What Is DNS Leak? Causes And How to Prevent In 2023?

ByPrathama Bhowal Updated on
What Is DNS Leak

One security issue that compromises internet privacy is a DNS leak. DNS resolvers and your machine are interacting in this way. Your entire online profile, including the websites you visit and the data you enter, could be compromised if your DNS leaks.

Users must know how to stop this compromise from revealing website visits and jeopardizing privacy. You may be surprised to see how dangerous the situation might become when your DNS leaks.

You need a tool which is VPN on your device to prevent DNS leaks. Follow the below guide to know in detail.

Quick Steps to Prevent DNS Leaks

Follwo the below steps to prevent DNS Leaks

  • Subscribe to a VPN, preferably ExpressVPN.
  • Set up a VPN on your device.
  • Connect to the nearest VPN server like the US or UK.
  • Now you are safe. Don’t worry about DNS Leaks
Prevent DNS Leaks With a VPN

Definition of DNS Leak

Even when the VPN tunnel is hiding the majority of your traffic, a VPN may occasionally be unable to secure the DNS requests made by your device.

We refer to this as a “DNS leak.” Unauthorized parties, such as the provider of your internet service or the DNS server operator, may be able to view the websites and applications you use and visit if your DNS leaks.

DNS has an impact on almost all of your online activities due to its function as the address book for the internet. It is used by the web browser and other applications to locate the servers that run the services and websites that you depend on.

When your device requests a DNS server, the server responds with directions to the location you’re trying to find. Because of this, DNS poses a serious privacy concern.

Need to Know How DNS Leak Occurs

DNS leaks occur when an inadvertent security breach makes the user’s browsing history visible to uninvited parties. Even while utilizing a VPN, it can still occur.

This frequently occurs when data is entered to convert a website’s URL into an Internet Protocol (IP) address that passes via the outer tunnel. Your Internet Service Provider will be able to view your history using this.

Everything, including the precise location of the gadget, the history of your browser, and other private data. It is the reason the danger of a DNS leak exists.

Why Does a DNS Leak Occur?

DNS leaks have a wide range of causes and can happen at any time. Even if you utilize a VPN server, it may still occur.

When a VPN or any other privacy service is configured incorrectly on the device, a leak may happen. Read on to learn more about these typical reasons why DNS breaches occur.

Using a VPN Server That Isn’t Working

DNS availability is not assured when using a VPN. Some VPN providers do not own their very own DNS servers.

If the device is still utilizing the default DNS server, users can still be affected by the breach even if they are using VPN servers. We recommend one of the best VPNs which is ExpressVPN.

See-through DNS Proxy

DNS proxies are a tool that ISPs can employ to make their users use DNS servers once more. The ISP would reroute users’ web sessions to DNS servers.

To fool customers into utilizing the ISP’s own DNS server, they frequently mask this DNS. They might still view the user’s browsing history in this method.

VPN Not Configured Correctly

DNS leaks are most common when a virtual private network (VPN) is configured incorrectly. Prior to logging in, most VPN users need to establish a connection with their ISP.

How are DNS leaks stopped by ExpressVPN?

Your device normally makes use of the DNS service offered by your ISP if you don’t have a VPN. However, your gadget is going to utilize DNS servers run exclusively by ExpressVPN if you connect to that. You gain from this because:

  • DNS servers for ExpressVPN are quick.
  • ExpressVPN does not maintain connection or activity logs.
  • Every communication between the devices and the DNS servers is fully secured.

This is how it operates. You input a URL or press a link in the browser to access a webpage. That URL is delivered to an ExpressVPN-run DNS server via an encrypted tunnel.

After the DNS server locates the IP address, ExpressVPN receives it and uses it to access the website. ExpressVPN instantly sends you back to that webpage. No traffic evades the tunnel’s protection.

The Risks of DNS Leak

Your device will become compromised if DNS servers malfunction. The user’s online activity and data would be compromised.

Here are a few examples of DNS leak hazards.

Privacy Risk

The privacy of the user is the main issue with DNS leaks. Your online actions will be public knowledge due to the disclosure.

If something were to leak about your digital history, your information might be at risk. In the event of a leak, the malicious virus may infect your device.

Malware based on DNS

DNS breaches might expose you to several infections. Malware can initiate attacks and introduce malware into the device by utilizing DNS characteristics.

Should DNS leaks occur, your device will become susceptible to malware. This implies that DNS-based malware has an easier time infecting your device.

Decreased Computer Speed

DNS leaks also impair the functionality of your machine. Because it is sending out DNS requests nonstop, this may cause your internet connection to lag.

The device’s performance would also be hampered by the DNS leak because it would keep pinging the IPS servers.

Malware Dangers

Additionally risky is the possibility of connecting to the incorrect website. It could include dangerous viruses that can damage your device.

Other Ways to Solve DNS Leaks

Other ways to resolve DNS issues are listed below:

Establish a Personal VPN Connection in Another Nation

By establishing your personal private VPN in a different nation where ISPs are more unlikely to leak your information, you can further lessen the likelihood of DNS leaks. This can reduce the frequency of leaks, but it does not ensure that there won’t be any.

Make Use of an Anonymous Browser

DNS leaks can also be avoided by employing an anonymous web browser. One option is to use a browser such as Tor, which doesn’t require any DNS setup on the part of the operating system. You can browse completely anonymously thanks to this.

Utilize a firewall

Using a firewall is another way to stop DNS leaks. It is possible to configure firewalls to block data, including the information used in DNS requests, from ever leaving your computer.

Since a firewall can stop the DNS procedure, which keeps your data from leaving your machine, this might work.

Configure an Inactive DNS

You can alternatively set your DNS server to a fictitious IP address, like 0.0.0.0 or 127.0.0.1. You can utilize a GUI (graphical user interface) or a UNIX/Linux terminal for this, but you might need to find another method for resolving your domain names when online. Using a proxy is one approach.

Placed at the forefront of your web browser, a proxy answers queries on your behalf. In order to keep the IP address of your device hidden, it uses its own IP address during the DNS process.

Why is it necessary to perform a DNS leak check if I possess a VPN already?

The following two things could occasionally go wrong:

  1. DNS traffic from your device may be sent externally to the VPN tunnel.
  2. DNS communication from your device may be sent to an external DNS server over the VPN tunnel.

Since unauthorized third parties may be able to view the list of apps and websites that you use in both situations.

What leads to DNS leaks in VPNs?

DNS leaks can occur for a variety of reasons. These are but a handful:

You have manually configured your VPN: The likelihood of DNS leaks increases when manually establishing a VPN connection, and it varies depending on how your operating system is configured. Many of these hazards can be eliminated by using the ExpressVPN app.

Your router is under the hands of an attacker: If your router is under any threat such as a dishonest coffee shop Wi-Fi operator. Your device might be tricked by an attacker into transmitting DNS queries beyond the VPN tunnel.

DNS leak protection is provided by ExpressVPN apps, but additional applications and manual configurations may be at risk.

DNS configured by hand: The operating system on your device (or you) specifically instructed it not to utilize DNS servers run by ExpressVPN. While most people certainly don’t want it for security reasons, power users may need a specific DNS provider.

FAQs

How are DNS leak tests conducted?

Providing several DNS records to the VPN allows it to function. If your ISP owns a server, there may be a DNS leak in your VPN.

Is it required to safeguard my DNS?

Protection against DNS leaks is essential, especially if you don’t want the private data on your computer to be publicly disclosed.

Your surfing history could be accessed by someone attempting to plan an attack if you are having DNS leaks.

How can I empty a router’s DNS cache?

If you restart or shut down your router, you can clean your DNS cache. This would stop any spyware from infecting your device.

Final Thought

DNS leaks occur when a device has a fatal fault. ISP servers can now know what consumers click on and search for online thanks to the leak.

Leaks can still occur even with VPNs’ ability to protect your devices anonymously. If the individual’s request was inadvertently sent outside of the encrypted tunnel, this would happen. If you use ExpressVPN in a proper way we can assure you that none of these would happen to you.