PSA: Apple’s Private Relay can leak your real IP address
A flaw in Apple's Private Relay feature can expose users' real IP addresses to the websites they visit, undermining the core privacy protection the feature is supposed to provide. Private Relay is built into Apple's iCloud+ subscription and is marketed as a way to prevent sites from tracking users by their IP address.
Why this matters: Private Relay is a paid feature people turn on specifically because they want their real IP address hidden. If it leaks that address anyway, they get the false confidence of a privacy tool without the actual protection. Your IP address is not just a number — it can reveal your approximate location, your internet provider, and help sites build a profile of you across sessions. Apple sells privacy as a product differentiator. When a privacy feature fails at its one job, that claim needs scrutiny, not just a patch.
Who should care: Cybersecurity · Privacy officers · Administrators
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