trailofbits/algoSet up a personal VPN in the cloud
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.
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> #"
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.
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.
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.