A Distributed Denial of Service, or DDoS attack, is a way for hackers to disrupt their target’s Internet connection and force them offline. When hackers plan DDoS attacks, they overload your network with unwanted requests and traffic.
DDoS attacks have been a reality in the Internet world for quite some time now, with hackers and people with ill intentions forcing websites, businesses, and gamers offline to try to take advantage of them.
Except for the best DDoS protection VPNs, no advanced tools or techniques can protect your Internet traffic from DDoS efficiently. The best, most effective, and most affordable way to protect yourself against such DDoS attacks is to use a VPN.
I tested several VPNs and found some of the best VPN service providers, as listed below.
In a Hurry? Here Are the 5 Best VPNs for DDOS Protection
What is a DDOS Attack?
A DDoS attack is when multiple computers flood a router, a web server, or a game server with a large number of requests to overwhelm the target’s system.
In such cases, usually, the target system or website crashes and becomes unable to process legitimate requests by legitimate users.
If there’s a DDoS attack on a game server, all the players connected to that particular server will either face a lot of latency or won’t get Internet access at all. Thus, they won’t be able to play online games at their best potential.
If the DDoS attackers attack your router, there’s no way you can go online and if the DDoS attacks happen to target a website, it becomes inaccessible for all the users.
The worst part about DDoS attacks is that it might take hours, days, or even weeks for the system to get back to normal and start working again.
DDoS attacks are quite similar to a scenario wherein thousands of people enter a store with no intention to buy any product, thereby not letting potential buyers buy any product.
DDoS attacks are more common with gamers playing online, where malicious opponents attack good players and interrupt their Internet access so they cannot perform well in the game.
A smart way to avoid DDoS attacks is to use a Virtual Private Network (VPN).
Keep reading to find out some of the best VPN provider options that will help keep you safe online today.
How a VPN Helps You Prevent DDOS Attacks
To plan a DDoS attack, hackers first identify the IP address of their target. Then, they send a large botnet that contains illegitimate requests to spam the IP address.
Ultimately, the IP address server gets overloaded and becomes unable to handle the web requests. Finally, it crashes.
Thus, the server denies Internet access to all users.
Now, if you are somehow able to hide your real IP address from the attacker, you can easily prevent DDoS attacks.
A VPN is a powerful tool that encrypts your web traffic and sends this encrypted traffic through a secret VPN tunnel to a remote VPN server.
While doing this, it conceals your real IP address and shows a new IP address to the attacker, based on the VPN server to which you connect.
The best VPN for DDoS protection offers military-grade encryption so your actual IP address is completely concealed, as well as several other features to prevent IP address leaks.
Most good virtual private networks also come with a Kill Switch that prevents IP leaks even if the VPN connection is cut-off briefly.
Keep reading to find out our top-choice VPN services.
How to Choose the Best Anti-DDOS VPNs
Though most VPNs available on the market claim to provide DDoS protection, in reality not many are effectively capable of preparing for or mitigating DDoS attacks.
Below is a list of features that a VPN for DDoS protection should have.
Robust encryption and security features – A VPN for DDoS protection typically needs military-grade encryption so it can efficiently hide your IP address and can also provide strong IP leak protection. Additionally, these VPNs should also have strong security features, such as Kill Switches, that can disconnect your Internet when there are issues with your VPN connection so your IP is never leaked.
Extensive server network – A VPN that has a large network of servers spread across several countries can make numerous IP addresses accessible to you within minutes. And so you will be able to access any geo-restricted website or content from anywhere in the world.
Fast speeds – Choose a VPN that offers several high-speed servers so you can stream, download, play games, or simply browse at fast speeds.
Bypass geo-restrictions – A VPN that can easily bypass geo-blocks of big websites and multiple platforms like Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, HBO Max, and Amazon Prime, comes in handy when you need to access any such website or geo-blocked content.
Compatible apps – Choose a VPN provider that offers compatible and user-friendly apps for all the devices that you own.
Customer support – 24/7 customer support via chat or call makes it easy for you when you are stuck with any issue.
Money-back guarantee – A money-back guarantee of at least a month makes sure you get enough time to test the VPN service at hand. This policy makes it possible to unsubscribe from it within the refund period.
5 Best DDOS Protection VPN Services
Below are some of the best VPNs for DDoS protection online:
1. ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN is one of the fastest, most secure, widespread VPN services on the market.
The use of its trademark Lightway protocol makes it an extremely fast VPN, and these high speeds are great for gamers as they can enjoy better ping along with outstanding security against DDoS attacks.
Non-gamers, streamers, and torrenters can also enjoy being connected to faster speeds of ExpressVPN, and it also offers obfuscated servers, so you can use a VPN in countries where VPNs are frowned upon and you will appear to just be browsing with a normal connection instead of with your Virtual Private Network.
ExpressVPN has numerous features that help secure your privacy and protection, such as its Kill Switch, strict no-logs policy, IPv6 and DNS leak protection, and AES-256-bit encryption.
There is no cap to the amount of bandwidth you can use per day with this provider, and there’s a great smart DNS feature (MediaStreamer) to help you unblock geo-restricted content and websites seamlessly from anywhere in the world.
Moreover, ExpressVPN has more than 3,000 servers worldwide in about a hundred countries around the globe so you can access the IP addresses of any of these locations with this VPN.
- Extremely fast speeds
- Strong encryption and security features
- Allows up to 5 simultaneous connections
- 3,000 servers spanning over 94 countries
- Highly intuitive VPN service
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- 24/7 live-chat support
- More expensive
2. NordVPN
NordVPN is another fast and super-secure VPN for DDoS protection that happens to cost less than ExpressVPN.
NordVPN enables DDoS protection on all its 5,300+ servers by default and across any protocol.
In addition to features like a strict no-logs policy, an automatic Kill Switch, military-grade AES-256-bit encryption, and protection against IPv6 and DNS leaks, NordVPN offers a double layer of security through its double VPN feature.
This feature sends your traffic through two servers instead of one, encrypting your traffic twice. It provides excellent DDoS protection, prevention of IP leaks, and defense against many cybercrimes.
Moreover, NordVPN offers a ping test option so you can identify the fastest server in the best location, and it has no limit to bandwidth usage so you can browse, stream, or play online games endlessly.
If you’re looking to use this for streaming, Nord also has the superior capability of going undetected by big streaming sites.
- Very fast speeds
- Great security and privacy
- Allows connecting up to 6 simultaneous connections
- 5,300+ servers across more than 60 countries
- Cheaper than ExpressVPN
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Slower than ExpressVPN
- Not all servers optimized for torrenting
3. Surfshark
Surfshark is another good VPN for DDoS protection with good speeds, outstanding security, servers across about a hundred different locations on the earth, and affordable prices.
You can install the Surfshark iOS or Android apps, and you can use this VPN on as many devices as you choose with unlimited connections.
Further, there are countless security and privacy features that it offers, such as a Kill Switch, a no-logs policy, IPv6 and DNS leak protection, and AES-256-bit encryption.
Surfshark also offers smart DNS to help quickly get past the VPN blocks of geo-restricted websites and streaming platforms, and unlimited bandwidth to let you enjoy the Internet limitlessly.
- Good speeds
- Provides excellent security and privacy features
- Lets you connect unlimited devices simultaneously
- More than 3,200 servers spanning 95+ countries
- Cheaper than ExpressVPN, NordVPN, and UltraVPN
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Speeds not as fast as top VPNs
- Tends to have more buffering issues
4. CyberGhost
CyberGhost is the best VPN for beginners. If you know nothing about VPN services and their features, you can start with CyberGhost.
It is a very good VPN for DDoS protection, with incredibly strong security and privacy attributes like a no-logs policy, AES-256-bit encryption, a Kill Switch, and DNS and IPv6 leak prevention.
The best thing about CyberGhost is its user-friendliness because it enables all these security attributes in all its apps by default.
Moreover, unlike other VPNs on the list that provide a 30-day money-back guarantee, CyberGhost offers a 45-day money-back guarantee.
This means that, in this case, you get 15 days more to decide if you want to continue using CyberGhost. And, if you decide against it, you can unsubscribe from the plan and the provider will refund all your money.
CyberGhost is also fast in bypassing geo-restrictions of streaming platforms like Netflix, Disney Plus, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and HBO Max.
- Great speeds
- Offers outstanding security and privacy features
- Lets you connect 7 devices simultaneously
- Over 8,900 servers spanning more than 91 countries
- Cheapest VPN on the list
- 45-day money-back guarantee
- Limited payment modes
- Not as customizable for advanced users
PIA is another reliable VPN for DDoS protection, and it happens to have almost 30,000 servers, so there are plenty of IP addresses from which to choose that will help you disguise your own IP address.
While PIA has military-grade encryption, a Kill Switch, and no-logs claims, it is located in the USA, which is in the 5-Eyes Alliance, so some extra privacy-conscious users opt to steer clear of VPNs like this altogether.
Still, PIA is a great affordable option, offering the ability to connect up to 10 devices at once to a single account.
- Good speeds
- Offers all essential security attributes
- Allows connecting 10 devices simultaneously
- More than 25,000 servers in 78+ countries
- Cheaper than ExpressVPN and NordVPN
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Won’t unblock all sites
- Based in USA
Can I Use a Free VPN to Protect Myself from DDOS Attacks?
Using free VPNs is definitely not a good idea when it comes to protection against DDoS attacks when online gaming. In fact, free VPNs cannot even reliably be used for streaming global content online.
The Internet connection provided by these VPNs is unstable and doesn’t protect your sensitive data against theft or cyber-attacks, such as DDoS attacks, lacking the important privacy, and security features that are a must!
Instead of using one of these, opt for one of the best VPN providers listed above.
All of these VPNs not only possess great features but also a trusted money-back guarantee. A money-back guarantee makes sure you can try the service risk-free, and if you feel the VPN isn’t for you, you can cancel within the refund period and get your money back.
This way, you get to use a good-quality VPN for DDoS protection, streaming global content, playing games online, and torrenting at absolutely no cost.
How to Mitigate a DDOS Attack with a VPN
When your server faces DDoS attacks, it can be devastating and can take days or even weeks to come back to normal.
However, DDoS protection is way easier than it seems. All you need is a good VPN provider that provides a new VPN IP address.
Follow this step-by-step process given below.
- Search for a premium-quality VPN that provides strong protection against IP leaks. Our best recommendation is ExpressVPN.
- Download the VPN app onto your device and log into it. You can also install the app on your router so it can protect all the connected devices.
- Choose a secure server nearby for the best connection speeds, or a remote server if you want to gain access to the Internet in some other location. Then, connect to that server.
- You are good to go! The VPN will hide your IP address and will re-route any DDoS attack that it encounters.
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FAQs
Yes, but not all VPNs. The best VPN services on the market do provide DDoS protection.
All 5 VPNs listed above provide excellent DDoS protection along with great security attributes, which include a Kill Switch, to protect your IP addresses from being leaked during a weak VPN connection.
Yes. NordVPN not only provides military-grade encryption but also has dedicated IP addresses so you can run your own servers and get foolproof DDoS protection.
Yes. ExpressVPN provides high-level encryption and DNS and IP leak protection so your IP address doesn’t get leaked and the hackers can never spam your server during DDoS attacks.
Conclusion
DDoS attacks can leave your server, IP, or website devastated for a long time. This is why it is vital that you protect your system from such attacks.
Protection against a DDoS attack isn’t as difficult as it seems. All you need to do is use a premium-quality virtual private network.
A good VPN empowers you with the ability to hide your original location and IP address. It also offers a lot of protocols and high-grade encryption techniques that prevent any IP leaks from occurring.
When your real IP address is hidden, no hacker can perform DDoS attacks on your server.
ExpressVPN is one of the best VPNs on the market to protect you against such attacks due to its extra secure protocols and encryption techniques. It also provides lightning-fast speeds, worldwide servers, and the ability to bypass geo-blocks.
