In the internet era, an IP address serves as a user's "digital identity" online. Once leaked, it could lead to privacy breaches, targeted attacks, account security risks, and even be exploited by hackers for cyberattacks. So, how can we effectively prevent IP leaks? This article introduces several practical methods to help protect your online privacy and security.

The potential risks associated with IP leaks include:

• Privacy Breach: Hackers or websites can track your geographical location, browsing habits, and potentially link other personal information through your IP address.
• DDoS Attacks: If your IP is obtained by malicious parties, you might suffer Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, causing network outages.
• Social Media Account Risks: When managing multiple social media accounts (such as TikTok, Facebook, Instagram), using the same IP across these accounts may trigger platform risk control mechanisms leading to account bans.
• Targeted Advertising: Advertisers use IP addresses to analyze user behavior, thereby pushing personalized ads, which can affect your browsing experience.

Here are some effective ways to protect your IP from being tracked or attacked:

• Use High-Quality Proxy IPs Using proxy servers is one of the most common ways to hide your real IP. By accessing the internet through a proxy server, the target website only sees the proxy IP and cannot identify your real IP. It's recommended to choose residential proxy IPs (such as Blurpath residential proxies) since data center IPs are more likely to be blocked due to lower purity.
• Utilize Virtual Networks Virtual networks create a secure, isolated online environment where your device's internet connection is routed through virtual network nodes, thus hiding your real IP. They typically offer more flexible network topology configurations suitable for enterprise-level cybersecurity and remote access.
• Avoid Direct Access to Suspicious Websites Some websites automatically log and store visitors' IP addresses and may even leak your real IP through WebRTC vulnerabilities. Be extra cautious when visiting unknown or suspicious sites and try to use proxies or virtual networks whenever possible.
• Disable WebRTC to Prevent IP Leaks WebRTC is a browser technology used for voice and video communications but can also expose your real IP. You can disable WebRTC by installing specific extensions like "uBlock Origin" in Chrome or setting `media.peerconnection.enabled` to false in Firefox.
• Use Tor Browser for Anonymous Browsing Tor (The Onion Router) is a highly anonymous browsing tool that redirects traffic through multiple layers of proxies, making it difficult to trace your IP. However, note that Tor's browsing speed is slower, and some websites may block Tor traffic.
• Regularly Change Your IP Address If your IP has been abused or leaked, consider the following methods to change it:
  • Reconnect to the internet (some ISPs assign new IPs upon reconnection).
  • Use dynamic residential IP proxies to get a new IP each time you visit.
  • Switch different exit IP addresses through virtual networks.
  • Contact your Internet Service Provider (ISP) to request an IP change.
• Avoid Sensitive Operations on Public Wi-Fi Public Wi-Fi networks are vulnerable to hacker monitoring and attacks. If you must use public Wi-Fi, pair it with a virtual network or proxy to avoid leaking your IP address and personal information.

You can use the following tools to check if your IP address has been leaked:

• WhatIsMyIP（https://www.whatismyip.com/）
• IPLeak（ https://ipleak.net/）
• BrowserLeaks（https://browserleaks.com/）

If tests reveal that your real IP is exposed, adjust your security strategy immediately, such as changing your IP, using a virtual network, or disabling WebRTC.

IP leaks can lead to privacy risks, social media account bans, and even cyberattacks. Therefore, protecting your IP is crucial. Using proxy IPs or virtual networks, disabling WebRTC, regularly changing your IP, and other measures can effectively prevent IP leaks and ensure online safety. For users needing to manage multiple social media accounts, engage in cross-border e-commerce, or perform data scraping, choosing high-purity residential proxy IPs (like those provided by Blurpath) ensures account security and stability.