·
DNS leak test
A DNS leak test will show if your internet traffic is being routed through your chosen DNS.
How to read your results
-
Any of the IPs or countries match your public IP or location.
-
The DNS servers are different from the ones your privacy tool provides.
What is a DNS leak?
The domain name system (DNS) is like the phonebook of the internet. It translates easy-to-understand website names (like google.com) into IP addresses (like 192.0.2.1) that devices use to locate each other. But a DNS leak is an online security flaw that occurs when your computer sends DNS requests to the wrong server, potentially revealing your browsing activity and compromising your online privacy.
If you’re using a VPN or a proxy service, a DNS leak may show that your virtual private network isn’t working properly. However, DNS leaks can happen even if you’re not using a VPN. DNS affects almost everything you do online, so finding and fixing DNS leaks immediately is key.
What causes a DNS leak?
A DNS leak may happen for several reasons, such as:
What are the types of DNS leaks?
Standard DNS leak:
A device sends DNS queries to an unintended DNS server (e.g., an unsafe public server or an untrusted third-party DNS server).
IPv6 DNS leak:
A device uses the IPv6 protocol to send DNS queries. However, because not all VPN or proxy services support IPv6, these queries may be sent to an unintended DNS server.
WebRTC leak:
WebRTC is a communication protocol used for video and voice chats that may inadvertently reveal the user’s IP address or DNS requests.
Router DNS leak:
Misconfigured DNS settings on a router may lead to the device sending DNS queries to unintended DNS servers.
What are the dangers of a DNS leak
A DNS leak is a significant security flaw that can expose your activities online. Here are some of the dangers of a DNS leak:
In countries controlled by authoritarian regimes, maintaining increased anonymity and privacy is a matter of life and death. DNS leaks would expose the user’s internet usage to the government watchdogs.
A DNS leak could reveal the websites you visit to cybercriminal, enabling them to target you with phishing attacks or malware.
Security tools, such as a VPN, hide your IP address and your browsing from your ISP (internet service provider) and a variety of eavesdropping companies. A DNS leak could expose your privacy without you even knowing.
Why should you test for DNS leaks?
Checking for DNS leaks helps protect your privacy and ensure that your internet browsing activity is not exposed to unauthorized and potentially malicious parties. You should check for DNS leaks regularly to verify your DNS requests go where they should and that your online activity remains private.
How do you test for DNS leaks?
The easiest way to detect a DNS leak is using a specially designed DNS leak test. NordVPN’s DNS leak test tool checks for DNS leaks and shows whether your internet traffic is routed through your chosen DNS or going elsewhere. It’ll also explain how to read the test results.
How to fix and prevent DNS leaks
Choose a VPN provider that has DNS leak protection enabled by default and uses its own DNS servers. NordVPN prevents DNS leaks by only using company-operated DNS servers. It sends all your DNS queries over an encrypted tunnel and resolves them on the same VPN server you’re connected to.
Make sure the DNS servers are set to the correct values. If you’re not sure what DNS servers you should use, contact your internet provider or use public DNS servers like Google DNS or OpenDNS.
If you are experiencing an IPv6 DNS leak, disable IPv6 on your device.
Sometimes, devices use outdated or incorrect DNS information. Clear your cache by running the “ipconfig /flushdns” command (Windows) or “sudo dscacheutil -flushcache; sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder” command (macOS).
You can fix a router DNS leak by updating the firmware on your router to ensure it’s using the correct DNS settings.
How does NordVPN help protect you from a DNS leak?
Your ISP and various third-party companies know your location, the websites you visit, and might even know what you buy online. You can prevent them from tracking you online by using NordVPN. This way, your online traffic, including DNS requests, passes through NordVPN’s encrypted servers ensuring the websites you visit or even your ISP can’t follow you around.
A network of 7300+ servers ensures optimal speed.
NordVPN’s no-logs policy protects your privacy.
High-end encryption secures every bit of your data.
