Setting Up a SOCKS5 Proxy with Authentication on Ubuntu 22.04.4

Setting up a SOCKS5 proxy with authentication on Ubuntu 22.04.4 involves several steps, including installing the necessary software, configuring the proxy, and setting up authentication. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

Step 1: Update Your System

First, ensure your system is up to date by running:

# sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Step 2: Install dante-server

Dante is a popular SOCKS proxy server. Install it using the following command:

# sudo apt install dante-server -y

Step 3: Configure dante-server

Create and edit the Dante server configuration file:

# sudo nano /etc/danted.conf

Replace the contents of the file with the following configuration:

logoutput: syslog
user.privileged: root
user.unprivileged: nobody

# The listening network interface or address.
internal: 0.0.0.0 port=1080

# The proxying network interface or address.
external: eno1

# socks-rules determine what is proxied through the external interface.
socksmethod: username

# client-rules determine who can connect to the internal interface.
clientmethod: none

client pass {
    from: 0.0.0.0/0 to: 0.0.0.0/0
}

socks pass {
    from: 0.0.0.0/0 to: 0.0.0.0/0

• internal: Interface to listen on and the port number (e.g., eth0 and 1080).
• external: Interface to use for outgoing traffic (e.g., eth0).

Adjust eth0 to your network interface name if different.

Step 4: Set Up User Authentication

Add users for proxy authentication. Use the following command to create a user (replace username with your desired username):

# sudo adduser username

Follow the prompts to set a password.

Step 5: Enable and Start the dante-server

Enable and start the Dante service using the following commands:

sudo systemctl enable danted
sudo systemctl start danted

Step 6: Verify the Proxy Server

To ensure the proxy server is running, use the following command:

sudo systemctl status danted

You should see output indicating that the service is active and running.

Step 7: Configure Firewall (Optional)

If you have a firewall enabled, allow traffic on the SOCKS5 port (e.g., 1080):

sudo ufw allow 1080/tcp
sudo ufw allow 1080/udp

Testing the SOCKS5 Proxy

To test the proxy server, you can use tools like curl. Replace username and password with the credentials you created:

curl -x socks5://username:password@your_server_ip:1080 http://ipinfo.io

You should see output with your server’s IP address.

Additional Security Measures

1. Firewall Rules: Restrict access to the proxy server to specific IP addresses if needed.
2. Logging: Configure logging to monitor usage and detect any potential issues.

Conclusion

Following these steps will set up a SOCKS5 proxy with authentication on Ubuntu 22.04.4. Ensure to keep the system and dante-server updated for security and performance improvements.