How to prevent bypassing parental control via VPN?

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How to prevent bypassing parental control via VPN?

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How to prevent bypassing parental control via VPN?
How to prevent bypassing parental control via VPN?
2017-10-17 16:08:49
Model :

Hardware Version :

Firmware Version :

ISP :

On the DECO I have blocked YOUTUBE for the devices connected to the profile of my son. That is working fine till he found out that there are VPN servers on the internet. He now connects to such VPN server and continue to spend hours on YOUTUBE instead of working on his homework.

Via the "Insights" I can see that he is using a VPN, so I block each time these specific websites. But each time there is a new variant which I need to block.






Via the "Apps/Websites" I wanted to block everything with VPN in it, but I do not manage to do so. It seems that you can only select predefined keywords.





So how to block in one go all the VPN servers?
And if that is not possible, how to get websites added to the DECO database? In this specific case *.vpnunlimitedapp.com but tomorrow another one as there are many of such VPN out there.
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#1
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Re:How to prevent bypassing parental control via VPN?
2017-10-17 19:59:33
It seems that your son has installed a VPN app, which the data via VPN tunnel, the VPN has many tunnels, even you block one, it can go by another one.
So I don't think the router can block all the VPN, you can try to use the vpnunlimitedapp.com in the key word.
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Re:How to prevent bypassing parental control via VPN?
2017-10-17 20:41:45

flying snow wrote

you can try to use the vpnunlimitedapp.com in the key word.


If I try to add a keyword then I get the message as shown in the 2nd screenshot "Sorry we could not find a match in the DECO database".
So it seems that TP LINK first needs to add vpnunlimitedapp to the DECO database...
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#3
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Re:How to prevent bypassing parental control via VPN?
2017-10-19 15:35:46
Maybe that's the issue, guess need to wait for tp-link to update the database
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Re:How to prevent bypassing parental control via VPN?
2017-10-20 23:06:31
Yes, I hope that support people from TP-Link also read this forum and take action. In parallel I have sent a mail from within the DECO APP with a similar request to add the vpnunlimitedapp.com to list of sites that can be blocked.
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Re:How to prevent bypassing parental control via VPN?
2017-10-24 01:55:23
The feedback I got from the TP-Link helpdesk:

The database of Parental Control is maintained by Trend Micro, thus we will submit a case to Trend Micro to let guys from TM evaluate to add this VPN app into their database.
Currently as for your case, is it possible to set time limit for your son?

It's fundamental wrong if someone can bypass the parental control by using one of the many VPN apps...
Suppose you want to block gambling or sex? Then putting a time limit in place doesn't work.


So lets hope that Trend Micro will add ASAP many VPN apps to their database. And gives one option to block them all in one go.

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Re:How to prevent bypassing parental control via VPN?
2017-10-24 09:03:23
Hope so
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Re:How to prevent bypassing parental control via VPN?
2017-10-26 18:32:44
Last feedback from the support team:

Although we have feedback to Trend Micro, but it can be expected that hard to block all the VPN apps as there are too many and different VPN apps will adopts their own methods to provide VPN services, especially for paid services.
However, we will improve our Parental Control feature by adding keyword filtering. In addition, we will optimize the time limit and pause internet feature to stop transferring any data traffic once internet is paused or when it reaches the time limit in future firmware updates.

So it seems that in future firmware updates we can expect some useful improvements in the Parental Control features that helps preventing bypassing the Parental Control.
Although it will never be fool-proof it's good that TP-LINK is working on solutions!
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Re:How to prevent bypassing parental control via VPN?
2017-10-27 10:28:40

hansremmerswaal wrote

Last feedback from the support team:

Although we have feedback to Trend Micro, but it can be expected that hard to block all the VPN apps as there are too many and different VPN apps will adopts their own methods to provide VPN services, especially for paid services.
However, we will improve our Parental Control feature by adding keyword filtering. In addition, we will optimize the time limit and pause internet feature to stop transferring any data traffic once internet is paused or when it reaches the time limit in future firmware updates.

So it seems that in future firmware updates we can expect some useful improvements in the Parental Control features that helps preventing bypassing the Parental Control.
Although it will never be fool-proof it's good that TP-LINK is working on solutions!

Cannot agree more
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#9
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Re:How to prevent bypassing parental control via VPN?
2017-11-25 13:00:05
I have been dealing with the same type of issue with my son using VPN client on his cell phone to bypass parental controls.. (use after bedtime)... I currently have the "kids" deco setup to connect to my cable modem network... I have reverted to ending all traffic to the deco system from my cable modem at the same time the deco bed time happens... I was going to see if a wireshark would help me block the certain ports that the client uses, but did not have enough time/patience to do so... I have cosidered using OpenDNS on the backend to block some sites, but dont' know if it will help or not...

Comments/Suggestions?
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Re:How to prevent bypassing parental control via VPN?
2017-11-27 17:43:54
I think you all are looking at a wrong angle, imagine a great firewall cannot block VPN completely from state level, how do you expect a private company like trend micro to do it????
Wake up people, mind if I suggest easier and more realistic solution to the problem:
1, cut off your kid's allowance as I know most of the VPN are not free.
2, beat the crap out of your children, so they would quite messing around.
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#11
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