how to unblock my https website when its blocked by a specific country?

Question

I have a website, more like a webservice that serve some applications, my service has been blocked in a specific country, only the https version is blocked.

i need to keep using the ssl certificate to protect the privacy of my users, is there any way to unblock my website ?

I have tried somethings that doesn't seem to work,

• I have used a new domain and a new certificate
• I have used cloudflare
• Changed the IP of my server

but none of these works, what else could be done to get my website unblocked ?

Thanks

Solution

A lot depends on how your web site is blocked. It could be blocked by:

1. specific domain name
2. IP address
3. port number
4. protocol (HTTPS)
5. geographic zone or country
6. Unencrypted content

So you need to try to understand how your site is being blocked.

If the blocking country blocks HTTPS on 443 except for a list of approved commercial sites, there is a chance that you could run your site using HTTPS on a different port (possibly even port 80) and not be blocked. Unless you use port 80, you would need to put a link on your HTTP site to the HTTPS site in order for customers to find your site.

If your site is blocked by IP address or geographic zone, then there is a chance that you could avoid blocking by using a hosting service in a country that is perceived as neutral or friendly by the blocking country.

If your site is blocked by domain name, you could acquire a cert for a different domain name and set up an alternate site, with a link to it on your main site.

In the end, if your site is high-profile or perceived as high-ranking by the censors, they will eventually circumvent all of you efforts and block your encrypted site. The best that you can hope for is to make them work harder by continually changing the IP address, port number, domain name and hosting country.

Here are some links to articles that might be helpful:

1. http://websearch.about.com/od/anonymoussurfingsafety/tp/unblock-blocked-sites.htm
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_censorship_circumvention
3. http://www.howtogeek.com/167418/5-ways-to-bypass-internet-censorship-and-filtering/

Comments

[Michael Hampton]

You can nicely ask the country's censorship authority to unblock the site.

[Ahmed Galal]

How is that ? they block a port on a specific IP, changing the IP should be enough to unblock it.

[Ahmed Galal]

Thanks thats helpful, i have tried everything you said except changing the https port, i will try that and i will see. thanks

[Ahmed Galal]

i tried changing the port, and no luck still

[Jonathan Ben-Avraham]

@AhmedGalal: You might need to change several factors at the same time. Also, see the links that I posted just now.

[Ahmed Galal]

@JonathanBenAvraham , I have tried all the combinations, here's what i did, a different IP, different domain, different SSL certificate and different name server, and still no luck, i can't believe this

[Jonathan Ben-Avraham]

@AhmedGalal: Hmm... You will probably have to find some forums or searches that deal with the particular country that is blocking your site. As a last resort you could try something like TOR. However, that presents a hurdle for regular users. Sorry I don't have any more ideas.

[Ahmed Galal]

@JonathanBenAvraham , am running out of ideas too, am not giving up soon anyway, thanks for your help.