ELI5: Does a DNS provider or an adversary know my real IP address if I have a DNS leak? (discuss.tchncs.de)

submitted 2 weeks ago by chemicalwonka@discuss.tchncs.de to c/explainlikeimfive@lemmy.world

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I use a VPN service that is connected to a server in another country, however this VPN service does not offer control over my DNS requests to block some sites so I preferred to use another DNS resolver that has this function.

My question is: When I access my VPN's website, it accuses that a "DNS leak" is occurring. Can the DNS provider know my real IP address, or does it only know my VPN's IP?

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[-] lurch@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 weeks ago

no, you traceroute the DNS IP. that's what i meant. if it doesn't hop through the VPN in the beginning it doesn't work. but you have to capture network traffic, if the VPN server doesn't respond to trace packages and you want proof beyond the routing table

[-] MummifiedClient5000@feddit.dk 2 points 2 weeks ago

By doing a traceroute to the DNS IPs, you only confirm that traceroute goes through the VPN interface, not your DNS resolution.

[-] lurch@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 weeks ago

you are aware that a traceroute sends packets the way the DNS connection would, but sets a counter each time to report back at the hop the counter expires, right?

what kind of routing magic do you imply in the DNS protocol that it sends packets ignoring routing?