Zero-Logging Infrastructure Design
Ensuring user privacy is at the core of Anon VPN’s architecture. The Zero-Logging Infrastructure Design is a foundational component that guarantees no sensitive user information is ever collected, stored, or analyzed. This document provides a comprehensive technical overview of how Anon VPN achieves and enforces a strict no-logs policy using a combination of infrastructure isolation, ephemeral compute, memory-only systems, audit-resistant designs, and decentralized trust mechanisms.
1. What Does Zero-Logging Mean?
In the context of VPN services, logging refers to the storage of any data related to:
IP addresses (source or destination)
Connection timestamps
Session durations
Bandwidth usage
DNS queries
User identifiers
Authentication metadata
Anon VPN does not log, track, or store any of the above.
Instead, we use stateless systems and privacy-preserving design patterns that eliminate the need for data persistence.
2. Ephemeral Compute Architecture
Anon VPN utilizes ephemeral, memory-resident infrastructure for all traffic handling components:
Key Properties:
All VPN session data (e.g., user IP, handshake metadata) resides entirely in RAM.
No write access to persistent storage is granted on core data plane nodes.
Server reboot automatically wipes all session-related memory.
Logging services are not installed on VPN servers (e.g.,
journald,syslog,rsyslog,auditdare disabled).
Implementation Example (Linux):
mount -t tmpfs -o size=512M tmpfs /var/log
systemctl mask systemd-journald3. Immutable Infrastructure with RAMDisk-Only Mode
VPN servers are bootstrapped using a read-only image with the core application stack and configuration pre-baked. At runtime:
All logs, temp files, and runtime artifacts are stored on a
tmpfsmount (RAMDisk).When the server shuts down or crashes, all state is lost.
SSH access is disabled to prevent interactive log-based debugging.
4. Real-Time Resource Monitoring Without Logging
Anon VPN performs real-time monitoring and metrics collection using privacy-preserving agents:
Metrics are aggregated on the client side, anonymized, and optionally sent to a decentralized telemetry node.
No identifiers or IP addresses are included in reports.
Performance metrics include:
CPU usage
Memory footprint
Packet throughput
Connection uptime
Metrics pipelines use Prometheus-compatible exporters with all IP-level fields disabled or masked.
5. DNS Queries Are Not Logged
Anon VPN runs dedicated encrypted DNS resolvers and enforces the following:
No query logs (e.g.,
log-queries=NOindnsmasq)Logs are redirected to
/dev/nullDNS resolvers run in isolated containers with write-disabled filesystem
DNS servers use:
DNSCrypt
DoH/DoT with in-memory query resolution
Query cache only in RAM
6. Audit-Resistant Infrastructure
To ensure no accidental or hidden logging, Anon VPN implements:
Logfile Redirection
All logging streams are redirected to /dev/null or RAM
Immutable OS Images
Servers boot from pre-signed, read-only images
File System Audit Scripts
Routine checks ensure no logging agents or files are created during runtime
Kernel Hardening
Audit subsystems in Linux are disabled or blocked
Example Audit Mask:
# Disable audit daemon
systemctl disable auditd.service
# Prevent loading of audit modules
echo "install audit /bin/false" > /etc/modprobe.d/no-audit.conf7. Blockchain-Based Transparency (Optional)
For decentralized compliance, Anon VPN integrates with a blockchain-based attestation system to publish:
VPN server fingerprints (hash of config + OS image)
Proof of RAM-only boot mode (using secure enclave verification)
Zero-logs compliance hash attestations
These can be verified publicly, allowing third parties and privacy watchdogs to audit claims.
8. Comparison with Traditional VPN Logging
IP Address Logging
Often Enabled
Never Stored
Session Time Logging
Common
Disabled
DNS Request Logging
Often Persistent
Encrypted, In-Memory Only
Log Rotation & Archival
Monthly / Weekly
No Logs Created
Telemetry Collection
IP-based / Analytics
Opt-in, Anonymized, Decentralized
Admin Access to Logs
Permitted
Not Possible (No Logs)
9. Verification by Design
Even if an attacker gains access to the infrastructure, they cannot retrieve historical data because:
All state is in RAM (volatile)
No disks are mounted with write access
Logging subsystems are fully disabled
External logging/telemetry platforms are not used
Keys and session metadata are rotated and purged in real-time
10. Future Directions
Anon VPN is exploring advanced privacy models including:
Homomorphic encryption for metrics
Zero-knowledge proofs to attest to no-logging without disclosing internal architecture
Secure Multi-Party Computation (SMPC) for federated analysis without user-level data exposure
Conclusion
Anon VPN's Zero-Logging Infrastructure is not just a policy—it's a technically enforced, verifiable system architecture designed to ensure that no trace of your activity is ever recorded or reconstructable. This approach exceeds regulatory compliance and stands as a model for privacy-first infrastructure in the VPN industry.
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