security poor ?

security poor ?

by russ666 Feb 11, 2011 5:07AM PST

My unit is an iMac 1.83 GHz 2 GB 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM Iintel Core Duo, OSX 4.11 and my IP is Comcast. A trusted www friend, with whom i frequently chat, on a "shared server", said i (my name and location) was hanging out there for all the world to see and take advantage of with a simple who-is command. Since i am not an administrator, and i DO employ little snitch, & have the firewall turned to on and have both mac scan and securemac as well as clamXV, and never never run windows anything, how much real danger am i courting if i don't spend the $80 for an anonymizer ? Will doom and chaos rain down upon my foolish head? Please, Mr McFixit assuage this humble grasshopper's fears without insisting that he attend 4 years of wizard school and acquire an Electrical Engineering degree. If i'd wanted to become a coder i could have spent less money and bought a PC.

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -

The answer is simple grasshopper.

by sturner--2008 Feb 11, 2011 5:43AM PST

Change your personal information on the site that you chat. The programs you use may show information about you. Same for the chat sites. What you put in them, and tell them they may share determines much of what is displayed about you.

- Collapse -

if only

by russ666 Feb 11, 2011 7:08AM PST

Sadly, that advice leads to only one conclusion since the site admin require that data original info/ID/ (IP address to stream their download to me, i can only escape that by no longer attending.

- Collapse -

"shared server"

by r. proffitt Forum moderator Feb 11, 2011 7:16AM PST

Let me focus on that. Any name, password, details on a "shared server" is going to be suspect. In what way you ask? Since we only know "shared server" then how safe that information is, is what I'd be concerned about.

If you only use that name and password on that "shared server" then it may be fine. But studies show that most of us use the same password everywhere.

Don't feel bad, HALF THE FOLK that use the internet do that -> http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&source=hp&q=people+use+the+same+password+all+over

No 4 years of study required but if you have sacred information on some site or email, then be sure you are not recycling your passwords.
Bob

- Collapse -

thank you

by russ666 Feb 13, 2011 2:23AM PST

Thank you Robert, you have allayed my fears somewhat. Passwords are indeed duplicated too much by too many. (not i, happily). i later learned that my friend was always able to know that it was me coming into the virtual Mirc chat-room no matter the "nick" (identity) i signed in-as by the name of my Internet Service Provider (ISP or IP) and the State where my IP was located, and she was merely gleaning the rest from that. Your advice is always golden and non-judgmental and i value it as much as i do the air i breathe.

the grasshopper

- Collapse -

You're welcome.

by r. proffitt Forum moderator Feb 13, 2011 2:36AM PST

It took me a moment to think what could the trusted www friend could be thinking. Since most of the other exploits are rare to blocked this left the name and password issue. I read that you know that issue and sorry to repeat this but such servers may not be very secure and leak user information.

I think you're doing fine.
Bob

- Collapse -

the shared server

by russ666 Feb 13, 2011 6:56AM PST

They do appear to have there and display to some (not-me) my url as well as my IP company name and state. In an earlier phone conversation, an IP tech supt person assured me that as i turn off my computer and router each night, i start the next day with a new URl. No idea if this is true or false. There used to be a website that would tell me what my url is. No clue if such still exists. Do you happen to know it ?

- Collapse -

There is almost nothing to worry if this is what I think.

by r. proffitt Forum moderator Feb 13, 2011 7:41AM PST

There are old discussions about "your IP is showing" but since most of us are behind a router and in your case you are on MacOSX you are doubly protected.

I think this is case closed since we've covered the name/password on the public server issue.
Bob

- Collapse -

sounds like IRC

by sturner--2008 Feb 13, 2011 1:02PM PST

This sounds vaguely like an IRC (internet relay chat) server, where you can look at the origins of any nick.

- Collapse -

yes

by russ666 Feb 14, 2011 12:23AM PST

Yes, that IS the situation. And to update they are still showing my IP URL and also no the IP address does not change is static always despite the lies being told by the isp tech supt. It has been suggested that an ill intentioned person could see it and use it to impersonate me and cause damage to my fragile reputation.
grasshopper

- Collapse -

pitfalls

by russ666 Feb 14, 2011 12:27AM PST

Can someone suggest a way to avoid the pitfalls related to using some kind of proxy to disguise identity ?
grasshopper

- Collapse -

there are a number of proxy servers out there,

by mrmacfixit Forum moderator Feb 14, 2011 1:04AM PST

some are free and some are paid services.
Google will find them for you.

Your IP address is out there for all to grab, even while you are surfing along merrily.
Take a look at www.auditmypc.com and go to the anonymous surfing tab.

ALL that information is freely available to anyone to whom you connect.

For the really paranoid, a Secure Proxy server is one of the answers

P

- Collapse -

IRC

by sturner--2008 Feb 15, 2011 6:15AM PST

This is normal behavior for IRC. Your connection is shown if someone enters a query. See the comments about proxies below. Be aware though, that using a proxy on an IRC server may result in you not being able to connect. Some servers have rules about that.

CNET Forums

Other Forums

Forum Info