A very important factor when using a VPN is security. It is essential to protect our data, to prevent you from leaking information when accessing a web page or using any service. However, there are many occasions in which problems arise that could compromise us. For this reason, in this article we are going to explain how to see if a VPN is secure or is leaking data. We will give some recommendations to always maintain security and not have any type of problem.
VPNs are widely used and you have to maintain security
Whenever we use any program that has access to the network, we must bear in mind the importance of security and not take risks that may affect us. This is something that must be applied to any operating system or device that we use. Now, when we use a VPN this importance is even greater.
The truth is that the use of VPNs has increased considerably in recent times. We use them on both mobile devices and desktops. There are free and paid ones. We can say that it is sensitive software, since our data passes through here.
This makes maintaining security when using a VPN a must. Here we must not make mistakes, as it could not only affect the performance of our connection, but also privacy . Using an insecure service could lead to information theft, even making it easier for hackers to sneak malware onto our computers.
Luckily we have some very useful tools with which we can see if a VPN leaks data. This way we could take measures so that our privacy is not in danger at any time. It is something that we can use in a simple way.
How to tell if the VPN is leaking data
As we say, we can use some online services to detect if our VPN program has security problems and could be leaking data. Basically they help us to know if it is safe or we should take some action as soon as possible. In the event of a leak, our privacy could be in jeopardy. They could know what our real IP address is, for example.
Free VPN Test
First of all we are going to talk about Free VPN Test . It is a free program, and very easy to use, for Windows 10. It allows us to check if there are any leaks when using a VPN in the Microsoft operating system.
The first thing we have to do to start using it is download it from its official page . It is totally free. There, once we are inside, we have to click Download. It will automatically start downloading the installation file.
Once we have it installed, we simply have to run it. We will see a button to check. You have to click on Start VPN Test . There it will show us the IP address and we will see whether or not there is some kind of leak that may be putting privacy at risk.
But in addition to the program itself, Free VPN Test also has an online tool to check whether data is leaking or not. We have to give DNS IP Leak Check , which appears at the top right of the web page. In the same way as in the application, it will help us to see if our VPN is secure or not.
DNS Leak Test
An alternative is the DNS Leak Test . In this case it is simply a web page that shows us if our IP address has been leaked when using a VPN. If so, it would mean that the program is not doing its job and we should look for an alternative.
We will have two options: standard test and extended test. Both are going to perform an analysis to see if our real IP address is being leaked and therefore our location as well. The extended version performs a more in-depth analysis. However, for our objective either of the two options is valid.
Simply by accessing the page and before clicking on anything, a message will appear indicating our location and IP address. If we surf from a VPN it should show us a location that does not correspond to the real one. For example, in our case, as we can see in the image, we have connected with a VPN to an IP in the United States.
VPN Leak Astrill
We can also use Astrill’s VPN Leak tool . Once again we can see if the VPN is leaking data or is totally secure simply by accessing the web page and starting the test there.
The process is straightforward and it will begin to analyze our connection. It will show us the IP address and in this way we can see if everything works properly or, on the contrary, we must take measures to avoid running security risks.
DNSLeak
Another very simple and useful option is DNSLeak . It is a web page through which we can see if the VPN leaks data or works correctly. We only have to access the site and click Start. Even without the need to click, it will show us the IP address.
Once the process is finished, it will show us a page like the one we see above. It will indicate the location, the operator, IP address, etc. We will see, therefore, if it works well or, on the contrary, data that could compromise us is being filtered.
What to do if the VPN leaks data
Now, at this point we can ask ourselves what to do if the VPN is leaking data. We are going to give some recommendations to make our program work correctly and not have any security problems.
Update the VPN
One of the issues that we must take into account when using a VPN and thus avoid problems is updating the program . This can always come in handy to improve performance, make it work faster and smoothly. But also to avoid complications at the security level.
Therefore, the first advice we can give is to update the software. If we see that there is a problem, such as data filtering, we must take into account the importance of updating the software.
Avoid a free VPN
We should also recommend avoiding free VPNs . Today we have a wide range of possibilities, but the truth is that the free versions in this case do not protect privacy well. Ultimately, applications can be designed to obtain data and thus profit developers. Therefore, we recommend always using a paid VPN, which is secure.
Change encryption
VPNs have different types of encryption . Not all are the same, logically. Depending on which one we choose, we can be more protected and even achieve differences in terms of speed. We must inform ourselves well and choose the appropriate encryption so that we do not have any type of problem that could negatively affect our privacy.
Have a Kill Switch
Many VPNs have a Kill Switch feature. It basically means that in case there is a problem with the VPN the connection will shut down and it will not leak data such as the IP address. It is an interesting tool that we can keep in mind for our purpose.
In short, in this way we can know if our VPN is working correctly or on the contrary it is leaking data. We have also given some interesting tips to carry out in case you have a problem.
