DNS Leak Protection

DNS leaks expose your online activity to your ISP, trackers, and others. PureVPN’s DNS Leak Protection stops those leaks, keeping your online activity private and secure.

What is a DNS?

DNS stands for Domain Name System. It’s like the internet’s phonebook, translating easy-to-remember website names (like purevpn.com) into the numerical IP addresses computers use to locate servers. Without DNS, you’d have to type long strings of numbers every time you wanted to visit a site. The translation takes place in the background within milliseconds, making DNS an essential part of how the internet works.

What is a DNS Leak?

A DNS leak occurs when your DNS queries are exposed to servers you didn’t intend to use, often those operated by your internet service provider (ISP). When this happens, your ISP can see every website you visit, the apps you use, and when you access them.

This information can then be logged, sold to advertisers, or handed over to law enforcement authorities. In other words, even if you think your traffic is private, your DNS requests can quietly give away your browsing habits.

DNS leaks can happen for different reasons, such as network misconfigurations, operating system defaults, or VPNs that don’t properly route DNS requests. Whatever the cause, the result is the same: your online activity is visible to third parties.

What Causes DNS Leaks?

DNS leaks can happen for different reasons, and not all of them are obvious. Here are some of the most common causes:

Device Defaults: Most phones and computers are set to use your internet provider’s DNS automatically. Unless you change it, everything you do online can be seen and logged by your ISP.
Wrong Settings: If you manually change network settings or enter the wrong DNS details, your requests might go to the wrong place, leaving your activity exposed without you realizing it.
ISP Interference: Some ISPs force your DNS requests through their own systems using transparent DNS proxies, even if you try to use another provider. This means they can still see the websites you visit.
VPN Limitations: If a VPN doesn’t handle DNS properly, your browsing data can slip outside its protection. In this case, your traffic looks secure, but your DNS requests are still visible.

Why Are DNS Leaks Dangerous?

DNS leaks expose information that should remain private. They give outsiders a way to see what you’re doing online. Here are the main risks you need to know about:

Exposes Browsing History

When DNS requests leak, your internet provider or other parties can see every website you visit. This browsing history can be logged and tied to your identity, giving outsiders a clear picture of your online behavior without your knowledge or consent.

Undermines VPN Privacy

If you use a VPN but your DNS requests are leaking, the VPN is no longer providing full protection. Your traffic may look secure, but your ISP can still track where you go online, defeating the purpose of using a VPN in the first place.

Enables Targeted Advertising

Leaked DNS data can be collected and sold to advertisers, who use it to build detailed profiles about your interests. This leads to targeted ads following you around the web, reducing your privacy and turning your activity into a source of profit for others.

Risks Government Surveillance

DNS leaks make it possible for government agencies to watch your online activity in detail. They can see the services you use, the times you connect, and build a clear picture of your habits even if you’re using privacy protection tools.

How Does PureVPN Prevent DNS Leaks?

PureVPN takes several measures to make sure your DNS requests stay private:

We encrypt your DNS requests: PureVPN automatically encrypts your DNS requests and sends them through the secure VPN tunnel, preventing interception or monitoring.
We run our own private DNS servers: PureVPN uses its own DNS servers to resolve your requests, so they never pass through your ISP or other external providers.
We offer built-in DNS leak protection: DNS leak protection is enabled by default in PureVPN apps, blocking any accidental exposure and keeping your activity hidden.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does DNS mean?

DNS stands for Domain Name System. It’s the system that turns easy web addresses like purevpn.com into the numerical IP addresses computers need to connect. Without DNS, you’d have to type long strings of numbers to visit websites.

How does a DNS leak happen?

A DNS leak happens when your DNS requests are sent to servers you didn’t intend, often your ISP’s. This can occur because of device defaults, misconfigured settings, ISP interference, or VPNs that don’t route DNS queries correctly.

What are the risks of DNS leaks?

DNS leaks expose your browsing activity to your internet provider or other third parties. This information can be logged, sold to advertisers, or even monitored by authorities. In short, a leak removes the privacy you expect when you’re online.

Is my DNS leaking?

You can quickly find out by running a DNS leak test. If the results show your ISP’s servers instead of private ones, your DNS is leaking. PureVPN offers a simple DNS Leak Test that helps you check and understand the results

How can I fix a DNS leak?

The easiest way is to use a VPN with DNS leak protection. PureVPN automatically encrypts your DNS requests, uses its own DNS servers, and ensures protection is enabled by default so nothing leaks outside the secure tunnel.