DNS Leak

Explanation

A DNS leak occurs when a device using a VPN sends Domain Name System (DNS) queries — the requests that translate website names like netflix.com into IP addresses — outside the VPN tunnel to the user's regular ISP DNS server instead of the VPN provider's DNS server. This exposes the user's real IP address and physical location even when their traffic is otherwise routed through a VPN. Streaming services increasingly use DNS-based geolocation checks alongside IP geolocation. A DNS leak means the streaming service sees queries coming from the user's real ISP location even if the traffic IP appears to be in a VPN server location. Quality VPN services route all DNS queries through their own encrypted DNS servers to prevent leaks. DNS leak testing tools (dnsleaktest.com, ipleak.net) allow users to verify whether their VPN is properly protecting DNS requests.