Exposing IP address invites Risks ?

The internet uses IP addresses to identify every device connected to the worldwide web. You know your IP address is important. Each IP provided by an ISP is assigned to a user. When you're connected to your work network, your employers could potentially see and track everything you do online.

The Public IP addresses can be tracked by your internet service provider, revealing your location. When entities such as the government, law enforcement, cyber-criminals or perky marketers know where you are connecting from, they can often monitor your online movements.

A shocking news came to the lime light, Cybercriminals can use your IP to hack your device. If they manage to connect to your device, they could take it over and steal your data stored on it. Or they could infect your device with malware and continue their hacking activities in secret.

Recently, WhatsApp is developing a new privacy feature called "Protect IP address in calls" to make IP tracking more difficult. Enabling this toggle will relay calls through WhatsApp servers, providing an extra layer of privacy. However, the quality of calls may be affected when IP address protection is enabled. The routing of calls through WhatsApp servers can cause a decrease in call quality. But rest assured, WhatsApp calls remain protected by end-to-end encryption.

Exposing your IP address can invite risks. It includes:

· Track your location: Your IP address can be used to determine your approximate location, down to the city or state. This information can be used to target you with advertising, or it could be used for more malicious purposes, such as stalking or robbery.

· DDoS attack: A DDoS (distributed denial-of-service) attack is an attempt to overwhelm a website or server with traffic, making it unavailable to users. Cybercriminals can use your IP address to launch a DDoS attack against you, which could disrupt your online activity or even take down your website.

· Phishing: Phishing is a type of scam in which cybercriminals send emails or text messages that appear to be from a legitimate source, such as a bank or credit card company. Once the victim enters their personal information on the fake website, the cybercriminals can steal it.

· Malware: Cybercriminals can use your IP address to deliver malware to your computer. Once the malware is installed, it can steal your personal information, such as your passwords and credit card numbers, or it can damage your computer.

Moving forward, having a proper protection against online threats is critical. Enter the virtual private network or VPN. With a VPN, the websites you visit won’t see your real IP address, as the VPN hides it and replaces it with its own IP address. VPNs also encrypt your web traffic for safe browsing.

S Mohini Ratna, Editor, VARINDIA