Difference between revisions of "Notice for users affected by the Great Firewall of China"
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= Overview = | = Overview = | ||
| − | If you're being randomly redirected to sites like ours, www.norwich.edu, opensourcematters.org, www.paramiko.org, but also thousands of other sites[1], it means | + | If you're being randomly redirected to sites like ours, www.norwich.edu, opensourcematters.org, www.paramiko.org, but also thousands of other sites[1], it means you are a victim of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Firewall Great Firewall of China] (GWF). |
Starting in January 2015, the Great Firewall was slightly modified and began to use DNS spoofing on a mass scale - for any "censored" DNS names like www.youtube.com or www.facebook.com, GWF sends fake DNS replies aimed at seemingly random IP addresses outside of China[2]. This results in massive disruptions for internet users in China and massive overload of random webservers outside of China. | Starting in January 2015, the Great Firewall was slightly modified and began to use DNS spoofing on a mass scale - for any "censored" DNS names like www.youtube.com or www.facebook.com, GWF sends fake DNS replies aimed at seemingly random IP addresses outside of China[2]. This results in massive disruptions for internet users in China and massive overload of random webservers outside of China. | ||
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== What can I do to prevent the Great Firewall of China spoof my DNS requests == | == What can I do to prevent the Great Firewall of China spoof my DNS requests == | ||
| − | The only way is to use a reliable DNS server located outside of China (for example, OpenDNS or Google Public DNS) *and* a reliable VPN provider. Please note that GFW can easily intercept DNS queries and fake the replies - this is why using a VPN is so important. | + | Ask your friend why the Government of China is manipulating DNS to block access to websites, obtain your passwords and private data. |
| + | Ask a journalist, a local newspaper, radio or TV station, why the Government of China is manipulating DNS to block access to websites, obtain your passwords and private data. | ||
| + | Write on your blog how dissatisfied you are with that. | ||
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| + | We realise that the above method won't fix your issue immediately. | ||
| + | The only technical way is to use a reliable DNS server located outside of China (for example, OpenDNS or Google Public DNS) *and* a reliable VPN provider. Please note that GFW can easily intercept DNS queries and fake the replies - this is why using a VPN is so important. | ||
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* your local router may be hacked / have DNS servers changed to Chinese ones | * your local router may be hacked / have DNS servers changed to Chinese ones | ||
| + | // If you didn't retrieve this file on purpose, it means your DNS is poisoned! | ||
| + | // If you're connecting from China, please use OpenDNS or Google public DNS servers (and verify the queries are not intercepted on the way)! | ||
| + | // Even if you're connecting using VPN, your DNS queries may be sent to local (poisoned) DNS server! | ||
| + | // If you're not connecting from China, it means your device is probably infected with malicious software! | ||
Revision as of 06:07, 1 May 2015
Contents
Overview
If you're being randomly redirected to sites like ours, www.norwich.edu, opensourcematters.org, www.paramiko.org, but also thousands of other sites[1], it means you are a victim of the Great Firewall of China (GWF).
Starting in January 2015, the Great Firewall was slightly modified and began to use DNS spoofing on a mass scale - for any "censored" DNS names like www.youtube.com or www.facebook.com, GWF sends fake DNS replies aimed at seemingly random IP addresses outside of China[2]. This results in massive disruptions for internet users in China and massive overload of random webservers outside of China.
Quick help for affected users
What can I do to prevent the Great Firewall of China spoof my DNS requests
Ask your friend why the Government of China is manipulating DNS to block access to websites, obtain your passwords and private data. Ask a journalist, a local newspaper, radio or TV station, why the Government of China is manipulating DNS to block access to websites, obtain your passwords and private data. Write on your blog how dissatisfied you are with that.
We realise that the above method won't fix your issue immediately.
The only technical way is to use a reliable DNS server located outside of China (for example, OpenDNS or Google Public DNS) *and* a reliable VPN provider. Please note that GFW can easily intercept DNS queries and fake the replies - this is why using a VPN is so important.
I'm using VPN, but my internet experience is still erratic
It's a common mistake to use a VPN service but send DNS queries locally. If you use a VPN connection, you should make sure your DNS queries are sent to a reliable DNS server - this excludes any public DNS located in China.
I'm outside of China, but I'm still randomly redirected
- your device (computer, laptop, mobile phone, tablet...) may be infected with malware
- your device may have DNS servers changed to Chinese ones
- your local router may be hacked / have DNS servers changed to Chinese ones
// If you didn't retrieve this file on purpose, it means your DNS is poisoned! // If you're connecting from China, please use OpenDNS or Google public DNS servers (and verify the queries are not intercepted on the way)! // Even if you're connecting using VPN, your DNS queries may be sent to local (poisoned) DNS server! // If you're not connecting from China, it means your device is probably infected with malicious software!
[1] Full list available to interested parties.
[2] List of affected IP addresses changes approximately once a month and consists of thousands of IP addresses with different weights assigned. Full list for every day from past months available to interested parties.