cover blown

Hi. Joined one of the trillion yahoo groups. Then noticed my email address was showing, so I unsubscribed from that identity and rejoined under a new name and new email account and hence, new address. I did not inform the moderator about doing that, just did it. Nevertheless, she emailed me saying she noticed I'd re-joined under a different name and email account and address.
My question is:HOW THE HECK DID SHE KNOW THIS? I am on a dial-up computer, so I thought my ip address changed each time I went online. So, again, how could she tell it was still me, when I opened a new email account, and used completely different names and addresses?
Sheena :confused

 

Lucky guess?

 

roflmao

Depends on your ISP's protocols: some ISPs only change the IP address as they deem necessary, and some use Sticky Dynamic IP Addressing and do not change the IP address very often.

 

Add that to the information your web browser sends, this is mine currently:

<it lies >

And there's enough detail to enable any Admin to make a pretty close call.

 

Correctomundo.

Bottom line: when you surf, somebody can see you, and can see where you're surfing from.

 

Thanks, Caliban.
I spoke to my isp long time ago about my ip address and they told me it changed whenever I went online. Guess they told me what I wanted to hear? I had always thought a dial-up was safer than an always on connection, one reason being that the ip changed. I generally use the same access number when I go online. Would it help to change access nos. Anything else I can do to keep my identity from tracers? I am a bear for privacy, and this is really important to me, would appreciate input.
Sheena

 

Satrow, so why does the browser send information, and if it is so computer servers can do their work, why does it have to go to administrators, and who else does it go to? Is this necessary?
Sheena

 

I thought routers helped get around that.
Sheena

 

I really don't know much about it, other than having spent time watching the logs on a forum, it's even possible to tell if a browser is infected with certain types of spyware. Chris Pirillo's little video might explain it better than I can.

 

Hi, Sheena.

For the most part, dial-ups are safer, to a point.

Most dial-up ISPs do indeed select from a pool of IP addresses and assign you a random number when you connect. Another factor in your favor is the brevity of your online sessions: if you are constantly signing on and off (and your dial-up modem is disconnecting), a potential 'hacker' is going to have a much more difficult time targeting you, opposed to someone who is constantly connected via some form of broadband connection.

It's a double-edged sword, however. Not all providers use the 'pool' method (as mentioned in post #3), and many users think that because they're on a dial-up, they don't need the protections such as antivirus and firewall programs. Big mistake.

As far as routers go - yes, they add a layer of protection. I can pretty much guarantee you, though, that given the time and impetus, there are ways to get around anything. Hell, they do it all the time on TV, so it must be so.

Just use tried and true protection methods and common sense, and you'll be good to go.

***

@satrow: Been a long time since I've seen Chris - brings back a lot of LockerGnome memories. :highfive

 

Shoot! Dialup + videos, not a good combo, I should've re-read the thread before firing off that reply Sorry Sheena.

For ease of switching User Agent, try K-Meleon - it's my default browser, very fast and easy to tune, based on an older Mozilla build but capable of doing things only recently added to Firefox (saving sessions, for example) - and a small download size . MG's has the 1.54 version for download, on the K-Meleon site, there's a Beta version of 1.6 that's been 99% stable for me (sometimes crashes when getting a .pdf download from a left-click - that's probably bad coding serverside). There's also a Beta2 there, I've not used it yet, I keep forgetting to install it ... Download sizes are about 6-8MB, depending on version.

@ Caliban, LockerGnome - yup, it goes back a while I rarely link to Chris's stuff though, I find too much to pick holes with usually (though I could say the same about many other PC pundits in areas I'm familiar with). Maybe Sheena should pay your site a visit, you could then analyse the log and report back to her?

 

Satrow,
And now I see.
Sheena

 

Interesting - especially the 'DetectInvisible' link.

http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=236276

 

I guess there's something not right about that site, my security doesn't even allow me to open the page.

EDIT: Engaged in phishing.