?
If the UAE was serious on tackling VPN use then why have they not gone down the same road as the Chinese and the Iranians and try to restrict VPN use altogether?
The above article stated that:
While suo moto action may not be initiated against anyone using a VPN service, additional charges can be filed against a person caught in an illegal act and when he or she is found to have used VPN as well.
While the law is rather opaque in this part of the world, the above does seem to indicate that they are perhaps more interested in VPN use being linked to other crime rather than focusing on VPN use alone?
If the UAE was serious on tackling VPN use then why have they not gone down the same road as the Chinese and the Iranians and try to restrict VPN use altogether?
Back to the geek-fest, well no, they can probably not decode the content of your "secure" connection, but the can, 100%, see what type of traffic is being tunnled through the VPN. Even if you use port 443 for the VPN they can differentiate between a normal SSL connection from your browser and a VPN connection and also see if you are using the VPN for i.e. VoIP. Packet size and timings are giving it away.
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 911
Likes: 9
From: FL510
Working in China, I can tell you guys two things:
- it is possible to determine wether you are using a VPN. In some regions in China doing so earns you an interview with the "Cyber Police"
- learning from the Chinese, I can truly recommend "Shadowsocks". The makers are in jail here already, but the project is live and a fine thing.
- it is possible to determine wether you are using a VPN. In some regions in China doing so earns you an interview with the "Cyber Police"
- learning from the Chinese, I can truly recommend "Shadowsocks". The makers are in jail here already, but the project is live and a fine thing.
