Simple explanations for privacy and networking terms.
Your Internet Protocol address - like a home address for your device on the internet. It shows your general location and internet provider.
Domain Name System - translates website names (like google.com) into IP addresses. DNS leaks can reveal your real location even when using a VPN.
Web Real-Time Communication - technology that enables video/audio calls in browsers. Can accidentally expose your real IP address even behind a VPN.
Virtual Private Network - encrypts your internet connection and hides your real IP address by routing traffic through a remote server.
Internet Service Provider - the company that provides your internet connection (like Comcast, Verizon, etc.).
Autonomous System Number - a unique identifier for networks on the internet. Helps identify who owns/operates a particular IP address range.
Internet Protocol versions. IPv4 uses format like 192.168.1.1, IPv6 uses longer format like 2001:0db8:85a3::8a2e:0370:7334.
When your DNS queries travel outside your VPN's encrypted tunnel, letting your ISP see which sites you visit even though your IP is hidden.
When the browser's real-time communication feature exposes your real IP address to a website, bypassing your VPN.
A tracking technique that combines your browser and device characteristics — fonts, screen size, hardware — into a near-unique identifier, without using cookies.
A fingerprinting method that asks your browser to draw a hidden image; tiny rendering differences between devices produce an identifying signature.
A browser API for rendering 3D graphics. Its output varies by GPU and driver, which makes it a strong signal for browser fingerprinting.
A protocol that encrypts DNS lookups inside regular HTTPS traffic, preventing your ISP or attackers from reading or tampering with them.
An intermediary server that relays your web requests. It can mask your IP, but unlike a VPN it usually does not encrypt your traffic.
The Onion Router — a network that routes your traffic through multiple volunteer relays to make it very hard to trace back to you.
A VPN feature that blocks all internet traffic if the VPN connection drops, preventing your real IP from being exposed.
Scrambling data so only someone with the right key can read it. VPNs encrypt your traffic so networks in between cannot inspect it.
A small file a website stores in your browser to remember you. Cookies can be used for logins and preferences, but also for cross-site tracking.
A browser mode that doesn't save history or cookies locally. It does not hide your IP address or stop fingerprinting and tracking.
Estimating your physical location. It can be derived from your IP address, or requested directly from your device with your permission.
Last updated: May 2026