Detect VPN IP addresses used for anonymity

While good actors use VPN connections to access corporate networks, surf the web anonymously, and protect privacy online, cybercriminals abuse these connections to engage in credit card chargeback fraud, create fake accounts, click fraud, and more. The underlying technology of VPNs can allow tracking tools to identify users based on unique configurations of their browser, device, and operating system. VPNs don’t prevent fingerprinting by default, but pairing them with privacy tools like Ghostery can help randomize data and reduce tracking.

Detect VPN IP addresses used for anonymity connection is publicly accessible, so outside parties can look it up. The information gathered by these services includes a list of all VPN services that the IP address has been associated with in the past, as well as information about the type of encryption or protocol being used. These databases are regularly updated and can be cross-matched with user IP addresses to determine if they’re using a VPN.

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ISPs and local networks can also detect VPN usage using packet analysis techniques, port scanning, and other methods. Some of these methods can be incredibly advanced, such as deep packet inspection (DPI), which involves inspecting the structure of each passing data packet. DPI is often deployed by restrictive regimes, such as China or Russia, to block VPN traffic and other unwanted content. Other methods include looking up the owner of the IP address or identifying the hosting provider, which is often easy to do since most companies register their purchased IP addresses with Internet registries.