Running openconnect as a non-root user without any root privileges—even for initial setup—is possible, but it requires some configuration and limitations. Here’s how you can achieve this:

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1. Use User-Space VPN (No Root Required)

openconnect can run entirely in user space if you use the --interface option to specify a tun/tap device that the user has access to. However, by default, creating tun/tap interfaces requires root privileges.

Solution: Pre-configure a tun/tap device

If you can get a one-time root access (or ask an admin), you can create a persistent tun/tap device and grant your user permissions to it:

bash
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# As root (one-time setup):
ip tuntap add mode tun user <your_username> name vpn0
chown <your_username> /dev/net/tun

After this, your user can use vpn0 without root.

But since you want no root at all, this is not an option.

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2. Use --no-dtls and --no-esp (If Supported)

Some VPN servers support running openconnect without kernel-level networking (DTLS/ESP). This allows it to run entirely in user space, but:

• It may not work with all servers.
• Performance and security may be reduced.

Example:

bash
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openconnect --no-dtls --no-esp vpn.example.com

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3. Use openconnect with vpnc-script in User Space

If your VPN server supports running in user space (e.g., over a plain TCP connection), you can use:

bash
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openconnect --protocol=anyconnect vpn.example.com

But this depends on the server configuration.

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4. Use a User-Space VPN Alternative

If openconnect cannot run without root, consider alternatives like:

• WireGuard in user space: wireguard-tools with WG_USERSPACE=1.
• SoftEther VPN: Can run in user space.
• TunSafe: User-space WireGuard client.

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5. Use a Container (Podman/Docker)

If you can run containers as a non-root user (e.g., with podman), you can run openconnect inside a container where it has the necessary permissions:

bash
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podman run --rm -it --net=host --device=/dev/net/tun openconnect/openconnect vpn.example.com

This isolates the VPN process but still requires /dev/net/tun access.

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6. Use a Proxy Instead of VPN

If your goal is to access restricted resources, consider using a proxy (e.g., ssh -D or 3proxy) instead of a VPN.

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Summary Table

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Final Answer

If you absolutely cannot use root at any time, your best options are:

1. Use --no-dtls --no-esp (if the server supports it).
2. Switch to a user-space VPN like WireGuard or SoftEther.
3. Use a proxy if full VPN is not strictly required.

Would you like help testing if your VPN server supports user-space connections?