Hey, she's got noobs!
You certainly can't trust the web domain registry info as accurate. That data can be *00&#*7; bogus. And even if it is accurate, it isn't the type of personal info usually of much use for identity theft. Here's mine.
[url]http://www.whois.org/whois_new.cgi?d=neoprogrammics.com[/url]
Can someone use it to steal my identity?
LOL
I don't understand what is meant by 'IP stealing', unless 'stealing' is being used as a figure of speech. Every time someone visits my site, they automatically leave their IP in the logs. It's not confidential or dangerous information and recording it is not stealing or doing anything whatsoever illegal.
You can indeed use an IP to get into someone's computer, but only IF there is no security in place. One can scan a range of IPs and upon finding an active one, scan for open ports.
In rare cases, some open un******* ports can be used to gain access without the owner's knowledge or permission. But this is far more the exception than the rule. But it starts with knowing the IP number.
I speak from experience because it happened to me once when someone left a text file on my web server telling me it was insecure. Nobody should have been able to put files there. All because ONE single port was open by default. He could have done some serious harm if he had wanted to. This problem has since been fixed.
Apparently, most noobs totally overrate the importance of the IP. It really doesn't automatically give the whole world a secret tunnel into anyone's system unless they have no form of security at all. And even then, you need to understand exactly what you are doing to accomplish it. Most computers that are completely insecure most likely have no content of much interest to the serious hacker, as might be the content of an insecure corporate or government server.
Serious hackers are not the ones who simply vandalise individual PCs, like punk kids smashing windows. Those are script kiddies going through a phase. Serious crackers (I prefer 'crackers' to differentiate between good and evil programmers) are the ones who do serious harm and cause massive DoS attacks or pilfer sensitive documents that were not intended for public access, such as ****** card information, etc.
If those so-called hackers are so smart, why can't they use their expertise for something constructive and useful, for which they can receive positive recognition, rather than devious schemes like stealing passwords or account data or phishing, etc., in which case they have to remain hidden for obvious reasons.
Anyone can destroy something of quality in an instant, but not just anyone can create it. Same with computers.
The only time an IP is likely to be dangerous knowledge is when you do something illegal, like post kiddie porn to a web site or try to break into a secure system and leave a record of your IP in the logs of the site where the illegal activity took place. The legal people can then use it to help ***** you down in a manner similar to tracing caller-ID.
Aside from some egregious violation of the law, few would pay any attention to your IP or have any valid reason to.
Last edited by JayT; 05-10-2008 at 01:19 PM.
Oh to be free, so blissfully free, of the ravages of intelligence, there is no greater joy! - The Cweationist's Cweed
All that is necessary for evil to triumph is a good PR firm.
Very funny, Scotty. Now beam down my clothes!