MSN Messenger & Security

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Originally posted here by CyberNGA
Hello,

I'm new in security concerns, but trying to learn... I recently heard that someone can get your IP through an MSN chat. Is that true? I am really interested since I have people from online games on the list, which I don't entirely trust.

Also, I have heard from a different source that finding your IP is only possible when transferring a file. Is THAT true?

Thank you in advance!

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I'm not 100% sure of how MSN works, but in general with those networks, text messaging is relayed through the central servers (and thus your IP address isn't included), while file transfers, webcam sessions and anything else which involves a direct connection makes your IP address available to the other end (simply because it's then a direct connection).

Someone finding out your IP address shouldn't be a big deal anyway. You have a firewall, your software is all patched etc, right?

I have to add something here, Mystery man, I used Sygate for a little while, and I did like it's functionaliy, though for some reason I wanted to go back to zone alarm, Sygate though it was disabled kicked up stink, and every time I booted up within 2 mins it would go into a blue screen of death I had never seen.

It was quick thinking, and even quicker fingers that raced to the add/remove programs to uninstall it before the blue screen came back.

It is a shame that I can't recall the details of what happened, but I seem to remember it but I have never had a problem with Zone Alarm, except for sending me that black worm email the other day.

As a result, I was a little concerned with sygate, though it did have some lovely "I really feel like a hacker" features to it. I spose the lesson here is not to have more than one firewall on your pc except as a setup file. I just want to point out I was not trying to run them together, that does not seem such a logical idea, though I did want to compare them.

just my two cents or pence as we use in England

Tea anyone?