Does Your VPN Encrypt DNS Queries? A Manual for Dummies

If you ask Internet users what a VPN is, most of them will say that it’s a program that allows you to change the IP address and encrypt traffic in order to remain invisible on the Internet. To check whether your IP address has been changed, try our tool.

Even though a VPN (Virtual Private Network) was not created specifically for this, many people use it precisely for anonymity.

In short, a VPN was created to merge computers, which can be located in different cities and even countries, into an encrypted network of one company. Using a VPN as a means to hide yourself on the Internet is rather a side effect that is actively used.

When buying a VPN subscription as an anonymity tool, users expect complete anonymity on the web. Is that so, though?

It should be mentioned that in addition to hiding the IP address and encrypting traffic, it is also necessary to replace the IP address of the DNS server and encrypt DNS requests.

Let’s see what a DNS is:

DNS stands for Domain Name System.

DNS turns a domain name (for instance, google.com) into the IP address of the web server where the site is located.

Is the VPN provider required to encrypt DNS queries and hide the real DNS address? If a VPN service positions itself as a means of anonymization, then, well, yes.

Do all VPN services encrypt DNS queries?

Unfortunately, no. Research has shown that nearly 20% of VPN providers encrypt DNS queries. Most VPNs have a free and public DNS, for example, from Google and OpenDNS, whose companies directly claim to track users’ actions.

A VPN service that provides its services is not required to encrypt DNS requests, just as it is not required to give Firewall or Antivirus services.

A virtual private network is not the same as DNS. On the other hand, an inexperienced user can be fooled by using a VPN that positions itself as a means of anonymity.