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hello i am new in the forum and not really a tech expert. Could someone let me know if people can track down my computer or even name/home address address if I design a website from my computer and publish it online, or if I send e-mails from my computer, or if I sign online petitions etc. How secure is my identity in all this - or are we subject of the big brother eye???
(p.s. please explain in easy language, i am afraid i am not very familiar with technical terminology:)
thanx !
Hello Hannah, and welcome to AO.
The first thing to remember is that even if you can trace a computer and its connectivity, there is no way of determining who is actually using it or its connection. A good example of that would be if your computer was hijacked or "owned" by a third party. They could use it remotely to indukge in all sorts of criminal activity and it would look as if it were you.
To trace to your home address and name would require the assistance of your internet service provider (ISP). In most countries this would require a court order or warrant, so only law enforcement and national security agencies could do it.
As for putting websites on a host or signing petitions; the host site will see the IP address that you are coming from. In my case that might get you to within 70 miles of where I live.
If you use a proxy, then all the site will see is the proxy server's address. If you use a public computer like in a library or internet cafe, then all they will see is that address.
I hope that answers your questions :)
I'll add a bit about GPS and location aware browsing. The newer browsers can report GPS coordinates or approximations thereof if you allow it. There is an option in browsers to disable the feature. I recommend that you do so.
Hey ua549,
Interesting point there, but don't you need some sort of hardware support?
Like I don't have GPS because this link will only work from my house. I wonder about those wireless cellnet dongles you can get though?
Try this site.
It got pretty close to me without GPS on my system.
On my notebook that has GPS it nailed my address.
On my cell phone it missed by half a continent because of the IP address location.
I have since turned off location tracking option in FF.
Hi - thanks a lot for answering my question, this was very helpful. Have since registered with a proxy (and decided to pay a small monthly fee including customer support, to make sure I am not using some kind of trap etc.) Did the check - and it works!
regarding the GPS, could you let me know how to disable it (got a Windows 7 , using Google Chrome). Actually I clicked on the web site suggested, and wheres the GPS tracked me down before it does not seem to find me with my new proxy server (this is great!), but just want to make sure - are the two interlinked?
Have also disable cookies....
so i am pretty safe now and can connect with the world anonymously...?! -have i covered it all?
thanx a lot!
errr, lets just say the surface is no longer pristine :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Hannah
there is no real security on the wwweb
you just need to be wary
keep your security routine on target
and always do BACKUPS :cool:
is there any reason you want /need to be 'anon' out there ??
or you just a cautionary soul :halo:
As for being 'untraceable' when using a proxy, keep in mind that law enforcement has no problems getting the logs from the proxy provider. From those logs they will get your 'real' IP address and from there they'll contact your ISP. Which in turn will gladly handover their logs to law enforcement when instructed to do so.
As foxy pointed out, there's no such thing as anonymity on the internet. Just look at the news, even Anonymous members get arrested.
But that's all from a law enforcement point of view. Your average website administrator simply cannot get that information.
I don't use Google Chrome so I don't know where to turn off tracking.
In FF it is under the user options privacy settings.
Anonymous gets arrested because people know them, and the report them. And get actual logs.
Also you are traced by your IP address due to the backbone servers your packets go over.
If you look there im making a jump from paris to NYC in a little under 100 ms. Whats happening here is IANA (The group of people who say who gets what IP address) has given specific areas for the location. And so, generally they know where your IP address it. If you traceroute to a host, you can see what routers you hop across, and see the path you take. Also getting a proxy for general computer use, is useless. It's just easier to browse on your IP address, if you are really that scared. Go down to the town library or local unsecure wireless spot. Though change the mac address. :) Its hardware specific. And one of a kind (sort of.)Quote:
9 if-5-0.core1.jsd-jeddah.as6453.net (195.219.153.65) 131.312 ms 315.532 ms 372.817 ms
10 195.219.167.42 (195.219.167.42) 327.044 ms 429.189 ms 777.267 ms
11 if-0-0-0-0.tcore1.pye-paris.as6453.net (80.231.154.37) 591.884 ms 598.765 ms 503.932 ms
12 if-6-10.tcore1.nyy-newyork.as6453.net (216.6.90.9) 688.233 ms 556.615 ms 419.007 ms
13 jfk-brdr-04.inet.qwest.net (63.146.27.41) 490.250 ms 721.368 ms 1050.035 ms
14 ewr-core-01.inet.qwest.net (67.14.7.34) 607.383 ms 1179.560 ms 1483.734 ms
15 ewr-cntr-11.inet.qwest.net (205.171.17.2) 1039.990 ms 262.681 ms 420.204
If u r using a land line or cell dongle, it's possible to trace the user (identity unknown: who is behind the PC). The time went online (log in to your ISP ie dialup your service/ISP) and log off by triangulating the signal ie your IP add (main)--ctry, secondary IP add (the exchange box or transponder in your area ---state, county), third area IP---exactly where u r (the time of logging on and off will) prove this is the user. All need these stuffs will need court warrants.
Everywhere we visited is logged with our ISP server so u visited yahoo.com at 12pm it is there on your ISP log except no one checks until a complain
is filed and checked.
From the ISP they need to get the name of the person. Of course, if u r nobody who cares. But from my own experience, my country through a Ministry banned me from going to a forum. I still got through a proxy server. I know as I am only one using this forum. The Ministry blanket banned or blocked the DNS but forgot about proxy server. The frontpage said you r banned. Surprised I tried to log in only to be blocked from logging in so I used a proxy server and successfully logged in. I was not banned by the forum admin but by my own country. They tried to trick me by posting u r banned when they r actively blocking me from the forum.
That is what I got from my security courses.