Atlas VPN IP Address Leaks: What You Need To Know
One of the ultimate goals of every VPN or Virtual Private Network is to provide their users and customers protection and security. For that reason, every VPN service provider protects their user's IP address since it's one of the most basic information for all connected devices – information that can be exploited when it falls into the wrong hands.
That's why it's a big surprise when a VPN reportedly has a vulnerability that can leak the user's real IP address. Atlas VPN has been in the news in the VPN community lately due to its zero-day vulnerability that can be exploited to reveal a user's IP address.
From Reddit to Amazon
A flaw in VPN is nothing new – just like any software, apps and online services, there should be some bugs along the way that need to be addressed as possible. It's just unfortunate that Atlas VPN's vulnerability is focused on the one thing it aims to protect the most.
The vulnerability of Atlas VPN was first reported on Reddit by user "Educational-Map-8145". The post outlines the root cause of the problem including the code used to take full advantage of the problem. Without going too deep, the problem basically lies in the client connection to an API with a localhost that does not perform authentication. Unfortunately, this could be exploited, and the exploit could be run even on a browser.
Aside from the Reddit post, this vulnerability was authenticated on Twitter by a cybersecurity engineer named Chris Partridge including a screenshot of the exploit.
Are Atlas Users in Trouble?
Based on the post and authenticated exploit on Twitter, the vulnerability might just be limited to Atlas VPN Linux clients. Specifically, the attack was made on version 1.0.3 of the Linux client.
There are no attacks or problems based on this type of exploit for now, but no one really knows unless there is a reported massive attack or leak on the IP Address. If you're on Atlas VPN right now, know that this is a possibility.
The good news is that Atlas VPN is already aware of this problem. According to the original Reddit post, the person who pointed out the exploit has already alerted Atlas VPN but did not have a solid response for a while. Fortunately, a post on Reddit and an authentication from a cybersecurity engineer has solicited a response from Atlas VPN. They are now fixing the problem and will release a new Linux client when it is ready. They will also alert their Linux client about this update.
But aside from the discovered flaw in their Linux client something else has been pointed out that might be useful in the future not just on Atlas VPN but also for other software companies – a bug bounty or a dedicated contact information for bugs and other problems. Problems like IP leaks especially on a VPN provider is not just a small problem even though it might affect a limited number of users. When you have a dedicated line for leaks or a bug bounty, you will immediately know if there are any problems and should make extra effort to fix it.
Protecting Your IP Address with the Right VPN
A potential vulnerability exploit that reveals a user's IP address is not the end of Atlas VPN – far from it. As long as they address the situation as soon as possible and deploy the update without any additional hitch, their paying customers should not have any concerns whatsoever. On the other hand, the clock is ticking before any type of massive attack is reported caused by a bad VPN.
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