How to Fix WebRTC Leaks (All Browsers) – RestorePrivacy
When discussing online privacy and VPNs, the topic of WebRTC leaks and vulnerabilities frequently comes up.
While the WebRTC issue is often discussed with VPN services, this is, in fact, a vulnerability with web browsers. WebRTC leaks can affect these browsers: Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Opera, Brave, and Chromium-based browsers.
So what is WebRTC?
WebRTC stands for “Web Real-Time Communication”. This basically allows for voice, video chat, and P2P sharing within the browser (real-time communication) without adding extra browser extensions.
What is a WebRTC leak?
A WebRTC leak is when your external (public) IP address is exposed via your browser’s WebRTC functionality. This leak can de-anonymize you via WebRTC APIs, even if your VPN is working correctly.
If you have not protected yourself against WebRTC leaks in your browser, any website you visit could obtain your real (ISP-assigned) IP address through WebRTC STUN requests. This is a serious problem.
While the WebRTC feature may be useful for some users, it poses a threat to those using a VPN and seeking to maintain their online privacy without their IP address being exposed.
How to test for WebRTC leaks
Our guide on testing your VPN lists a few different WebRTC testing tools:
– In addition to WebRTC leaks, this website also tests for IPv4, IPv6, and DNS owserLeaks WebRTC testPerfect Privacy WebRTC test
What does a WebRTC leak look like?
If you see your ISP-assigned (external) IP address, then this is a WebRTC leak. Below is an example of WebRTC leaks that I found when testing out a VPN service. You can see that my public IPv6 address (beginning with 2) is leaking in the WebRTC area, even while the VPN is connected and stable.
Note that a local IP address is blacked out on the left. These cannot be used to identify you. (An explanation of the difference between your local/internal IP and your public/external IP is here. )
The WebRTC Vulnerability
Anyone seeking to be anonymous online through privacy technology should take action against WebRTC leaks.
Daniel Roesler exposed this vulnerability in 2015 on his GitHub page, where he stated:
Firefox and Chrome have implemented WebRTC that allow requests to STUN servers be made that will return the local and public IP addresses for the user. These request results are available to javascript, so you can now obtain a users local and public IP addresses in ditionally, these STUN requests are made outside of the normal XMLHttpRequest procedure, so they are not visible in the developer console or able to be blocked by plugins such as AdBlockPlus or Ghostery. This makes these types of requests available for online tracking if an advertiser sets up a STUN server with a wildcard domain.
Essentially, this means that any site could simply execute a few Javascript commands to obtain your real IP address through your web browser.
WebRTC leak solutions
Here are two options for dealing with the WebRTC issue:
1. Disable WebRTC in the browser (Firefox) and only use browsers with disabled WebRTC capability. (Instructions are below. )
2. Use browser add-ons or extensions if disabling WebRTC is not possible. (Disabling WebRTC is not possible with Chrome and Chromium-based browsers, such as the Brave browser. )
Note: browser add-ons and extensions may not be 100% effective. Even with add-ons, the vulnerability still exists in the browser to reveal your true IP address with the right STUN code.
WebRTC fixes for different browsers
Below are different fixes for various browsers.
Firefox browsers
Disabling WebRTC is very simple in Firefox. First, type about:config into the URL bar and hit enter. Then, agree to the warning message and click the continue button.
Then, in the search box type “erconnection. enabled“. Double click the preference name to change the value to “false“.
That’s it.
WebRTC is now disabled in Firefox and you won’t have to worry about WebRTC leaks.
Chrome WebRTC (desktop)
Since WebRTC cannot be disabled in Chrome (desktop), add-ons are the only option (for those who do not want to just give up on using Chrome).
As pointed out above, it is important to remember that browser add-ons are may not be 100% effective. In other words, you may still be vulnerable to WebRTC IP address leaks under certain circumstances. Nonetheless, here are some add-ons that may be worth considering:
WebRTC leak preventuBlock Origin
Note: Unlike with Firefox, these extensions only change WebRTC’s security and privacy settings.
Recommended solution: stop using Chrome.
Disable Chrome WebRTC on Android
On your Android device, open the URL chromeflags/#disable-webrtc in Chrome.
Scroll down and find “WebRTC STUN origin header” – then disable it. For safe measure, you can also disable the WebRTC Hardware Video Encoding/Decoding options, though it may not be necessary.
Note: Android users can also install Firefox, and disable WebRTC via the steps above.
Chrome iOS WebRTC
Chrome on iOS does not appear to implement the vulnerable parts of WebRTC that could expose local or external IP addresses (yet).
Brave WebRTC leaks
Because the Brave browser is based on Chromium, it is also vulnerable to WebRTC IP address leaks, even when you are using a VPN.
There are two ways to block WebRTC in the Brave browser:
Method 1: Fingerprinting protection
Go to Settings > Shields > Fingerprinting blocking > and then select Standard or Strict. This should take care of all WebRTC issues – at least on desktop versions of Brave (Windows, Mac OS, and Linux).
Note on WebRTC handling policy
You can also adjust the WebRTC handling policy if you go to Settings, click on the search glass in the upper-right corner, and then enter WebRTC. Under the WebRTC IP Handling Policy click the drop down menu and you can see the options below.
Note: To understand the different options with WebRTC handling, Brave has an article on the topic here. Below are the different options:
I have now tested this with the latest versions of Brave for Windows and Mac OS. Based on my tests, if you already have Fingerprinting blocking set to enabled, you should not experience any WebRTC leaks.
Note: I have seen some complaints from users who claim that WebRTC is not getting blocked on iOS, even after making the changes above. Brave developers appear to have confirmed this issue and are working on a fix.
Safari WebRTC
WebRTC leaks have traditionally not been an issue with Safari browsers (on Mac OS and iOS devices). However, Apple is now incorporating WebRTC into Safari, although it’s still technically an “experimental” feature. Nonetheless, it’d be wise to disable WebRTC in Safari for privacy reasons. Here’s how:
Click “Safari” in the menu barThen click PreferencesClick on the “Advanced” tab, then at the bottom check the box for “Show Develop menu in menu bar”Now, click on “Develop” in the menu bar. Under the “WebRTC” option, if “Enable Legacy WebRTC API” is checked, click on it to disable this option (no check mark).
That should effectively disable WebRTC in Safari.
Opera and other Chromium browsers WebRTC
Just like with Chrome, the only way (as of now) to address the WebRTC vulnerability in Opera and other Chromium browsers is to use an extension.
First, download the extension “WebRTC Leak Prevent” to your Opera browser.
Then in the Advanced options for the WebRTC Leak Prevent extension, select “Disable non-proxied UDP (force proxy)” and then click Apply settings.
Again, because this is an extension solution, it may not be 100% effective.
Now verify you don’t have any WebRTC leaks
Now that you have disabled or blocked WebRTC in your browser, you should test to verify that it is working. Here are our favorite tools for identifying WebRTC leaks:
Perfect Privacy WebRTC TestBrowserLeaks WebRTC
Note: If you are seeing a local IP address, this is not a leak. A WebRTC leak will only be with a public IP address.
Here I’m running a test in the Firefox browser while also connected to ExpressVPN:
You can see the ExpressVPN client on the right, with the test results on the left. No leaks!
Note: ExpressVPN is currently our top VPN recommendation and they also have a discount for three months free, see our ExpressVPN coupon page for details.
Conclusion on WebRTC leaks and browser vulnerabilities
The WebRTC leak vulnerability highlights a very important concept for those seeking a higher level of online anonymity and security through various privacy tools.
The browser is usually the weak link in the chain.
The WebRTC issue also shows us that there may be other vulnerabilities that exist with your privacy setup, even if you are using a good VPN to hide your IP address and location. (The WebRTC issue was not publicly known until 2015. )
One other problem to be aware of is browser fingerprinting. This is when various settings and values within your browser and operating system can be used to create a unique fingerprint, and thereby track and identify users. Fortunately, there are effective solutions for this as well.
And lastly, there are many different secure and private browsers to consider, many of which can be customized for your own unique needs.
Stay safe!
About Sven TaylorSven Taylor is the founder of RestorePrivacy. With a passion for digital privacy and online freedom, he created this website to provide you with honest, useful, and up-to-date information about online privacy, security, and related topics. His focus is on privacy research, writing guides, testing privacy tools, and website Interactions
What is a WebRTC leak & How To Test It [+Video] | NordVPN
ContentsWhat is a WebRTC leak? What is WebRTC? How does a WebRTC leak happen? The problem with WebRTC How to test for WebRTC leaksHow to block WebRTC leaks How to disable WebRTC on ChromeHow to disable WebRTC on FirefoxHow to disable WebRTC on SafariBlocking WebRTC leaks is not enoughWhat is a WebRTC leak? A WebRTC leak is a vulnerability that can occur in web browsers like Firefox, Google Chrome, Brave, Opera, and others. A WebRTC leak presents a major security risk, as it can can expose your real IP address when you’re connected to a subpar VPN that doesn’t protect you against WebRTC is WebRTC? WebRTC (Web Real-Time Communication) is an open-source tool that allows web browsers to form real-time peer-to-peer connections with the websites they allows your Firefox browser, for example, to send live audio and video feeds back and forth between you and another participant online without having to download any additional software. This is a non-proprietary protocol that allows any website to plug in and make such a connection (with your permission) does this by establishing special real time communication channels from the browser. They communicate with the website you’re visiting and exchange information (including your local and public IP addresses) does a WebRTC leak happen? WebRTC leaks happen when communication channels bypass your encrypted tunnel created by using a VPN. In this case websites and online services you visit can see your IP problem with WebRTCWebRTC presents a massive vulnerability. Any website you visit can potentially request and access your true IP address despite your VPN. When this vulnerability was first discovered, it gave VPN providers (ourselves included) quite a scare. The worst part is that this is part of the basic functionality of WebRTC, so it can’t be “fixed. ” It’s up to the user to find ways to block these leaks or disable WebRTC entirely. The good thing is that you can easily perform a WebRTC leak test to test for WebRTC leaksCheck your VPN for any potential WebRTC leaks. You can perform a WebRTC leak test by following these simple steps:Disconnect and exit whatever VPN you’re out and note down your IP address by typing “What’s my IP” into Google and hitting Enter – your original IP address will the your VPN and refresh the webpage. Re-do step your WebRTC is NOT leaking your IP address should display as something completely different. If your IP address is the same, after you re-do step do with your VPN on – a WebRTC leak is likely exposing your IP your original IP usually begins with or or sometimes an alpha-numeric IPv6) to block WebRTC leaksIf a WebRTC test showed that there is a leak, there are a few ways to block it. By far the simplest way is to block WebRTC leaks by using NordVPN. Whether you’re using our regular VPN or our browser plugins for Firefox or Chrome, either will block any unwanted IP address leaks through WebRTC while allowing authorized WebRTC connections to continue under your anonymous IP otect your IP address and enhance online security with the click of a can also prevent WebRTC leaks by blocking WebRTC requests from your browser, but this process will be a bit more complicated. Furthermore, unlike with NordVPN, blocking WebRTC leaks using these methods will often disable WebRTC functionality to disable WebRTC on ChromeDisabling WebRTC on Chrome is tricky, and we strongly suggest using an extension to do so. That’s because the extension-free way involves manually editing setting files that can potentially make your Chrome browser malfunction if you do it Leak Prevent is the leading Chrome extension for preventing WebRTC leaks. As the developer has noted, this extension only changes WebRTC’s security and privacy settings – it doesn’t turn WebRTC to disable WebRTC on FirefoxFortunately, Firefox does have a built-in way to disable WebRTC. It can be hard to find if you don’t know where to look, so follow these steps! That’s it! This will disable all WebRTC, so it will also disable any websites that use it to deliver their to disable WebRTC on SafariDisabling WebRTC on Safari is possible, but the option is a bit harder to find than on Firefox. That’s because WebRTC was only recently implemented, and is still considered an experimental feature that only developers would want to fiddle with. If you follow these instructions, however, you’ll find it easily! That’s it! Your Safari is now free of WebRTC leaks. However, this may also prevent WebRTC-based services from working in your browser. Blocking WebRTC leaks is not enoughBlocking WebRTC leaks is a good start to securing your online activity, but it’s not enough. If you use NordVPN’s browser extension or VPN service to block these leaks, you’ll already have a collection of tools at your disposal to help you stay rdVPN offers a variety of useful features, including our CyberSec system and a Kill Switch to prevent unwanted data exposure. Our premium VPN can give you unrivaled internet speeds, without compromising on strong data ‘s never been a better time to improve your day-to-day internet safety and protect your privacy. With NordVPN, encryption is just a click rdVPN will keep you secure and private online. Try it with our 30-day money-back guarantee.
Charles Whitmore
Verified author
Charles is a content writer with a passion for online privacy and freedom of knowledge. A technophile with a weakness for full Smart Home integration – he believes everyone should strive to keep up-to-date with their cybersec.
How to disable WebRTC in Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Opera …
You might have heard about WebRTC leak and ways to prevent it. WebRTC is often talked about on VPN websites. What exactly is WebRTC and what’s the havoc it causes? WebRTC is a technology that allows your browser to have video and voice communication abilities. It might seem like an annoyance when you think about the leaks it causes, but it’s actually a great you use Google Meet to hold a video conference, you’re using WebRTC. The same is with the Facebook Messenger video call. There are other applications that make use of WebRTC. For example, if you’re on Discord, you use WebRTC. Basically, if you’re voice or video calling on your browser, you’re using WebRTC. Without this feature, your browser will be severely limited in its abilities. And with this feature, you don’t need any extra plugins for voice and video major browsers (Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, MS Edge, Apple Safari, Opera, etc. ) come with WebRTC capabilities. In fact, it is used in many mobile apps as well. It is a completely free technology and is open source. Since it is open source, it is improving and evolving to offer better enables live communications in real time. Now, what is WebRTC leak? WebRTC works by sending audio/video feeds between two entities. For this, it established communication channels from the browser to the website you open. This means your browser will share some of your information with the website, which will include your IP address. And these channels can bypass the encrypted tunnel you have setup. So basically, a WebRTC leak can reveal your real IP address even if you are using a agine this scenario: You’re using a VPN and want to have a voice call with someone so you need to use WebRTC. But it will leak some data so your real IP will get shown on the website side. This beats the entire purpose of using a VPN. A channel that bypassed the tunnel you’ve created – it’s to know about a WebRTC leak? To see if your IP is leaked, just connect to a server and run a leak test. If you see your real IP on the website, your IP is being leaked. But if you can see the IP address of the VPN server, you’re safe and your browsing is to do if your WebRTC is leaking your details? The good thing is that WebRTC leaks can be ’s how you can block the WebRTC leakThere are many ways to block the WebRTC leak. One way is by getting a VPN that doesn’t allow these leaks. These VPNs will let WebRTC work but only through the encrypted tunnel. Another option is to block the WebRTC requests directly from the browser. You can also use browser extensions if you cannot disable WebRTC. Keep in mind that if you disable WebRTC, you won’t be able to enjoy the functionalities that come with it. Disabling WebRTC in ChromeYou cannot disable WebRTC in Chrome. The only thing you can do is use add-ons. A good Chrome add-on is WebRTC Leak Prevent which is fast and powerful. It controls the hidden WebRTC settings and protects you against the leaks. Of course, when you use this, you won’t be able to use a WebRTC based service. Disabling WebRTC in Chrome mobile1. Type this URL chromeflags/#disable-webrtc in your Android Chrome address bar. It will open a settings page. 2. Scroll down and you’ll find WebRTC STUN origin header. You can disable it here. 3. You can even disable WebRTC hardware video encoding and decoding options if you want. Disabling WebRTC in Mozilla Firefox1. Go to the URL bar, type about:config and press enter2. Firefox will display a warning message. Click on I accept. 3. It will take you to another page. In the Search bar, type erconnection. enabled4. Double click on the row and change its value to falseNow WebRTC will be disabled on the browser. Disabling WebRTC in OperaOpera doesn’t have a way to disable WebRTC so you can use third-party addons like WebRTC Leak Prevent just like you did with Chrome. Keep in mind that these extensions do not fix the leak. Instead, they block the attempts the websites make to collect IP even if you use these extensions, the website might be able to get your data through cookies. However, if you use a safe browser like Kingpin that deletes cookies after each session closes, your data will be safe and you won’t be tracked by website trackers. Disabling WebRTC on Safari browser1. On Safari, visit Preferences3. In the Develop section, go to Experimental Features Remove Legacy WebRTC API”>4. Click on Remove Legacy WebRTC APIDisabling WebRTC on Microsoft EdgeYou’ll find WebRTC and ORTC (Microsoft’s proprietary version of WebRTC) on Edge. While you cannot disable it on Edge, you can certainly hide your real IP address. Here’s how you can do it. 1. Visit MS Edge and type about:flags in the address bar. Press enter. 2. You’ll see WebRTC here. Under that, there’s an option to hide your real IP address. Check the box to activate it work if you install VPN on the router instead of the browser? You might think WebRTC leaks happen because you’re using a VPN plugin on your browser. But that’s not true. Even if you use a VPN on your router, it will do nothing to fix the leak issue. You’ll need to follow the methods discussed to stay secureTo stay secure online, make sure you use a VPN. And the VPN should be able to bypass the WebRTC leak. With a VPN, you can use a secure browser like Kingpin that does not keep any of your details. There is absolutely no history on records and it’s like you’re on incognito all the course, you can disable WebRTC on several browsers but there are many steps involved. Also, after disabling WebRTC, you might not be able to enjoy the internet as you do now. A better option is to use a trusted selecting a VPN, read their reviews about WebRTC and discuss it with their customer service. If they confirm that they’re able to block WebRTC leaks, only then get that VPN. And to be secure, you can get a VPN that offers a money back guarantee so that if their claims don’t work, you can claim a refund.
Frequently Asked Questions about webrtc leak chrome
How do I stop WebRTC from leaking in Chrome?
Disable Chrome WebRTC on Android On your Android device, open the URL chrome://flags/#disable-webrtc in Chrome. Scroll down and find “WebRTC STUN origin header” – then disable it. For safe measure, you can also disable the WebRTC Hardware Video Encoding/Decoding options, though it may not be necessary.
Does WebRTC leak your IP?
A WebRTC leak is a vulnerability that can occur in web browsers like Firefox, Google Chrome, Brave, Opera, and others. A WebRTC leak presents a major security risk, as it can can expose your real IP address when you’re connected to a subpar VPN that doesn’t protect you against WebRTC leaks.
How do I disable WebRTC in Chrome?
Disabling WebRTC in Chrome mobileType this URL chrome://flags/#disable-webrtc in your Android Chrome address bar. It will open a settings page.Scroll down and you’ll find WebRTC STUN origin header. You can disable it here.You can even disable WebRTC hardware video encoding and decoding options if you want.