What can be done with an IP address ?

What can be done with an IP address? a simple question but the answer is not so simple. Some of you may already known about IP addresses. An IP address are like your internet address, every device which is connected to internet or computer network have a unique IP address, such as your mobile phone, computer, printer and many more which is connected to internet or a computer network has unique IP address.

IP addresses written in a human readable form such as 172.54.256.1, i will not go deep about ip addresses in this article. you can learn more about IP addresses from wikipedia. In This article you will learn that what can be done with an IP address of a smartphone or device, you will learn that how a simple numerical digit can help unethical hackers and how to protect from this.

How To Find Your IP address

It is very easy to find your IP address, just open google and search for "my IP address", in the result page you can see your IP address easily. If you don't want to use google then you can just see your IP address by opening myip.com in browser.

What can be done with an IP address?

IP address are like your address, its just a number but it can give many use full information about the device, location, ISP, and many more. Your IP address can be used by many websites, apps, webapps, to identify you and to give best experience. But IP addresses also can be used by hackers to give you worst experience, ya in this post you will get information about how hackers can find & use your IP address.

How can someone get your IP address? 

IP address contains valuable information about you, your identity, and your device, so hackers can use it for malicious purpose. There are many ways people can get your IP address easily. Here are most common ways that used for finding someones IP address.

From A Link 

This is very easy way to find someones IP address easily. Hackers can send you a link through social media, email, message, that tracks IP addresses, when you will click on that link hacker will get your IP address instantly. There are most of sites in internet who provides these service of creating a link to capture someones IP address.

By Sending an Email

When you send a email or reply a email to someone then the receiver can see your IP address by checking the header of message. Header of the message can contain IP address , some email services like yahoo, Microsoft outlook know to include IP address in header of a email.

 Using Torrent files

When you use a torrent to download a file then the every member of swarm(total seeders and lechers) can see your IP address easily by accessing the list of peers.

By Using Your Device

If someone borrow your smartphone, PC for use then they can check your IP address easily by searching on google as i told you above in this post.

These are the common possible ways can be used by someone to find your IP address without knowing you.

What can hackers do with your IP address

IP addresses can be used in many ways to fin information about you, here are some possible things someone can do with your IP address.

People Can Find Your Location

By finding your IP address someone can find your location in seconds. There are many free websites in the internet that can track a IP address and reveal sensitive info about you for free, its funny but its true. Hacker can get your current city location easily by your IP address and also hacker can sell this info to other criminals they can rude your Privacy

Anyone can get your ISP information

Using IP address people can get information about your internet service provider or sim card easily. But by IP address they can not see your phone number.

Hackers can hack your device

Hackers can brute force your IP address with different ports, internet uses ports to connect. Hackers can perform a brute force on your IP address with different ports and can gain access to your device.After hacking your device they can easily steal your valuable, private information, and it can be very dangerous for you.

Someone can try to impersonate you

IP address can reveal your location, ISP details and many other info. A criminal can use these information to impersonate you. Hackers can perform vishing attacks. 

Cyber criminals can use to do crime

Hackers use hacked IP address to do illegal works, such as downloading illegal files, breaking securities, and many other crimes that can be dangerous for national security. Using your hacked IP address cyber criminals can frame you for illegal activity.

How To Protect Yourself

You should always protect your online identity, Hyperactive online users are more vulnerable. Here are some ways to protect your IP address and device from being hacked

Read the post: Easy Steps To Protect Yourself From Being Hacked

Use a VPN

VPN is best way to protect your real ip address easily. VPN apps and software are available for free in app stores. Most free VPN like proton vpn, express vpn, are good for use. If you want high security then you should use a good paid vpn such as Nord VPN.

Avoid clicking on Anonymous Links

Don't click on links that are send you by any anonymous person. Use VPN to click on such a link that are specious and sent you anonymously.

Don't reply unknown emails

Sometime we get unknown emails from different email addresses, you should not reply these emails and also don't click on any link that are embedded there. Just mark them as SPAM.

Update Your Router settings

Hackers can access WiFi routers easily so you should not use default settings for the routers. Change password of your router every week. Use strong and long password for your router. If it is your home/private router then always make it password protected. Always update router and computer firewall.

Use Strong Privacy Settings 

Use strong privacy settings for your social media accounts. Don't accept online calls from unknown persons on any instant messaging platform such as skype, messenger. Hackers can retrieve your IP address using Skype. Better to use VPN