About OpenVPN WatchDog
OpenVPN WatchDog is a Windows-based application to monitor OpenVPN encrypted traffic tampering while in transit securely (man-in-the-middle attacks). It prevents exposure of real IP addresses, thereby offering the benefits of encrypted connection to the internet with IP address anonymity. To ensure that IP traffic is routed across the VPN and hence encrypted, the program automatically checks that the VPN assigned IP Address appears as the first hop using the “tracert” command.
The program also detects DNS leak issues and DNS changer malware/DNS hijacking threats when using OpenVPN and will automatically disconnect your internet when DNS leaks and threats are detected. OpenVPN WatchDog is a program designed to monitor your OpenVPN connection and ensures that you do not blow up your anonymity when you lose your OpenVPN connection.
When connected to an OpenVPN server and OpenVPN WatchDog is enabled, you can be sure that all traffic leaving your computer is fully encrypted. When your OpenVPN crashes or is compromised, OpenVPN WatchDog will automatically detect it, alert you of the danger, and automatically cut off your internet access. OpenVPN Watchdog is offered as a ‘Software as a Service” (SaaS) which allows clients to detect and prevent IP and DNS leaks, including DNS threats such as DNS Changer Malware and Host file breaches while connected to OpenVPN server.
OpenVPN Watchdog is integrated with a powerful firewall that automatically secures your OpenVPN connection against IP leaks and DNS leaks. It lets you force all applications on your computer only to work once connected to your OpenVPN servers, thereby ensuring Zero IP/DNS leaks. This ensures that all applications on your PC will only work behind the secure encrypted connection. This is useful in the event of an unexpected disconnection from your VPN servers. You can be sure that any application will not revert to using your default unencrypted internet connection, thereby exposing your real IP in the process.
OpenVPN WatchDog Functions
- To prevent IP leaks, thereby safeguarding the exposure of the real IP of the user while connected to the OpenVPN server.
- Includes an inbuilt IP blocker firewall that blocks inbound/outbound connection to thousands of known malicious IPs with the ability to use custom IP blocklists and whitelists.
- To prevent DNS leaks, including transparent DNS proxies, thereby preventing your ISP or any third party entity from monitoring or viewing the sites you visit while connected to the VPN server. You can test for DNS leaks using this 3rd party web tool.
- To protect against all forms of DNS changer malware aimed at changing your computer’s legitimate TCP/IP or UDP DNS IPs to rogue DNS servers to hijack your DNS queries for nefarious purposes such as phishing.
- To protect against DNS hosts file phishing attacks by monitoring the integrity and authenticity of the host file using a secure hash algorithm (SHA 512).
- OpenVPN Watchdog can protect you reliably from the new WebRTC privacy issue which can leak your real IP address even when connected to your OpenVPN server (Recently discovered security flaw: see this GitHub page for more details). Use this resource to test if your IP address can be leaked via WebRTC. You can check this page on VPN IP leaks for more info on the issue.
How It Works?
- The service is offered as an OpenVPN connection monitoring service using the watchdog program. To use the service, you have to install the program and run the OpenVPN WatchDog before initiating the connection to your OpenVPN server. After running the program, all outbound connections using your real IP are automatically blocked. When you attempt to open any application without being connected to your OpenVPN server(s), you will not be able to access the internet. This will ensure that all traffic is securely routed through your OpenVPN server and that all applications on your PC will only work behind the secure encrypted connection.
- This is useful in the event of an unexpected disconnection from your VPN servers. You can be sure that any application will not revert to using your default unencrypted internet connection, thereby exposing your real IP in the process. To allow applications to access the internet without connecting to the OpenVPN TCP/UDP server, you must exit the program on your PC.
- Please watch the video below for a quick, step-by-step tutorial on how to prevent OpenVPN IP and DNS leaks using WatchDog: