What Can Someone Do with Your IP Address? A Guide to Protecting Your Online Privacy

What is an IP address?

An IP address is short for Internet Protocol address. It's a unique numerical label assigned to each device connected to a computer network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication. It serves as an identifier for your device, allowing other devices and servers to recognize and communicate with it over the internet.

So, what type of devices are we talking about here?

Basically, any device that connects to a network and participates in internet communication or local network communication may have an IP address assigned to it.

That means computers, laptops, smartphones, tablets, servers, printers, and scanners. But it also applies to all of your Internet of Things (IoT) devices, such as smart TVs, thermostats, lights, security cameras, and wearable devices.

What does an IP address look like?

There are two versions of IP addresses, an older version called IPv4 and a newer version, known as IPv6.

An IPv4 address is a 32-bit number divided into four octets (8-bit segments), separated by periods. Each octet is represented in decimal notation. An IPv4 address might look like this: 192.168.1.1.

IPv6 addresses are made up of a 128-bit number represented in hexadecimal notation, divided into eight groups of four hexadecimal digits, separated by colons. It will look something like this: 2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334.

As you can see, IPv6 addresses are considerably longer than IPv4 addresses. These more complex addresses were introduced to account for the growing need for unique IP addresses as the number of devices connected to the internet increased.

How to find your own IP address

If you're interested in discovering your IP address, here's how, depending on the operating system or device you're using.

• Windows: On a Windows PC, open the Command Prompt and type "ipconfig." Look for the "IPv4 Address" under your active network connection.
• Mac: For Mac users, go to "System Preferences," select "Network," choose your active connection on the left, and your IP address will be displayed on the right.
• Linux: Open a terminal and enter the command "ip addr show" or "ifconfig" to retrieve your IP address.
• Android: On an Android device, go to "Settings," select "Network & Internet," then "Wi-Fi." Tap on your connected network and find the IP address under "IP address."
• iPhone: For iPhone users, navigate to "Settings," choose "Wi-Fi," tap the connected network's "i" icon, and you'll see your IP address listed.

How can strangers find your IP address?

There are several ways strangers could potentially find your IP address, some of which are more direct than others.

Website tracking: When you visit a website, the website's server can log your IP address as part of its normal web traffic analysis. Many websites also use third-party analytic tools that can track your IP address and other browsing behaviors.

Emails and attachments: If you open an email with embedded images or click on links, the sender might be able to see your IP address when you load those elements. This is often used for tracking purposes by marketing emails.

Online forums and social media: If you post on public forums, social media, or online communities, your IP address might be visible to others, especially if you're engaging in discussions or interacting with other users.

P2P connections: When using peer-to-peer (P2P) applications like torrent clients, your IP address can be visible to other users in the same network, potentially exposing your real IP to strangers.

VoIP calls and video chats: Certain Voice over IP (VoIP) or video chat applications might reveal your IP address to the person you're communicating with.

Direct connections: If you're directly communicating with someone over a network (for example, in online gaming), your IP address might be accessible to them.

Network scanning: In some cases, malicious actors can scan IP address ranges to identify devices connected to the internet. However, this is generally more targeted and less common.

Malicious links and attachments: Clicking on malicious links or downloading infected attachments can expose your IP address to attackers.

Social engineering: In some cases, individuals might trick you into revealing your IP address through various social engineering techniques.

What information does your IP address reveal?

So, we know that strangers have ways to find out your IP address. But so what? What exactly can they know about you from this stream of numbers? Well, those digits might appear to be random, but they actually provide several pieces of information. For example,

• Location: Your IP address can provide a general idea of your geographic location. This is often based on the registered location of the IP address block assigned to your Internet Service Provider (ISP).
• ISP Information: The IP address can indicate which Internet Service Provider you are using. Different ISPs are assigned different ranges of IP addresses.
• Network Infrastructure: Your IP address might provide insights into the type of network you're connected to, such as whether you're accessing the internet through a residential or business network.

What can others do with your IP address?

While an IP address alone might not reveal personal or sensitive details like your name or address, the details it does provide can still be misused. Let's look at a few ways your IP address may be used against you and your online privacy.

Launch targeted attacks: Hackers can use your IP address to launch targeted cyber attacks, such as phishing or malware campaigns, aimed at infiltrating your device or network.

Perform Denial of Service (DoS) attacks: Cybercriminals may utilize your IP address to flood your network or website with overwhelming traffic, causing it to crash or become inaccessible.

Attempt unauthorized access: Malicious actors might try to exploit vulnerabilities associated with your IP address to gain unauthorized access to your device, network, or accounts.

Track online activities: Advertisers, marketers, and even some websites can use your IP address to track your online behavior, monitor your browsing habits, and serve you highly personalized targeted advertisements.

Geo-locate and identify: Although not highly precise, IP addresses can provide a general geographic location, potentially allowing someone to determine the city or region you are connecting from. This may pose a huge safety risk to certain individuals, such as activists, journalists, whistleblowers, or people who simply disagree with an oppressive government.

Collect information: By combining your IP address with other data sources, cybercriminals and advertisers can compile a more comprehensive profile of your online presence and preferences.

Harassment and cyberbullying: In extreme cases, individuals with malicious intent might use your IP address to engage in online harassment, cyberbullying, or other harmful activities.

Legal consequences: Hackers may reroute their traffic through your IP address. That means that if they access or download illegal content or engage in illicit activities online, law enforcement agencies might trace it back to you. This could potentially lead to legal repercussions even if you were not directly involved.

Understanding these potential risks associated with your IP address can help you take steps to protect yourself and your online privacy. Which brings us neatly to...

How to protect your IP address

There are a few different ways to protect your IP address and safeguard your online privacy. Some are more effective than others, and some have other downsides that have to be considered. We've tried to sum up their pros and cons to allow you to choose the best option.

Tor browser

The Tor network anonymizes your internet connection by bouncing it through several volunteer-operated servers, concealing your IP address. It's pretty effective at doing this, but Tor does have a reputation for being the “internet for criminals”. Even though this isn't (entirely) true, your ISP will be able to see that your using Tor, and that alone can be enough to raise suspicions.

Also, unless you know how to use Tor or where to go (or where not to), you could end up in more trouble than you started with. There are a lot of unsavory characters, sites, and content on the dark web. Accidentally, clicking on something could expose more than your IP address and put you at even greater risk. Proceed with caution.

Proxy servers

Proxies mask your IP address by acting as an intermediary between your device and the internet. That said, they aren't the most reliable way to hide your IP address. They tend to have pretty basic security which makes them more susceptible to compromise. They also don't encrypt your web traffic.

VPNs

While VPNs are designed to mask your IP address, there is still potential for IP leaks. DNS leaks, WebRTC leaks, and IPv6 leaks can occur if your VPN is not properly configured or if there are vulnerabilities in your device or network settings.

Many VPN users are lulled into a false sense of security by VPN providers' claims that they don't log user activity. But few (if any) actually follow their own policies.

Another thing to be aware (and wary) of, is the jurisdiction the VPN provider operates in.

Some VPN providers are subject to the laws and regulations of the country they are based in. If authorities demand user information from a VPN provider, they might be obligated to comply, compromising your privacy.

Another issue when using VPNs to hide your IP address is that when VPN servers are overloaded with users, performance and security often suffer. This might lead to situations where your VPN connection drops, potentially exposing your IP address.

Download Hoody

Unlike VPNs, Hoody is a dedicated privacy tool. When you connect to the internet using Hoody, your IP address is never actually communicated to the web. It stays with Hoody. Hoody servers make the web requests on your behalf.

When the website receives the request, it will send the data back to the Hoody server. And then the Hoody server relays the info back to you. It doesn't just “mask” your IP address, it keeps it completely out of sight.

The other good thing about Hoody is that it is located in BVI, which doesn't have mandatory data retention laws. More than that, Hoody is designed to work without any data collection at all. As the saying goes, “You can't share what you don't have.”

Protect your IP address for privacy

Your IP address, while seemingly innocuous, holds the potential to be misused by malicious actors. By understanding what an IP address is, how it can be found, and the potential risks associated with its exposure, you can take informed steps to safeguard your online presence.

But remember, IP addresses are just one tiny piece of your digital footprint. To find out more about what personal data your digital trail reveals, read: What is a Digital Footprint?