API vpn detection helps web developers and marketers understand how people connect to their website and identify if users are trying to hide connection details, such as their IP address, or if they’re using proxy services to bypass content access restrictions. This is especially important for fraud prevention and cybersecurity.
Detecting VPN traffic is complicated but can be done by looking at the pattern of packets, their source and destination ports. Many VPN protocols use well known ports like UDP port 1194 or TCP port 443 to establish their connection.
Some service operators are also able to see if a user is connecting via a VPN through a process called deep packet inspection. This is similar to what the Chinese government uses to block VPNs.
The Benefits of Implementing API-Based VPN Detection for Your Business
In the case of a website or service, it is easier to determine if a visitor is using a VPN by comparing their IP address with an official list of VPN servers and IP ranges. These lists are updated daily, but they are still a manual process.
To avoid this, websites and services have started to implement a real-time IP & Proxy Detection API. It can detect VPN & proxy usage, tor usage, a connection through a hosting provider, and even an attempt to mask the true IP address.
The Detection API is built for a variety of applications and use cases, including e-commerce websites, gaming communities, research universities & institutions. It serves millions of API requests a week and is constantly expanding its use cases as more organizations find it useful in protecting their online infrastructure.