IP Address: What Role Does It Play in Your Security?

IP-address is a unique 32-bit identifier for a computer, consisting of four decimal numbers separated by periods, for example, 125.0.1.2. Interaction or treatment to a specific computer on the Internet is carried out by its IP-address. Ideally, every computer, from which the user requests a page, has a permanent unique IP-address, which ,in its turn, is transmitted to the server with requests. In practice, this is not always the case. Sometimes it is impossible to distinguish different users working through a proxy server by IP-addresses, because in the HTTP headers the IP-address of the proxy server is shown, rather than that of a specific user.

Tracking IP-addresses of page or site visitors with various utilities and tools like IP Lookup allows you to define new and old users, i.e. repeated and new visits. In its turn, this information may be used for solving various practical problems, such as, for example, the creation of counter visits to the site, limiting re-voting, etc. Thus, the definition of an IP Address is a task that opens up a host of useful features for webmasters.

So, virtually anyone can get the necessary information on the part of your geographical location. For such purposes, sites use special plug-ins that can display real-time location of every coming visitor. But some go further, and you can even see the name of the city, in which you are now sitting at the computer, and even the name of the Internet service provider whose services you use ... But all of this information can show exclusively the physical location of IP-addresses, but not the home address of your apartment or house. Also, if you use a large regional ISP, your IP will not tell anything useful.

Of course, there are always to strict rules. For example, if someone wants to call your provider company, and innocently ask your IP-address (for example, it is necessary for on-net attacks), then, of course, staff will send him to hell. But if a police officer wants to know your real physical address, for example, to establish the alibi or provocative post on the forum, then every ISP is obliged by law to report your location. All your steps in the Network are securely fixed by the Internet service provider, or even everything you do: exactly when you have launched the network, how much time you have spent there, and what sites you have visited. All the ISPs are obliged to disclose detailed information, especially in severe cases, if a serious crime has been committed, and they need to know - where you were at that time.

The same policy works to all Email-addresses. The second part of the address name, which follows immediately after the sign, already points directly to your domain name. But, having obtained the domain name, a curious person can quickly determine your physical location and your ISP, but nothing personal, that can be obtained without a court order.

If you doubt the safety of your mail, you can easily test all by searching your postal address in any search engine.

But it is on one condition. Most of the search resources just do not allow you to search exactly for the prescribed email-s, as they immediately stop the search if they see characters such as @ or "" in the search box of your browser, but, nevertheless, these efforts would be a good start (especially in light of the fact that your email address is indeed a rare and unique one!). So, you start to realize one simple truth: if you are freely able to find some information about yourself, then why not anyone can do this.

The poorest part of the deal about your own safety is a standard search of both your name and address, i.e. your name, email-address and the address of your physical residence and home phone number.

In addition, if the information was once lined by some well-wishers on-line, then later on, anyone could easily penetrate your entire life story with the computer.

However, if anyone really wants to continue "studying" you or rather, to go into direct contact, that fact will sound very serious, it would have to mean that a potential attacker had acquired a certain amount of confidential information on your account other than from the standard that must be stored on servers in the registration mailbox. This would mean that they - the bad guys - do already know not just the nick, but also your real name, and even the approximate area of your physical location.

But a much better way to defend personally you or your children is the good old concept of personal security, which is about one thing: do not talk anything spare on the web. If your kids love to chat in chat rooms or play online interactive games, they also have to understand very clear that they simply do not have the right to disclose their personal information, i.e. the name, home phone number and current address.

And, of course, be extremely careful about viruses that like to steal confidential information from your PC. These viruses are designed so that they can destroy your privacy. What should you do in such case?

The obvious solution is just that you should not keep strictly confidential data on your hard drive, and it would be better to install a reliable antivirus program, and not to forget to scan your computer every day.

Thus, simply remember, that not only you can find out someone's location by IP, but also someone can discover yours. So, be careful, verify the sites you visit and just don't make harm and abuse people when chatting in chat rooms, forums and online games. And on the other hand, the knowledge about how to determine someone's location by IP will greatly help you in solving conflicts and in case when someone tries to do harm to you.