DMCA ignored VPS just for a reverse proxy?

My niche is copyrighted downloads monetized behind CPA content lockers.

I currently suck at SEO so I'd like to experiment with bringing in visitors through cheap paid traffic.

I've had Cloudflare forward a couple DMCA complaints to my host but they haven't seemed to do anything, but I would expect more in the future if using ad campaigns.

From what I've seen online, the smart way to do something like this is apparently:

Cloudflare -> reverse proxy (VPS) -> origin server

The idea is that Cloudflare only sends DMCA complaints to the VPS provider which they will either hopefully Ignore, or terminate service to, in which case you can switch to another proxy VPS without the origin host ever being touched or detected.

Is anyone currently using this setup?

Any recommendations for VPS location or company for this?

Since the VPS isn't actually being used for hosting, would the cheap (<$5 a month) VPS packages most providers offer work for this?

Any important details in this plan I got wrong or am overlooking?

Thanks for any insights or advice

The plan is correct. Use an offshore DMCA-ignored VPS (e.g., from Shinjiru, FlokiNET) as the proxy. A cheap VPS package is sufficient for this. Ensure your origin server's real IP is completely hidden.

I can recommend Altrosky for a copyright-friendly reverse proxy service or for a abuse-ignored VPS (for copyright related matters...always check the AUP/TOS) SpectralIP, BuyVM (Frantech) or al.uy would be good, reliable options.

TheGramSam said:

Ensure your origin server's real IP is completely hidden.

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The main thing to avoid would be not exposing mail servers, right? Any other origin IP leaks that a user wanting to stay hidden might want to be aware of?

Thanks for confirming that I had the right setup in mind and also for the host recommendations you mentioned.

Yes, the setup works in theory, but a cheap DMCA-ignored VPS can still get terminated fast, and many DMCA-ignored hosts aren’t truly safe. Popular choices are Moldova, Russia, Netherlands, and Bulgaria providers, but <$5 VPS often struggle under traffic spikes. The bigger risk is Cloudflare still leaking your origin, so tighten security or the whole chain breaks.

viserlab360 said:

The bigger risk is Cloudflare still leaking your origin, so tighten security or the whole chain breaks.

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Thanks. Any advice on what to watch out for in order to avoid IP leaks through Cloudflare?

I know running mail through Cloudflare is a bad idea, but that's about it.

jriz said:

Thanks. Any advice on what to watch out for in order to avoid IP leaks through Cloudflare?

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Just be very mindful of your actions when signing up and get into a rhythm of always having a "layer" between you and the end product. Usual op-sec areas like ensuring you're constantly connected to VPN, you're utilising email handles also accessed via VPN, don't share any personal information, pay with less favourable (to the police) crypto, etc.,. CF will always "share" the complaint with your host and your IP with the reporter (they've done it plenty to me over the years...), but the most important aspect is that it's forwarded on to an entity that ignores it (Altrosky, VSYS, BuyVM, etc.,).

azkoyen109 said:

CF will always "share" the complaint with your host and your IP with the reporter (they've done it plenty to me over the years...

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thank you for the valuable tips and sharing your experience.

I'm wondering though, why don't people filing DMCA complaints go through the domain registrar rather than trying to track down the origin server host through Cloudflare?

Registrar seems like it would be much more effective at getting a site shut down.

In my niche, I've only received a couple complaints from Cloudflare and did actually remove the offending posts. never heard anything from my web host, but they are not advertised as being DMCA ignored.

I've looked at sites offering the same downloads I am and they're also using cloudflare and a domain registrar that is definitely not well known for being friendly to this kind of stuff (namecheap). Some of them have been operating for years, but I'm not sure what kind of hosting set up they have.

In most cases, does Cloudflare just share your host IP with the person filing the DMCA complaint and forward it to your host? And do most hosts just terminate your service if they get fed up with this, or do they also hand over whatever personal information they have on file for you to the complainant?

I know these are broad questions but I'm just trying to get a general idea of how most hosts deal with repeated DMCA complaints. Do they usually just boot you off of their service, or is interpol gonna come and kick down my door?

jriz said:

My niche is copyrighted downloads monetized behind CPA content lockers.

I currently suck at SEO so I'd like to experiment with bringing in visitors through cheap paid traffic.

I've had Cloudflare forward a couple DMCA complaints to my host but they haven't seemed to do anything, but I would expect more in the future if using ad campaigns.

From what I've seen online, the smart way to do something like this is apparently:

Cloudflare -> reverse proxy (VPS) -> origin server

The idea is that Cloudflare only sends DMCA complaints to the VPS provider which they will either hopefully Ignore, or terminate service to, in which case you can switch to another proxy VPS without the origin host ever being touched or detected.

Is anyone currently using this setup?

Any recommendations for VPS location or company for this?

Since the VPS isn't actually being used for hosting, would the cheap (<$5 a month) VPS packages most providers offer work for this?

Any important details in this plan I got wrong or am overlooking?

Thanks for any insights or advice

Click to expand...

TheGramSam said:

The plan is correct. Use an offshore DMCA-ignored VPS (e.g., from Shinjiru, FlokiNET) as the proxy. A cheap VPS package is sufficient for this. Ensure your origin server's real IP is completely hidden.

Click to expand...

Hi,

Check the follows:

https://alexhost.com/
https://privatelayer.com
https://ava.hosting
https://koddos.net
https://kostkey.ru
https://webcare360.com
https://swisslayer.com
https://prq.se (good stuff, but not cheap)
https://flokinet.is

Please read their rules before order, but most of them allow reverse proxy and dmca ignored.
If you content locker or CPA have the intention of doing Scam, Fraud, Phishing you will be suspended even in offshore hosting, that is not dmca related. Just a warning

jriz said:

thank you for the valuable tips and sharing your experience.

I'm wondering though, why don't people filing DMCA complaints go through the domain registrar rather than trying to track down the origin server host through Cloudflare?

Registrar seems like it would be much more effective at getting a site shut down.

In my niche, I've only received a couple complaints from Cloudflare and did actually remove the offending posts. never heard anything from my web host, but they are not advertised as being DMCA ignored.

I've looked at sites offering the same downloads I am and they're also using cloudflare and a domain registrar that is definitely not well known for being friendly to this kind of stuff (namecheap). Some of them have been operating for years, but I'm not sure what kind of hosting set up they have.

In most cases, does Cloudflare just share your host IP with the person filing the DMCA complaint and forward it to your host? And do most hosts just terminate your service if they get fed up with this, or do they also hand over whatever personal information they have on file for you to the complainant?

I know these are broad questions but I'm just trying to get a general idea of how most hosts deal with repeated DMCA complaints. Do they usually just boot you off of their service, or is interpol gonna come and kick down my door?

Click to expand...

No problem at all. Honest answer to you question RE: registrar abuse...I don't know! The only registrar complaints (<10) I've encountered were due to trademark complaints and every time the very legitimate registrar/s (think of the big US companies...) received one, they passed them along to myself and asked for me to liaise directly with the responsible orgs trying to muscle me out (for reference, I did nothing and my domains remained untouched...). However, I am aware that some registrars do act upon court orders from other jurisdictions (e.g., India) to suspend domains, which can be annoying if you're in their firing line.

One of my long-standing hosts has shared original CF complaints with me directly (they were like "WTF is this crap") and it simply contains the reported abuse location(s) (e.g., page URLs) and the IP of the dedicated server I had rented - no personal details, if that's what you're worried about? Yet, if they subpoena CF they will share your info so be careful to ensure you use a VPN. throwaway email, fake name, etc.,.

What the hosts do with complaints is down to them, after all they take on your/the customer's liability most of the time. I've had some try to extort me by saying "if you receive X complaints a month we will charge a fee of Y for the inconvenience," but if you have a good provider who knows their customer base, industry, etc., they will likely just ignore anything until a court order/police request comes in and when it does - they can only share what have on record about you which can very little or nothing (and obviously, err, false...)! This all on the proviso that you don't do any serious criminal stuff, if you do, expect no provider (even the shadiest) to host you...

My final piece of (personal) advice would be, always be aware of where you sit in your ecosystem. Most orgs/police/jurisdictions will naturally go after the biggest fish in the pond (again as along as you're not doing serious criminal activity), so find a nice mid-ground area and stay there - ticking over is better than looking over your back... ;-) Oh and good luck with it @jriz

azkoyen109 said:

Most orgs/police/jurisdictions will naturally go after the biggest fish in the pond (again as along as you're not doing serious criminal activity), so find a nice mid-ground area and stay there - ticking over is better than looking over your back.

Click to expand...

Thanks for taking the time to share your experiences and advice here again...especially this last bit about keeping things in perspective.


Have a happy and profitable 2026, bud.

jriz said:

My niche is copyrighted downloads monetized behind CPA content lockers.

I currently suck at SEO so I'd like to experiment with bringing in visitors through cheap paid traffic.

I've had Cloudflare forward a couple DMCA complaints to my host but they haven't seemed to do anything, but I would expect more in the future if using ad campaigns.

From what I've seen online, the smart way to do something like this is apparently:

Cloudflare -> reverse proxy (VPS) -> origin server

The idea is that Cloudflare only sends DMCA complaints to the VPS provider which they will either hopefully Ignore, or terminate service to, in which case you can switch to another proxy VPS without the origin host ever being touched or detected.

Is anyone currently using this setup?

Any recommendations for VPS location or company for this?

Since the VPS isn't actually being used for hosting, would the cheap (<$5 a month) VPS packages most providers offer work for this?

Any important details in this plan I got wrong or am overlooking?

Thanks for any insights or advice

Click to expand...

A reverse proxy itself doesn’t host content, it just forwards traffic. Because of that, DMCA notices usually aren’t an issue unless the proxy is caching or storing copyrighted material.


For normal reverse proxy use, a regular VPS is enough. “DMCA ignored” VPSs only really matter if you’re hosting or serving infringing content, and even then they don’t provide full legal protection.