How to Protect Your IP Address from Hackers in 2025

In this day and age, protecting your online activity and privacy is crucial to using the Internet safely. Part of this involves hiding your IP address and protecting it from cyber threats. Your IP address acts as a sort of digital fingerprint, showing your real location, and could lead to your device being tracked.

When your IP address is exposed, hackers can locate your unique online presence and gain access to your private information and online activities. It could be used to gain unauthorized access to your accounts, which could, in turn, lead to all sorts of troubling problems.

The solution to protecting your IP address from hackers and other online threats is to use a virtual private network, also known as a VPN service. A VPN will encrypt your Internet traffic and hide your IP address, giving you an extra layer of security while performing online actions.

I’ll break down for you how you can get IP address protection and use a VPN to stay anonymous online.

Key takeaways

1. Your IP address being vulnerable could expose you to cyber threats and hackers.
2. Hackers can use your IP address to gain unauthorized access to your accounts and sensitive data.
3. A VPN can help to protect your IP address from hackers.
4. To make sure your VPN hides your IP address thoroughly, make sure to choose a premium service.

Why you should protect your IP address

Protecting your IP address is a major line of defense toward protecting your online activity and sensitive data.

Your IP address is exclusive to your device and reveals your specific location. It tracks your online actions, which can potentially expose sensitive details about you. Cybercriminals will use this information for nefarious purposes, including DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) assaults, identity theft, and more. Such attacks could lead to your accounts being at risk, your internet connection being disrupted, financial losses, and the safety of your devices being jeopardized.

There is also a risk to your social media and online reputation. Such attacks on your IP address mean someone could infiltrate your social media accounts and pretend to be you, affecting how you are perceived online. There is also a risk that hackers could use it for doxxing and reveal your real location and other details about your life to social media followers, putting your reputation and physical safety at risk.

How to protect your IP address from hackers 

There are a few ways you could protect your IP address from hackers.

Use a VPN

The best way to protect your IP address is by using a VPN, which stands for virtual private network. A VPN hides your real IP address very well by encrypting your data and routing it through a secure server. A high-quality VPN enhances your overall online privacy and makes it difficult for hackers to access your data and activity.

Proxy servers

Proxy servers act as a go-between from the Internet to your device. The proxy servers hide your IP address from the websites that you visit.

Firewall

Make sure your operating system’s built-in firewall is enabled and working. The firewall will control and monitor the network traffic, which helps to prevent someone from having unauthorized access to your device.

Tips on how to secure your IP address

To secure your IP address, consider these tips:

• Choose a good browser. Be sure you use a quality browser with built-in privacy and security features, such as Google Chrome, Opera, or Brave.
• Be careful on public Wi-Fi. Consider avoiding using public Wi-Fi for sensitive matters like banking or activities that could expose your personal information. If you do use the public Internet, make sure to have a VPN on to secure your Internet connection.
• Update software. Make sure your software is up to date, as there may be added security measures to protect you from cyber threats.
• Adjust network settings. Keep yourself secure by adjusting your network settings, including disabling remote access, setting a strong password, and enabling network encryption.
• Install antivirus. Make sure to have good anti-virus/anti-malware software on your device to keep you safe.

3 best VPNs for protecting your IP address from hackers and 3rd parties

1. ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN is what I consider the best all-around VPN, with excellent performance and top security features. It has over 3,000 servers in 105 countries.

Features: This VPN offers users up to 8 device connections and unlimited bandwidth. It keeps you protected with AES-256 encryption for strong IP address protection, a kill switch, an ad-blocker, DNS leak protection, a strict no-logs policy, and more.

Speed: ExpressVPN has lightning-fast speeds thanks to its Lightway tunneling protocol.

Streaming: ExpressVPN can bypass geographical restrictions and unblock streaming services such as Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max, Prime, BBC iPlayer, and more.

Compatibility: ExpressVPN is compatible with most devices and operating systems, including Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, Google Chrome, Amazon Fire Stick, Apple TV, Smart TVs, gaming consoles, and routers.

Pricing: Prices for ExpressVPN start at $6.67 per month, and you receive a 30-day money-back guarantee. It has a 7-day free trial for mobile devices only.

2. NordVPN

NordVPN is a well-rounded and reliable VPN that is rich in features. It has a vast server network of over 7,000 servers in 118 countries.

Features: NordVPN offers up to 10 simultaneous device connections and unlimited bandwidth. It keeps your internet traffic private via military-grade encryption, a Dark Web monitor, DNS leak protection, malware protection, a kill switch, a strict anti-log policy, and more.

Speed: With its NordLynx protocol, Nord has incredibly fast speeds for smooth connections.

Streaming: NordVPN is great at unblocking streaming platforms like Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max, Prime, and more.

Compatibility: This VPN is compatible with most devices, including Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux, smart TVs, gaming consoles, and routers.

Pricing: Prices for NordVPN start at $3.39 per month and offer users a 30-day money-back guarantee. It also offers a free 7-day trial on all devices.

3. Surfshark

If you’re looking to get the most bang for your buck, Surfshark is my go-to recommendation for the best bargain VPN. It has 3,200 servers in 100 countries.

Features: Surfshark keeps your IP address secure with its security features, including AES-256 encryption, an ad-blocker, a pop-up blocker, a kill switch, a strict no-log policy, and more. It also offers unlimited simultaneous device connections in addition to unlimited bandwidth.

Speed: With its WireGuard Protocol, Surfshark offers great speeds, although not as fast as Express or Nord.

Streaming: Surfshark can bypass blocks on streaming platforms like Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and more.

Compatibility: Surfshark is compatible with most devices, including Mac, iOS, Android, Windows, Linux, Smart TVs, gaming consoles, and more.

Pricing: Prices for Surfshark start at only $1.99 per month, and you receive a 30-day money-back guarantee. It also has a 7-day free trial available for all devices.

Can I use a free VPN to protect my IP?

While it might be tempting to use a free VPN, this is not something I recommend. Free VPNs tend to lack the necessary security features that you want for keeping your IP address safe, with weak encryption and plenty of IP and DNS leaks that can reveal your real IP address.

Some free VPN companies have a reputation for selling their users’ data to third parties, which could leave you vulnerable to your online activities being exposed and open you up to cyber threats.

This is why I recommend sticking to premium VPN providers, such as ExpressVPN.

FAQ

Can I protect my IP address from hackers?

Yes, there are a few ways you can keep your IP address safe from hackers. The best way is to use a VPN provider to encrypt your online traffic.

How do I make my IP address private?

To make your IP address private, you will want to use a premium VPN provider with strong encryption. You could also use a proxy server or a built-in firewall on your browser.

How do I know if my IP address has been hacked?

There are a few signs you’re IP address has been hacked that you should be on the lookout for:

• Notifications about a password change
• Unfamiliar posts on social media
• Unauthorized alterations to online profiles
• Unsolicited emails about password resets that you didn’t initiate

Conclusion

Your online privacy is so important in this digital age, and it’s crucial that steps are taken to keep your IP address safe. One of the best ways to secure your IP address is to use a virtual private network, also known as a VPN. A VPN provider will secure your IP address by encrypting your network traffic and making sure your online activity is safe from prying eyes.

I recommend using a premium VPN provider, like ExpressVPN, to best secure your IP address and make sure hackers won’t be able to access your IP address no matter how hard they try.