IP Addresses (forum posts) confidential??

I think he asked it as a general info, not because he wants to make terrorists threats, or cruise for underage girls....

Quote from gotta_trade:

If someone makes a post on a forum, is it possible to identify who they are where they live, (by their IP address or any other means)?
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So let's give you a short answer:

The Site owner and here the moderators too, can see:

-your IP address thus your ISP's location
-browser you use
-OS you use
-some other not so important technical info

Now depending on how big area your internet provider services, your physical location can be determined most of the time to that area and not to one particular address. So certain lies can be caught about locations of the posters, but that is about it. This is only valid for static IPs.
If one uses an ISP what gives to its users dynamic IPs, (like AOL does) than it gets even more complicated, and locating the poster is more difficult...
 
Quote from Pekelo:

I think he asked it as a general info, not because he wants to make terrorists threats, or cruise for underage girls....



So let's give you a short answer:

The Site owner and here the moderators too, can see:

-your IP address thus your ISP's location
-browser you use
-OS you use
-some other not so important technical info

Now depending on how big area your internet provider services, your physical location can be determined most of the time to that area and not to one particular address. So certain lies can be caught about locations of the posters, but that is about it. This is only valid for static IPs.
If one uses an ISP what gives to its users dynamic IPs, (like AOL does) than it gets even more complicated, and locating the poster is more difficult...
More...

In addition, the browser os and other info may be suppressed or faked. It is not required for operating.

The IP can be really wrong for many reasons. For example, my IP bwlongs to a data center in germany - because i am logged on a remote desktop there. Actually it is not even the IP of the server, jsut the firewall gateway.

I am 800km away ;)

So, how accurate is that? Imagine me using a public VPN service or http://www.torproject.org/ to hide my origin.
 
Quote from Pekelo:

I think he asked it as a general info, not because he wants to make terrorists threats, or cruise for underage girls....
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sure. just random, out-of-the-blue questions that don't pertain to trading... "just because"

long story short: no matter where the static IP address is, regardless how many hoops a proxy jumped thru to get there, it can be tracked and pinned when log-in cookies are involved.

I have the same v-bulletin software as ET serves and also wordpress platforms. Both can find the static location, and it can be back-tracked to a computer unless the guy is a serious professional hacker. In which case he would not pose such an off-topic, at-random query on a message board for supposed traders
 
Quote from austinp:

sure. just random, out-of-the-blue questions that don't pertain to trading... "just because"
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First, he is an old timer here, and I don't think he is a pedo/terrorist who suddenly decided to get enlighted about the technicalities of staying anonymus on his favorite forum.

Second, he could have just googled the question. And he didn't even ask "how can I stay anonymus?"

I think he just wanted to know something about one particular poster. Nothing sinister, but believe what you want...
 
I use Mozilla's Firefox and the browser is set to clear all cookies when it closes as well as any other temporary files and crap that is downloaded from the various websites. Additionally, I use CCleaner on startup of the computer to clear out all the gremblins that might be left behind. Then I have 3 other programs that do scans and remove any cookies or spybots as well such as Hitman, Microsoft Security Essentials, Malwarebytes and Spybot. I dont run these everyday, but maybe once every week or so to clean any further gremblins. Sometimes one program will find something where the other programs fall short therefore I use more then one remedy. There is also another program that clears out the Flashcookies. The scans are automatic so I dont get involved.

The servers I log on to are randomized by TOR so sometimes it looks like I am overseas or in the states. Since I have never logged on here with my real ip address and my machine is cleaned of the cookies or "gremblins" daily then there is no way any of the admins can track me here. There are some weaknesses in TOR, but you need to be a codebreaking professional to sniff them out.

The reason why people go through the trouble of posting in anonymous manner through proxies is not because they want to cause trouble or commit a crime. They are just people who want to protect themselves from the general public and whacko website admins. I dont know Baron, never met him. He could be a convicted criminal and have served time for fraud and other crimes of dishonesty. The moderators could be violent criminals who may want to seek me out. I dont know and so as an extra safety precaution I take these measures. As I said, the moderators on this board have proven to me they can abuse their status by posting information that should be private. I really dont want them to know anything about me and that is my right to privacy which is a fundamental right in the United States.

There is also the concept of posting unpopular speech where people get angry or feel strong emotions as a result therefore being completely (not partially) anonymous is important. Lets say I post a strong opinion about Iran in the Politics and Religion section in a tasteful manner, but is ill received by certain elements in society...OR lets say my "writing style" is not what others appreciate. Should I be punished for my "writing style" or opinions on Iran?

I think someone posting without a proxy has everything to worry about. They dont know if Baron or the mods could be a threat to themselves. They dont know if their opinions or "writing style" might offend someone and then all of a sudden they have to defend themselves against a nuisance lawsuit. What if the mods decide to edit a post and make it appear the poster is engaged in criminal activity? Editing has been done before on this website.

So, as they say, its best to do your business with protection or you take a risk. Use TOR or any commercial proxy. Use Mozilla's Firefox which provide greater privacy and make sure its set to delete all cookies upon exit. Use programs like Spybot and CCleaner (free programs) which will take it one step further to wipe those cookies as well.
 
I have a good friend who works in the cyber security area, and for the most part you are anonymous, unless someone wants to find out who you are. The average site owner doesn't go any further than the base IP, but they can go deeper and find a general area where you are, and law enforcement can narrow it down further. Or those who want to narrow it down further can find the tools to do so online for free for the most part. I will say I have had a broker call me and they mentioned ET as the source of information, but I know I never contacted them. It leaves me wondering whether ET(ie Baron) or the brokerage is giving away my info, and how they were able to obtain my name and number. Overall it was pretty benign, but the idea my info was out there does tick me off, and how they got it irritates me.
If nothing else if I were a dirt bag more than I am all ready(:))) I would guess your internet provider has info on everything you do. What they could do with that, I don't know, but I would guess if you were a pile of shit molester they would hand it over to the cops in a heart beat, or at least I would hope so.
 
Yeah austinp and Pekelo,

Agree...the OP question, was general and posted probably about what ET owners can see about him or someone else. Thus, if he wanted to get into any technicalities...he wouldn't be posting here for such.

Mark
 
Quote from retaildaytrader:

[lots of paranoid bla-bla]
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1. First, if you are that paranoid, why do you post at all? 30 years ago I am sure you didn't have this problem. :)

2. Second, even a site owner can not zoom in you more than your ISP's cover area. Sure, they could mess with you other ways, but again, if you are that paranoid, see the first point...(or post from a different Starbucks location every time, you know, just in case)

P.S.: I can't find it, but years ago someone posted a link in the chit-chat section and when you clicked on it, it showed the basic info what any siteowner generally sees about you.

Edit: Something like this:

http://www.tracemyip.org/
 
Lets look at the definition of "paranoid":

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paranoid
"Paranoia is a thought process heavily influenced by anxiety or fear, often to the point of irrationality and/or delusion"


Why do we lock the doors to our homes or cars? Is it because we are "paranoid" and have these irrational fears? No, its because its simply the right thing to do and good practice. Even in an area with a relatively low crime rate I still lock the doors to my car. In that same way, I have virus scanners and take other precautions. Now where I live has never been burglarized. My car has never been broken into. However, several times a month my virus scanner detects things on my computer. I have witnessed on different occasions the moderators abusing their status here by posting up private information or wrongfully editing posts. So the precautions I take are not out of just a simple fear, but because its reality.

It has been implied the original poster is interested in causing trouble or committing some sort of crime because he asked if someones ip address would remain confidential. So if the original poster has ability and motivation to cause trouble, then why is Baron and his mods not capable of causing trouble? Does Baron have some type of status where he is this all-perfect do no wrong individual?

I have to disagree here. Having a virus scanner, a firewall or a proxy/vpn is not because of "paranoia", but as a result of a clear and present danger to one's privacy and personal information. Why is it so wrong to take measures to protect your own privacy? If good people have pistols, alarm systems and multiple locks on their doors then why cant they have a proxy to surf the web?

BTW, it is a tort if a webmaster decides to publish private facts about you:

http://www.citmedialaw.org/legal-guide/publication-private-facts

Anyone who publishes a "private fact" about another could end up getting a Summons and Complaint. However, most webmasters dont know about the Citizen Media site and dont think someone will ever go that far. So they laughingly do what they want and so its up to us to protect ourselves from such irresponsible and tortious conduct.
 
Quote from Pekelo:

First, he is an old timer here, and I don't think he is a pedo/terrorist who suddenly decided to get enlighted about the technicalities of staying anonymus on his favorite forum.

Second, he could have just googled the question. And he didn't even ask "how can I stay anonymus?"

I think he just wanted to know something about one particular poster. Nothing sinister, but believe what you want...
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Here's a real example for you, Pek...

I have a stalker who has sent me literally hundreds of emails about all sorts of drivel that pertains to me and trading. He claims to be a fund-of-fund manager with $100 million under management.

The kicker is, he claims to be a long-time ET member who signs up for various educational services to see if said "vendor" is worthy of being a junior money manager. Guy pretends to be french, pretends to speak several languages, pretends to turn 1,000s of ES contracts daily, etc.

Now this particular psycho-freak has never been thru my program. He's just some random kook that makes all kinds of harrassment claims = threats about this & that.

Curiously, the daily email barrage of crap halted stone-cold dead about a week ago when I told him that his proxy IP address service to mask real location wasn't making it. I have his true IP and can have it traced if any further harrassment escalates.

and then POOF!... end of psycho-babble emails on the spot from this persistent nut-case

So the mental cases and freaks are out there, Pek. If someone logs into various software services and makes a post or sends an email thru, the cookie is embedded and location is mapped. Doesn't matter if cookies are later cleared, etc. While that connection is live, the IP data is collectable. As well it should be

:cool:
 
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