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Mohammad Waseem
Mohammad Waseem

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Bypassing Geo-Restrictions in Security Testing Without a Budget

#cybersecurity #testing #privacy

Introduction

Addressing geo-blocked features during security testing can be challenging, especially when working with limited or zero financial resources. As a cybersecurity researcher, leveraging the tools and techniques available can help you simulate and test geo-restrictions effectively. This post explores practical strategies and code snippets to circumvent geo-limiting features in a cost-free manner.

Understanding Geo-Restrictions

Geo-restrictions are implemented at various network layers, often through IP geolocation, DNS filtering, or server-side capabilities. To test these systems, your goal is to emulate a different geographical location.

Strategy 1: Using Free VPNs and Proxies

While paid VPNs offer stability, numerous free proxy services can serve for initial testing. Tools like ProxyChains or browser extensions (like GoProxy) can redirect your traffic through free proxies.

Sample proxychains.conf configuration:

# /etc/proxychains.conf
strict_chain
proxy_dns

# Proxy List - replace with current free proxies
http  us.proxynova.com 8080
socks4  1.2.3.4 1080
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Note: Free proxies are often unreliable; validation is necessary.

Strategy 2: Modifying Local Network Settings

You can manipulate DNS and routing to redirect your traffic. For DNS, use free public DNS servers like Google DNS (8.8.8.8), Cloudflare (1.1.1.1), or Quad9 (9.9.9.9) to bypass local restrictions.

For example, updating /etc/resolv.conf:

nameserver 8.8.8.8
nameserver 1.1.1.1
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Routing through SSH tunneling can also simulate different geographic locations if access to external proxies is available.

ssh -D 8080 user@remote-host
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Configure your browser or testing tool to use the SOCKS proxy at localhost:8080.

Strategy 3: Using Open-Source Tools and Public Resources

Leverage open-source solutions like Tor to anonymize flows. Tor nodes are distributed globally, providing access to a variety of locations.

To route your traffic through Tor:

sudo apt install tor

# Start Tor
tor &

# Configure your application to use SOCKS proxy at 9050
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With tools like curl, you can test geo-restriction behaviors:

curl --socks5 localhost:9050 https://example.com/test-geofeature
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Strategy 4: Emulating GPS/Location Data

Some geo-restrictions rely on device or app location data. Using browser developer tools or emulation scripts, you can modify geolocation APIs.

In Chrome DevTools:

  • Open Developer Tools (F12)
  • Go to the 'Sensors' tab
  • Set a custom location or use preset locations

Programmatically, with Selenium WebDriver:

from selenium import webdriver
from selenium.webdriver.chrome.options import Options

options = Options()
options.add_experimental_option('prefs', {
    'profile.default_content_setting_values.geolocation': 2
})

driver = webdriver.Chrome(options=options)

# Override geolocation
driver.execute_cdp_cmd('Emulation.setGeolocationOverride', {
    'latitude': 37.7749,
    'longitude': -122.4194,
    'accuracy': 100
})
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Final Thoughts

While these techniques won't permanently bypass geo-restrictions or substitute for paid solutions, they serve as cost-effective tools for thorough security testing. Combining proxy rotation, DNS modifications, network routing, and geolocation emulation provides a comprehensive approach.

Maintaining an ethical and legal stance is paramount — ensure you have permission to test systems and adhere to local laws.

References

🛠️ QA Tip

To test this safely without using real user data, I use TempoMail USA.

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