Python Boto + SSH SOCKS = Easy Cheap Coffeeshop VPN

A while back (well actually after reading Unencrypted Wifi Must Die) I started using SSH SOCKS tunnels to a small AMI I created with using the AWS Console. I end up paying less than a dollar a month for this. You'll need to install Python Boto for this, but on Ubuntu 10.04 and later this is as simple as

apt-get install python-boto

The code is pretty simple

First connect to EC2

e = boto.connect_ec2()

Create a new instance where AMI_TYPE is set to 't1.micro' (the smallest cheapest AMI)

r = e.run_instances(AMI,key_name=KEY_NAME,instance_type=AMI_TYPE)
i = r.instances[-1]

You basically have to create the reservation and then pull the instance from the list of reservations. Wait for the instance to come up so you can find out the dns name

print "Host name:",i.public_dns_name

--
ec2unnel.py is available on GitHub. You obviously need to change the name to your SSH key and set your AWS environment variables or hard code them in the script.

mfranz@mfranz-xp60sublts:~$ ./ec2unnel.py stop
Connecting to EC2...
Host name: ec2-75-101-195-59.compute-1.amazonaws.com
State: shutting-down
State: shutting-down
State: shutting-down
State: shutting-down
State: shutting-down
State: shutting-down
State: terminated
mfranz@mfranz-xp60sublts:~$ ./ec2unnel.py start
Connecting to EC2...
Creating instance in: us-east-1
Launch time: 2011-03-15T12:15:05.000Z
State: pending
State: pending
State: pending
State: pending
State: pending
State: running
Host name: ec2-50-17-19-144.compute-1.amazonaws.com

mfranz@mfranz-xp60sublts:~$ ssh -v -i duo.pem -D 1080 ec2-user@ec2-50-17-19-144.compute-1.amazonaws.com
OpenSSH_5.3p1 Debian-3ubuntu5, OpenSSL 0.9.8k 25 Mar 2009
debug1: Reading configuration data /etc/ssh/ssh_config
debug1: Applying options for *
debug1: Connecting to ec2-50-17-19-144.compute-1.amazonaws.com [50.17.19.144] port 22.
debug1: Connection established.
debug1: identity file duo.pem type -1
debug1: Remote protocol version 2.0, remote software version OpenSSH_5.3
debug1: match: OpenSSH_5.3 pat OpenSSH*
debug1: Enabling compatibility mode for protocol 2.0
debug1: Local version string SSH-2.0-OpenSSH_5.3p1 Debian-3ubuntu5
debug1: SSH2_MSG_KEXINIT sent
debug1: SSH2_MSG_KEXINIT received
debug1: kex: server->client aes128-ctr hmac-md5 none
debug1: kex: client->server aes128-ctr hmac-md5 none
debug1: SSH2_MSG_KEX_DH_GEX_REQUEST(1024<1024<8192) lang =" en_US.utf8">

And you see it takes a while for the terminated instances to go away.

mfranz@mfranz-xp60sublts:~$ ./ec2unnel.py
Connecting to EC2...
2011-03-15T12:02:23.000Z terminated
2011-03-15T12:15:05.000Z terminated

Obviously you'll need to set your proxy