# How Safe is Your IP Address?



## CajunSunshine (Apr 24, 2007)

I've been looking into this, and need to do a little more digging... any insightful input is so welcome!

I am concerned about IP address harvesters with criminal intent... 

So far, I've learned that most Internet Providers will not release your name and address to anyone UNLESS requested by a LEO, or a court order.

My name and address could be released just on the word of any law enforcement officer, however scrupulous or unscrupulous the LEO may be! A court order is not even needed.

The criminal implications are enormous.


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## LOC (Sep 10, 2007)

There are free downloadable programs on the internet, that if you have a website or message board you can download them to that. That program would give you every IP that logs onto your board/site you can then trace the IP using the same program to City/State, even company. The ones I have found to not give out names or physical addresses though. It's supposed to be for website tracking purposes, but I can easily see it being used for other purposes.

Basically, your actual IP is not safe, anybody can get your IP. Your name and physical address attached to it are supposed to be kept private.


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## CajunSunshine (Apr 24, 2007)

LOC said:


> Your name and physical address attached to it are supposed to be kept private.


That's the disturbing part: "Supposed to be kept private"...I called different intenet service providers to find that their privacy standards are not as tight as I would expect (such as requiring a court order).


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## arabian knight (Dec 19, 2005)

Doesn't worry me a bit~! Been on the net now for over 13 years, I don't give a flip.


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## Gary in ohio (May 11, 2002)

CajunSunshine said:


> I've been looking into this, and need to do a little more digging... any insightful input is so welcome!
> 
> I am concerned about IP address harvesters...


THere are lots easier ways to track you down. For the average user, IP are dynamicly assigned and it may be different every time you connect to your ISP. Unless you have a static address you cant link an IP to user without the help of an ISP. Some malewar/spyware try to havest IP address but thats pretty worthless for those who are behind a router since that is not a trackable address. If someone at the ISP is stealing IP, it would be just as easy to steal user names/account names and have all the info instead of IP that require additional tracking.


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## pixelphotograph (Apr 8, 2007)

if you use TOR you can hide your ip better
It basically takes you thru several hops like a proxy server does. This makes it more difficult. You can go to the Onion Router TOR site to learn more. Or go to eff.org.
I also use a thumbdrive with TOR on it so if someone were to take my computer they would have no internet history on it. My thumbdrive keeps that info on it.
And I can take my thumbdrive to someone elses computer and will have all my favorites and my broswer set up the way I like without installing anything on their computer and without any tracks on their computer.
This is nice if you work in an environment where you use multiple terminals or internet cafes the library and such.


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## CajunSunshine (Apr 24, 2007)

The Onion Router TOR is more like it!!! 'preciate this much! Thanks, Pixel and all, for your input!


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## texican (Oct 4, 2003)

There are plenty of things to worry about over the internet... my IP address isn't one of em.

Mine changes every time I log on.... of course I'm on a satellite. If a zombie attacks me, I know very quickly... I monitor my usage daily (because of Fair Access Policies... the dreaded FAP, which shuts down the service if usage limits are exceeded).


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## Guest (Sep 22, 2007)

texican said:


> There are plenty of things to worry about over the internet... my IP address isn't one of em.


 Ditto.


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## seedspreader (Oct 18, 2004)

pixelphotograph said:


> if you use TOR you can hide your ip better
> It basically takes you thru several hops like a proxy server does. This makes it more difficult. You can go to the Onion Router TOR site to learn more. Or go to eff.org.
> I also use a thumbdrive with TOR on it so if someone were to take my computer they would have no internet history on it. My thumbdrive keeps that info on it.
> And I can take my thumbdrive to someone elses computer and will have all my favorites and my broswer set up the way I like without installing anything on their computer and without any tracks on their computer.
> This is nice if you work in an environment where you use multiple terminals or internet cafes the library and such.


So this is a script you download?

Does this cause problems if you do BT's or P2P?


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## pixelphotograph (Apr 8, 2007)

bt and p2p dont go thru your browser so you would still be vulnerable there.
the onion router or TOR is basically a firefox extension that goes thru a bunch of different proxy servers and in encrypted somewhat from one point to another.
your isp could see you are connecting to one proxy but not be able to track the traffic from there to the end point like it can now.

another way to also hide yourself is using the firefox user agent switcher google it for more info. You can download other scripts for it. This one is harder for me to explain so google it to learn more.

having your broswer on a usb key helps to not leave info on your main system as well.

I do know of one bit torrent system that goes thru the browser now that i think of it Opera has it built in I think but you would have to see if there is a TOR setup for the OPERA Browser.
OPEN DNS helps too and keeps out a bunch of junk websites and speeds up your search as well.
Makes many sites open faster and your isp cant track you as easily this way either.


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## seedspreader (Oct 18, 2004)

I use a firefox extension for my BT's.


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