{"id":27278,"date":"2020-08-14T18:07:42","date_gmt":"2020-08-14T15:07:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/?p=27278"},"modified":"2025-08-26T19:48:16","modified_gmt":"2025-08-26T16:48:16","slug":"in-the-wake-of-belaruss-internet-shutdown-how-to-bypass-blocks-and-when-it-becomes-impossible","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/u1f987.com\/en\/in-the-wake-of-belaruss-internet-shutdown-how-to-bypass-blocks-and-when-it-becomes-impossible\/","title":{"rendered":"In the wake of Belarus&#8217;s internet shutdown: how to bypass blocks and when it becomes impossible"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">Against the backdrop of protests linked to the Belarus presidential election, residents were cut off from the internet for several days. The authorities blamed it on DDoS attacks and interference from abroad, but experts <a href=\"https:\/\/u1f987.com\/en\/news\/ddos-attacks-or-national-internet-isolation-what-is-happening-to-belaruss-internet\"><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">are confident<\/span><\/a><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\"> that the switch was pulled by state-owned providers \u2014 Beltelecom and \u041d\u0426\u041e\u0422.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>ForkLog journal spoke to experts about how to bypass blocks and protect the basic right to access the internet.<\/p>\n<div class=\\\"wp-block-text-wrappers-keypoints article_keypoints\\\">\n<ul class=\\\"wp-block-list\\\">\n<li>When it comes to blocking specific sites or apps, the most popular ways to bypass are VPNs, Tor, and proxies.<\/li>\n<li>Choosing a VPN service requires caution, especially if it is free, according to experts.<\/li>\n<li>In the case of a full internet shutdown, as happened in Belarus, virtually all known methods of circumventing blocks will prove useless.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<p><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">First, it is necessary to distinguish between restrictions on access to websites, specific protocols, applications, and a full internet shutdown, says Roskomsvoboda&#8217;s technical director Stanislav Shakirov.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">In the first case, bypassing the blocks is possible. The most obvious and simple method is using VPN services.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\\\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\\\">\n<p><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">\u00abUsing a VPN is generally recommended at all times, as it makes it harder to monitor you,\u00bb said Mikhail Klimariev, executive director of the Internet Protection Society.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">Kozlyuk advised paying attention to paid VPN solutions. He said they \\\\\u201ccan guarantee a wide channel without glitches, no restrictions and many servers around the world\\\\\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">However, as the Belarus situation showed, standard VPN services can also be blocked.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">More advanced tools for bypassing blocks are services like Lantern, NewNode<\/span><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\"> and Psiphon, which has become popular in recent days among Belarusians.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\\\"wp-block-image\\\">\n<figure class=\\\"aligncenter\\\"><img loading=\\\"lazy\\\" decoding=\\\"async\\\" width=\\\"300\\\" height=\\\"80\\\" src=\\\"https:\/\/u1f987.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Screenshot_194-300x80.png\\\" alt=\\\"Following the Belarus internet shutdown: how to bypass blocks and when it becomes impossible\\\" class=\\\"wp-image-107397\\\" srcset=\\\"https:\/\/u1f987.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Screenshot_194-300x80.png 300w, https:\/\/u1f987.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Screenshot_194-1024x273.png 1024w, https:\/\/u1f987.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Screenshot_194-768x204.png 768w, https:\/\/u1f987.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Screenshot_194-1536x409.png 1536w, https:\/\/u1f987.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Screenshot_194.png 1845w\\\" sizes=\\\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\\\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<blockquote class=\\\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\\\">\n<p><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">\u00abThese are distributed VPNs; they have many servers across the world. When connecting, they mask their traffic as allowed. Such services are harder to block because they constantly change transmission protocols \u2014 the protocol mimics and DPI equipment finds it very hard to catch them,\u00bb says Mikhail Klimariev.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">Before the Belarus events, such services were known mainly to public activists; however, they were virtually unknown to the wider public, noted Artem Kozlyuk.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">According to independent expert Alexander Isavnin, these services are in demand in countries where VPNs are banned at the protocol level.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">Another way to bypass blocks is Tor.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">In Belarus, the use of Tor bridges surged amid the shutdown.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\\\"wp-block-image\\\">\n<figure class=\\\"aligncenter\\\"><img loading=\\\"lazy\\\" decoding=\\\"async\\\" width=\\\"300\\\" height=\\\"166\\\" src=\\\"https:\/\/u1f987.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Screenshot_193-300x166.png\\\" alt=\\\"Following the Belarus internet shutdown: how to bypass blocks and when it becomes impossible\\\" class=\\\"wp-image-107398\\\" srcset=\\\"https:\/\/u1f987.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Screenshot_193-300x166.png 300w, https:\/\/u1f987.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Screenshot_193-768x426.png 768w, https:\/\/u1f987.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Screenshot_193.png 879w\\\" sizes=\\\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\\\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<blockquote class=\\\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\\\">\n<p><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">\u00abTor bridges are distributed VPNs; they have many servers worldwide. When connected, they mask their traffic as permitted. Such services are harder to block because they constantly change transmission protocols \u2014 the protocol mimics and DPI equipment finds it very hard to catch them,\u00bb says Mikhail Klimariev.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">Earlier, such services were known mainly to public activists; the wider public knew little about them, noted Artem Kozlyuk.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">According to independent expert Alexander Isavnin, these services are in demand in countries where VPNs are banned at the protocol level.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">Another way to bypass blocks is Tor.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">In Belarus, the use of Tor bridges surged amid the shutdown.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\\\"wp-block-image\\\">\n<figure class=\\\"aligncenter\\\"><img loading=\\\"lazy\\\" decoding=\\\"async\\\" width=\\\"300\\\" height=\\\"166\\\" src=\\\"https:\/\/u1f987.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Screenshot_193-300x166.png\\\" alt=\\\"Following the Belarus internet shutdown: how to bypass blocks and when it becomes impossible\\\" class=\\\"wp-image-107399\\\" srcset=\\\"https:\/\/u1f987.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Screenshot_193-300x166.png 300w, https:\/\/u1f987.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Screenshot_193-768x426.png 768w, https:\/\/u1f987.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Screenshot_193.png 879w\\\" sizes=\\\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\\\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">Also for bypassing blocks, proxy services are popular. However, using them is not recommended, Klimariev stated:<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\\\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\\\">\n<p><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">\u00abProxies do not operate in a vacuum \u2014 they monitor your traffic and can be used to carry out attacks (man-in-the-middle). They monitor your traffic and can, for example, steal login credentials.\u00bb<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">Isavnin added that it is crucial to monitor legislation and technologies in one&#8217;s country. In particular \u2014 internet initiatives:<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\\\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\\\">\n<p><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">\u00abIn Belarus, for specialists it was obvious that there was a deliberate monopoly and possible mass disconnection. The broader public simply forgot that this could happen.\u00bb<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">If tracking such changes and understanding new technologies is difficult for you, \u201ckeep someone who can do it as a friend,\u201d Isavnin added.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">Philipp Kulin, IT expert, agrees:<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\\\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\\\">\n<p><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">\u00abIn fact, the best way is to find someone who already bypasses the blocks and do as they do.\u00bb<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">However, all of the above methods may prove useless if the internet is completely shut down. That is exactly what happened in Belarus, according to experts.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\\\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\\\">\n<p><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">\u00abIn the event of a total internet block, as on the first day of Belarusian protests when the main trunk lines were cut, nothing will help. Simply because no traffic moves,\u00bb explained Stanislav Shakirov, technical director of Roskomsvoboda.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">But there is good news \u2014 today it is unlikely that any country can completely shield itself from the external network for a long time. That would entail colossal economic losses, noted Artem Kozlyuk.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">Indeed, losses for a single day of internet shutdown in Belarus were <a href=\"https:\/\/u1f987.com\/en\/news\/daily-losses-from-belarus-internet-shutdown-estimated-at-56m\"><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">estimated<\/span><\/a><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\"> at $56 million.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\\\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\\\">\n<p><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">\u00abThe best way to bypass blocks is not to let those who want to block anything on the internet take power. But if it has already happened, stay vigilant about the legislation and be prepared for anything,\u00bb Isavnin concluded.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><em>Author: Alina Saganskaya.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Subscribe to ForkLog news on Telegram: <a href=\\\"https:\/\/t.me\/forklogfeed\\\" target=\\\"_blank\\\" rel=\\\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\\\">ForkLog Feed<\/a> \u2014 all the news feed, <a href=\\\"https:\/\/telegram.me\/forklog\\\" target=\\\"_blank\\\" rel=\\\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\\\">ForkLog<\/a> \u2014 the most important news and polls.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Against the backdrop of protests linked to Belarus&#8217;s presidential election, residents were cut off from the internet for several days. The authorities blamed it on DDoS attacks and interference from abroad, but experts say the switch was pulled by state-owned providers \u2014 Beltelecom and \u041d\u0426\u041e\u0422. ForkLog spoke to experts about bypassing blocks and protecting the basic right to access the internet.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":27279,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"select":"1","news_style_id":"1","cryptorium_level":"","_short_excerpt_text":"","creation_source":"","_metatest_mainpost_news_update":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1144],"tags":[1412,239,1445],"class_list":["post-27278","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-longreads","tag-bans-and-restrictions","tag-belarus","tag-internet"],"aioseo_notices":[],"amp_enabled":true,"views":"39","promo_type":"1","layout_type":"1","short_excerpt":"","is_update":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/u1f987.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27278","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/u1f987.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/u1f987.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/u1f987.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/u1f987.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27278"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/u1f987.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27278\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":27280,"href":"https:\/\/u1f987.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27278\/revisions\/27280"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/u1f987.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/27279"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/u1f987.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27278"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/u1f987.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27278"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/u1f987.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27278"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}