What changes have occurred in the field of bypassing Internet blocking in 2024?
Alternative ways to access blocked sites continue to be a hot topic in the face of increasingly strict censorship. In 2024, new technologies and methods have emerged, both from blockers and from enthusiasts seeking to preserve freedom on the Internet. Let's look at the main trends concerning the slowdown of popular services, limiting the operation of protocols and updated bypass technologies.
Major changes in the current year in the sphere of Internet censorship
The main events in the sphere of online censorship this year were:
- Problems with speed on YouTube. In the Russian Federation, a sharp decrease in the speed of video playback on YouTube was noticed. The reason is failures in the operation of Google Global Cache servers or interference by operators. Experts have found that video delays are eliminated after activating tools such as GoodbyDPI and Zapret, which fragment data, hiding the destination domain.
- Blocking proxy protocols. Roskomnadzor has started blocking proxy protocols such as VMess and Shadowsocks. Although they encrypt all traffic, blocking occurs due to the analysis of data packets. Blocking can be triggered by detecting a sequence of three packets, which initiates a connection break.
In response to these changes, new technologies have emerged to bypass blocking:
- HTTPUpgrade in Xray. One of the new products of 2024 is the HTTPUpgrade transport protocol in the XRay proxy server. The technology works in a similar way to web sockets: it uses the Upgrade HTTP header to switch to direct data transfer without the request-response structure typical of HTTP. The difference from classic websockets is the absence of websocket frames, which makes data transfer more efficient. This reduces header overhead and reduces the likelihood of traffic detection, since such data looks like regular requests through a CDN or web server.
- SplitTunnel. Another innovation is SplitTunnel, which divides traffic into two separate channels: one for transmitting and one for receiving data. Unlike traditional proxying methods, where interaction is based on the request-response model, SplitTunnel allows you to avoid data buffering, reduces the amount of data sent, which significantly complicates traffic analysis. The technology is effective when using popular CDN, such as Gcore and Cloudflare, especially in combination with the VLESS protocol and Trojan.
Development of bypass technologies in Tor networks
The Tor network, known for its bridges, is actively developing a new transport protocol - WebTunnel, which uses web sockets to encrypt and transfer data. This protocol, similar to HTTPS, allows you to bypass blocking, remaining virtually indistinguishable from regular web traffic. WebTunnel bridges can be requested through the official Tor website, and are already supported by most Tor clients.
Enthusiasts are encouraged to support the Tor network by running their own bridges on VPS servers. If you have a domain and a server, you can install Tor in bridge mode with WebTunnel support, which will significantly expand access to censored content. In addition, you can use the easy-to-install option - Snowflake bridges that work via WebRTC, similar to video calls in messengers.
Private VPN server and its relevance
Amid increased blocking and censorship in 2024, more and more people are choosing private VPN servers. This approach has a number of significant advantages:
- Control over security. A private VPN server provides maximum control over encryption and security settings. Unlike public VPN services, the user can request personalized settings for all parameters to suit their needs, which minimizes data leakage and third-party access to traffic.
- Bypassing blocking. Public VPN services often end up on the list of blocked services by providers, while a private VPN server running on a virtual machine or its own server remains out of sight of regulators. This allows you to bypass blocking even in conditions of complex Internet censorship.
- Reduced dependence on third-party services. Using commercial VPN services always comes with the risk of losing access due to blocking or deleting applications, as happened in 2024 with several popular VPNs in the AppStore. A private server eliminates such risks.
- Saving money. From a long-term perspective, buying your own VPN server can be a more economical option than permanent subscriptions to premium commercial services. For private use, it is enough to rent a VPS at an affordable price.
In 2024, the development of technologies to bypass Internet censorship continues to keep pace with new blockages and restrictions. The main changes affected not only the speed of popular services such as YouTube, but also the encryption and data transfer methods used to bypass blockages.
Acquiring your own VPN server is becoming an important part of the fight against Internet censorship. A personal server allows you to avoid many restrictions that apply to commercial VPN services. Moreover, a private VPN provides the highest level of security and privacy, which makes it the best choice for those who value control over their own data and access to the free Internet.
If you need complete confidence in your digital security, decide to buy a private VPN server on Private VPN server. Unlike standard VPN services, here the server is customized to your needs, which minimizes the risks of tracking and data leakage. This is especially important for users in the context of ever-increasing Internet censorship.