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https://github.com/ProtonVPN/win-app

Official ProtonVPN Windows app
https://github.com/ProtonVPN/win-app

vpn windows

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Official ProtonVPN Windows app

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README 

        
# Proton VPN Windows app



Copyright (c) 2023 Proton AG



This repository holds the Proton VPN Windows app.

For a detailed build information see [BUILD](BUILD.md).

For licensing information see [COPYING](COPYING.md).

For contribution policy see [CONTRIBUTING](CONTRIBUTING.md).



## Description



The [Proton VPN](https://protonvpn.com) Windows app is intended for every Proton VPN service user,

paid or free and supports all functionalities available to authenticated users (user signup instead happens on the web site).



You can download the latest stable release, either on [Proton VPN official website](https://protonvpn.com/download) or directly on the [official GitHub repository](https://github.com/ProtonVPN/win-app/releases/latest).



### The application



The app consists of these interacting parts:

- Proton VPN GUI application

- Proton VPN Service

- OpenVPN

- TAP adapter

- Split Tunnel driver



#### GUI application



The Proton VPN GUI app is installed into "C:\Program Files\Proton\VPN\" directory by default. 

The main executable is "ProtonVPN.exe".



Proton VPN GUI app starts Proton VPN Service when launched and stops the service

when closed.



App logs are saved to "%LOCALAPPDATA%\ProtonVPN\Logs" directory.



The Proton VPN build using Debug configuration optionally loads its configuration from file

"ProtonVPN.config" in the app directory. This file is not deployed during install. If the configuration

file doesn't exist or contains not valid values the app tries to save default configuration

used in the app.



To monitor Http traffic of Proton VPN GUI app using Fiddler or another tool, you might need to disable

TLS certificate pinning. To disable TLS certificate pinning the configuration file with empty

"TlsPinningConfig" value should be provided:

```

    ...

    "TlsPinningConfig": {}

    ...

```



#### Proton VPN Service



The Windows service "ProtonVPN Service" is installed into

"C:\Program Files\Proton\VPN\" directory by default. Service

executable is "ProtonVPNService.exe". The service is started and stopped by the Proton VPN

GUI app.



During installation, the service is configured to be started and stopped by the unprivileged

interactive users.



Service executable supports installation and uninstallation of service. Passing "install" on

command line to "ProtonVPNService.exe" installs the service, passing "uninstall" - uninstalls.

This installation method doesn't configure service security settings.



Service is responsible for interaction with OpenVPN, managing Windows firewall and Split Tunnel

driver.



Service logs are saved to "%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\ProtonVPN\Logs" directory.



#### OpenVPN



The Proton VPN uses OpenVPN for maintaining a VPN tunnel. The new OpenVPN process is started on each

connect to a VPN and closed on disconnect. Communication with the OpenVPN process is maintained through

TCP management interface.



OpenVPN is installed into "C:\Program Files\Proton\VPN\\Resources\"

directory by default. The OpenVPN config file is static, it doesn't change for each VPN server.



The OpenVPN is built from official source by applying a patch to support Proton VPN specific

TAP adapter. See [win-openvpn](https://github.com/ProtonVPN/win-openvpn) repository.



#### TAP adapter



TAP adapter "TAP-ProtonVPN Windows Adapter V9" is used by the OpenVPN.



The TAP adapter is built from official source by applying a patch to have Proton VPN specific

name and identification. See [win-tap-adapter](https://github.com/ProtonVPN/win-tap-adapter) repository.



#### Callout driver



The kernel-mode driver "ProtonVPN Callout Driver" is used for redirecting socket bindings when

Split Tunnel is enabled and preventing DNS leak by sending SERVFAIL response packet for DNS

requests which were made from other interfaces than Proton VPN uses.



The driver is installed as a system service. It is started when connecting to VPN and stopped

when disconnecting by Proton VPN Service.



## Folder structure



The main repository folder contains the .NET Visual Studio solution of the

Proton VPN Windows app named ProtonVPN.



### Folder "ci"



Contains continuous integration scripts.



### Folder "packages"



It contains NuGet packages of the ProtonVPN solution.



### Folder "Setup"



This folder contains Advanced Installer setup project files, resources included in the installer,

and built installer files. Subfolders contain:



- "Images" - images for inclusion into the installer.

- "Installers" - built Proton VPN installer files.

- "ProtonVPNTap-SetupFiles" - built TAP adapter installer files. The latest successfully

  built TAP adapter installer file is required to build the Proton VPN installer.

- "SplitTunnel" - SplitTunnel Callout driver for inclusion into the installer.



### Folder "src"



This folder contains Visual Studio solution projects.



### Folder "src\bin"



This folder contains Visual Studio project build output. This folder can be safely

deleted as it's content is recreated by building the solution.



### Folder "src\srp"



This folder contains GIT submodule of [ProtonMail SRP library](https://github.com/ProtonMail/go-srp).



### Folder "test"



This folder contains test projects of the ProtonVPN solution.



## Solution



Proton VPN Windows app is created using C# and C++ programming languages, WPF and MVVM

technologies. The Visual Studio solution consists of a series of projects:

- **ProtonVPN.App** - the main project which builds to Proton VPN GUI app executable.

  It contains startup logic and GUI (view models and views).

- **ProtonVPN.CalloutDriver** - the callout driver written in C++ used for split tunneling and DNS leak protection.

- **ProtonVPN.Common** - the classes shared between projects.

- **ProtonVPN.Core** - the business logic of the application.

- **ProtonVPN.ErrorMessage** - displays an error message when the application cannot be run. Builds to an executable.

- **ProtonVPN.InstallActions** - the C++ actions used by the app installer.

- **ProtonVPN.IpFilter** - the C++ library for configuring Windows firewall filters.

- **ProtonVPN.Native** - the C# wrapper around Windows system libraries.

- **ProtonVPN.NetworkFilter** - the C# wrapper around C++ library for configuring Windows firewall.

- **ProtonVPN.NetworkUtil** - the C++ library for changing network configuration.

- **ProtonVPN.Resource** - contains resources shared between projects.

- **ProtonVPN.Service** - the Windows service which handles VPN, Windows firewall and Split Tunneling.

- **ProtonVPN.Service.Contract** - contains the service contract.

- **ProtonVPN.TapInstaller** - the TAP install action used in the app installer.

- **ProtonVPN.TlsVerify** - the command line utility which verifies the VPN server certificate.

- **ProtonVPN.Update** - the application update module used in the update service.

- **ProtonVPN.UpdateService** - the Windows service which handles the app updates.

- **ProtonVPN.UpdateServiceContract** - contains the update service contract.

- **ProtonVPN.Vpn** - the OpenVPN management module used in the service.



Solution folder "Test" contains test projects.