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How did somebody find my IP address by just having my ICQ? Is that even possible? Is’nt that illegal? If it is how can I protect myself?
Well, look at it this way, bigblueball.com logged your IP address when you posted… but it’s no big deal. There’s a lot of misinformation given surrounding the hazards of a visible IP address.
For the longest time, in ICQ, you could set who could see your IP address: people only on your contact list, OR everyone on ICQ, OR no one.
In recent clients, the only option is to show the IP address to no one. This means that all messages must go through the ICQ server, instead of directly to you. But if someone wants to send you a file, they must get your IP address to send the file directly.
So yes it’s possible, and no you don’t need to protect yourself. Just run the latest version of ICQ (ICQ 4 and soon ICQ 5), and you’re fine.
How did that person find my IP? Is there some kind of program to do so or are they just guru enough to do something like that? Thank you for your time!
As Shamnky mentioned…if the person sent you a link or download… and you clicked on the link or accepted the download your IP would have to be given. If you have accepted anythiing from this person…that’s how it happened…but don’t worry….there’s not much real harm that can be done with an IP.
To answer egmhtcr’s question,
Check your ICQ Preferences & Security. If you’re running ICQ2003b, then you should find 3 options:
1. “Allow Peer to Peer connection with any user”
2. “Allow Peer to Peer connection with users listed on your Contact List”
3. “Allow Peer to Peer connection with any user upon your authorization”
Now, yes, these are written in some kind of ridiculous language, I think it’s ancient Latin, or maybe Hebrew, but what it means is, it allows you to select who can see your IP address. If you choose 1., then anyone that has you on their contact list can see your IP address. Number 2. means that another person can only see your IP address if they have you on their contact list AND you have them on your contact list. Number 3 says no one can see your IP address, even the people on your contact list. I recommend Number 2 as being the best choice. See, ICQ messages can travel two ways. They can go directly from the sender to the receiver, or they can go to the ICQ server, and then redirected to the receiver. If the sender doesn’t have your IP address then it has to go through the server. Files always have to go directly, and then you need the IP address.
Now, I think it’s possible that even if you choose Number 3 then your IP address can still be found by a crack like DFM (http://www.ifud.ru) that connects to the ICQ server and does some queries against a given UIN.
If you’re running ICQ4/5, then Number 3 is the only option.
Okay, I know a wrote a lot and it may not be entirely clear, but I wanted to answer your question thoroughly. For more information see this Web page: http://web.icq.com/help/quickhelp/1,,1705,00.html or ask again in this thread.
Oh, by the way, even if someone has your IP address, there isn’t much they can really do with it. They can only “access your computer” **IF YOU ALREADY HAVE A TROJAN/SERVER RUNNING** on your computer. No one can drop a Trojan on your machine just be having your IP address. All you can really do with an IP address is ping it (to see if the computer is on), or port scan it (looking for servers/open ports/trojans). Now, Windows XP runs a bunch of open ports, and I’m not entirely sure what all of them do, so it may be best to run the Windows XP firewall.
hi there…
im just replying to your message…yes it is possible to trace anyone using icq…theres a program called magic net trace…all they have to do is click on your name while u are chatting ..its really that easy…there is however programs u can use to block your ip adress….im looking for one right now and ill get back to you as soon as i find one…lateregmhtcr wrote:How did somebody find my IP address by just having my ICQ? Is that even possible? Is’nt that illegal? If it is how can I protect myself?Your IP address cannot be “hidden” it can only be spoofed. Spoofing the IP means that others see a fake Ip address instead of your real one. Now to answer you question about protecting yourself. Get a copy of the program called I think WFIPS2.exe…. that is a program designed to prevent ICQ bombs. Also get a program called NukeNabber. That program will protect you form nuke attacks, ssping, jolt, oob and a host of other attacks, including port scans. Make sure that your machine has all updates to it’s DUN and Winsock. And finally if you are that concerned when you use ICQ put your self on invisible, users cannot see your IP address when you are invisible.
There are many cracks and programs available for ICQ users to see your IP address, the only way to defeat that is not use ICQ or go invisible. remember, icq is one BIG security risk, and do NOT use it for sensitive information.
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