Algo VPN

Algo VPN is a set of Ansible scripts that simplify the setup of a personal WireGuard and IPsec VPN. It uses the most secure defaults available and works with common cloud providers.

See our release announcement for more information.

Features

Supports only IKEv2 with strong crypto (AES-GCM, SHA2, and P-256) for iOS, MacOS, and Linux
Supports WireGuard for all of the above, in addition to Android and Windows 11
Generates .conf files and QR codes for iOS, macOS, Android, and Windows WireGuard clients
Generates Apple profiles to auto-configure iOS and macOS devices for IPsec - no client software required
Includes helper scripts to add, remove, and manage users
Blocks ads with a local DNS resolver (optional)
Sets up limited SSH users for tunneling traffic (optional)
Privacy-focused with minimal logging, automatic log rotation, and configurable privacy enhancements
Based on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS with automatic security updates
Installs to DigitalOcean, Amazon Lightsail, Amazon EC2, Vultr, Microsoft Azure, Google Compute Engine, Scaleway, OpenStack, CloudStack, Hetzner Cloud, Linode, or your own Ubuntu server (for advanced users)

Anti-features

Does not support legacy cipher suites or protocols like L2TP, IKEv1, or RSA
Does not install Tor, OpenVPN, or other risky servers
Does not depend on the security of TLS
Does not claim to provide anonymity or censorship avoidance
Does not claim to protect you from the FSB, MSS, DGSE, or FSM

Deploy the Algo Server

The easiest way to get an Algo server running is to run it on your local system or from Google Cloud Shell and let it set up a new virtual machine in the cloud for you.

Setup an account on a cloud hosting provider. Algo supports DigitalOcean (most user friendly), Amazon Lightsail, Amazon EC2, Vultr, Microsoft Azure, Google Compute Engine, Scaleway, DreamCompute, Linode, other OpenStack-based cloud hosting, CloudStack-based cloud hosting, or Hetzner Cloud.
Get a copy of Algo. The Algo scripts will be run from your local system. There are two ways to get a copy:
- Download the ZIP file. Unzip the file to create a directory named algo-master containing the Algo scripts.
- Use git clone to create a directory named algo containing the Algo scripts:
```
git clone https://github.com/trailofbits/algo.git
```
Set your configuration options. Open config.cfg in your favorite text editor. Specify the users you want to create in the users list. Create a unique user for each device you plan to connect to your VPN. You should also review the other options before deployment, as changing your mind about them later may require you to deploy a brand new server.
Start the deployment. Return to your terminal. In the Algo directory, run the appropriate script for your platform:

macOS/Linux:
```
./algo
```
Windows:
```
.\algo.ps1
```
The first time you run the script, it will automatically install the required Python environment (Python 3.11+). On subsequent runs, it starts immediately and works on all platforms (macOS, Linux, Windows via WSL). The Windows PowerShell script automatically uses WSL when needed, since Ansible requires a Unix-like environment. There are several optional features available, none of which are required for a fully functional VPN server. These optional features are described in the deployment documentation.

That's it! You can now set up clients to connect to your VPN. Proceed to Configure the VPN Clients below.

    "#                          Congratulations!                            #"
    "#                     Your Algo server is running.                     #"
    "#    Config files and certificates are in the ./configs/ directory.    #"
    "#              Go to https://whoer.net/ after connecting               #"
    "#        and ensure that all your traffic passes through the VPN.      #"
    "#                     Local DNS resolver 172.16.0.1                    #"
    "#        The p12 and SSH keys password for new users is XXXXXXXX       #"
    "#        The CA key password is XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX       #"
    "#      Shell access: ssh -F configs/<server_ip>/ssh_config <hostname>  #"

Configure the VPN Clients

Certificates and configuration files that users will need are placed in the configs directory. Make sure to secure these files since many contain private keys. All files are saved under a subdirectory named with the IP address of your new Algo VPN server.

Important for IPsec users: If you want to add or delete users later, you must select yes at the Do you want to retain the keys (PKI)? prompt during the server deployment. This preserves the certificate authority needed for user management.

Apple

WireGuard is used to provide VPN services on Apple devices. Algo generates a WireGuard configuration file, wireguard/<username>.conf, and a QR code, wireguard/<username>.png, for each user defined in config.cfg.

On iOS, install the WireGuard app from the iOS App Store. Then, use the WireGuard app to scan the QR code or AirDrop the configuration file to the device.

On macOS, install the WireGuard app from the Mac App Store. WireGuard will appear in the menu bar once you run the app. Click on the WireGuard icon, choose Import tunnel(s) from file..., then select the appropriate WireGuard configuration file.

On either iOS or macOS, you can enable "Connect on Demand" and/or exclude certain trusted Wi-Fi networks (such as your home or work) by editing the tunnel configuration in the WireGuard app. (Algo can't do this automatically for you.)

If you prefer to use the built-in IPsec VPN on Apple devices, or need "Connect on Demand" or excluded Wi-Fi networks automatically configured, see the Apple IPsec client setup guide for detailed configuration instructions.

Android

WireGuard is used to provide VPN services on Android. Install the WireGuard VPN Client. Import the corresponding wireguard/<name>.conf file to your device, then set up a new connection with it. See the Android setup guide for detailed installation and configuration instructions.

Windows

WireGuard is used to provide VPN services on Windows. Algo generates a WireGuard configuration file, wireguard/<username>.conf, for each user defined in config.cfg.

Install the WireGuard VPN Client. Import the generated wireguard/<username>.conf file to your device, then set up a new connection with it. See the Windows setup instructions for more detailed walkthrough and troubleshooting.

Linux

Linux clients can use either WireGuard or IPsec:

WireGuard: WireGuard works great with Linux clients. See the Linux WireGuard setup guide for step-by-step instructions on configuring WireGuard on Ubuntu and other distributions.

IPsec: For strongSwan IPsec clients (including OpenWrt, Ubuntu Server, and other distributions), see the Linux IPsec setup guide for detailed configuration instructions.

OpenWrt

For OpenWrt routers using WireGuard, see the OpenWrt WireGuard setup guide for router-specific configuration instructions.

Other Devices

For devices not covered above or manual configuration, you'll need specific certificate and configuration files. The files you need depend on your device platform and VPN protocol (WireGuard or IPsec).

ipsec/manual/cacert.pem: CA Certificate
ipsec/manual/<user>.p12: User Certificate and Private Key (in PKCS#12 format)
ipsec/manual/<user>.conf: strongSwan client configuration
ipsec/manual/<user>.secrets: strongSwan client configuration
ipsec/apple/<user>.mobileconfig: Apple Profile
wireguard/<user>.conf: WireGuard configuration profile
wireguard/<user>.png: WireGuard configuration QR code

Setup an SSH Tunnel

If you turned on the optional SSH tunneling role, local user accounts will be created for each user in config.cfg, and SSH authorized_key files for them will be in the configs directory (user.pem). SSH user accounts do not have shell access, cannot authenticate with a password, and only have limited tunneling options (e.g., ssh -N is required). This ensures that SSH users have the least access required to set up a tunnel and can perform no other actions on the Algo server.

Use

Algo

Install / Use

README