Dear bbb/Dave/Forum_Admin

A new forum member called Trubster is disclosing my IP address, ISP name and current IE version in his member signature at the bottom of each page he posts.

How did he get this information as only a forum member and not an adminstrator and what can be done to stop him from posting it?

Your IP address, local date/time, browser details, etc are sent to every single webpage you view, or email that has a graphic in it (hence why hotmail now doesn't display graphics unless you set it up to).

The member Trubster has just a graphic in his signature and your IP details are displayed only to you.  No other forum member can see your IP details unless a moderator/admin.

For example, I see my IP address on his signature and the fact that I'm using IE7.

In fact, more information than you realise is sent to every single webpage you visit.  Visit this page and scroll down and see what information can be collected by just simply visiting a webpage.

The signature graphic as shown by Trubster is from www.danasoft.com.

Why is my IP address and ISP being published for all to see on here bbb?



~Edited by bbb_uk:  This and subsequent posts have been merged with this thread from another thread which was off-topic.

Quote:

Why is my IP address and ISP being published for all to see on here bbb?

It's not. It's YOUR IP address and ISP and only you can see it.

I, in turn, see MY IP address and MY ISP......

(I guess you are referring to the smart little graphic at the bottom of every posting by 'trubster'?)

mikeinnc wrote on Oct 26^th, 2006 at 3:21am:

(I guess you are referring to the smart little graphic at the bottom of every posting by 'trubster'?)

Yes that's what I'm referring to the graphic in his signature area which states your own IP address your own ISP and the browser you are using if what you say is correct mike.  I thought it was just my details he was publishing.

Good to see you post in the forum by the way.  Like so many here you seem to have not posted as much of late.  Is this due to the perceived questionable commercial morality of the forum management viz the anti 0870 cause in your case?

Also Trubster is using bbb_uk's established Forum Avatar.

The details I see are not my own IP or ISP, as far as I'm aware.  So who's are they??
Where do I go in my computer to double check these details of IP, ISP?



~Edited by bbb_uk: Amended title to match OP title

firestop wrote on Oct 26^th, 2006 at 7:51am:

The details I see are not my own IP or ISP, as far as I'm aware.  So who's are they?? Where do I go in my computer to double check these details of IP, ISP?

It depends on the ISP.  Some ISP's use a webcache server so your IP may show as being a webcache server or it could actually be your IP address as provided by your ISP.

UPDATE:

Firestop - your IP address is shown as a cache webserver by your ISP.  Your particular ISP is known for doing this.

firestop wrote on Oct 26^th, 2006 at 7:51am:

The details I see are not my own IP or ISP, as far as I'm aware.  So who's are they?? Where do I go in my computer to double check these details of IP, ISP?

Do you also see:-


Quote:

"Your ISP is lixxus.net!  You are running on Windows XP and using IE7! ... What else?????

It also stated my IP address but I'm not going to republish those details here.  It will in fact state judt your own details if what is on DanaSoft's website is correct. See:-

http://www.danasoft.com/aboutdanasoft.php

Your IP address is probably given on your router's home page at http://192.168.0.1 if you have a Router?  Or try this Shields Up utility:-

https://www.grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2

I bet the IP address given for you at Shields Up is the same as the one showing in the sign on Trubster's posts?

NGMsGhost wrote on Oct 26^th, 2006 at 8:26am:

Your IP address is probably given on your router's home page at http://192.168.0.1 if you have a Router?  Or try this Shields Up utility:- https://www.grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2 I bet the IP address given for you at Shields Up is the same as the one showing in the sign on Trubster's posts?

Whether you are behind a router or not, your IP address as assigned by your ISP will show in Steve Gibson's Shields Up page.

some of the browser tests at http://gemal.dk/browserspy/ will show you what information your browser transmits to all webpages

In my case, the IP address test there shows 2, one for a proxy

Hi guys, I have just come across this post... I did not realise that my signature was causing so much annoyance on this web site... There is nothing illegal in this signature, and all it does is shows YOU YOUR ip address and ISP etc... these signatures are freely available at the website stated by a mod above (Dont want to spam)

No one else sees your IP address etc... this is only shown to you...

MODS::: If there is a problem with this signature, please let me know and I will remove it, but I thought a signature was all about using a custom signature (which is what I have)

Also, if I have caused offence to anyone, I am sorry but I would have been grateful if someone had contacted me about it first...

Cheers,

Kev

NGMsGhost wrote on Oct 26^th, 2006 at 7:47am:

Also Trubster is using bbb_uk's established Forum Avatar.

Sorry, I did not mean to offend anyone by this... I like the simpsons and I think bart is cool.... its ok, I will use homer... lol

trubster wrote on Oct 29^th, 2006 at 7:12pm:

Hi guys, I have just come across this post... I did not realise that my signature was causing so much annoyance on this web site... There is nothing illegal in this signature, and all it does is shows YOU YOUR ip address and ISP etc... these signatures are freely available at the website stated by a mod above (Dont want to spam) No one else sees your IP address etc... this is only shown to you...

Trubster,

I now understand what you say is true but the first time you see one of these posts in a forum its not obvious that the details displayed aren't able to also be read by everyone reading the thread (as of course any normal data in  a post would be readable by everyone).  Thus without an explanation that only you the current reader can see your own IP address and ISP and IE version it does initially look like a spy in the cab.

Lastly you say your name is Kev which is a strange coincidence as one of our forum moderators who you have chosen to pick the same forum avatar as (Bart Simpson) is also called Kev.  It would really be better if you picked a different avatar if you are going to post on here on a frequent basis although if not it probably doesn't matter if you are posting only occasionally.  Its just that normally speaking when I see Bart appear I immediately think - aha its bbb_uk/kev.

trubster wrote on Oct 29^th, 2006 at 7:12pm:

MODS::: If there is a problem with this signature, please let me know and I will remove it, but I thought a signature was all about using a custom signature (which is what I have)

I see no problem with this although for those that aren't aware that its only displaying their own IP address may think that everyone can see it (as pointed out by NGMsGhost).



trubster wrote on Oct 29^th, 2006 at 7:26pm:

Sorry, I did not mean to offend anyone by this... I like the simpsons and I think bart is cool.... its ok, I will use homer... lol

Every forum member is free to choose whichever avator they want - whether someone has already taken it or not.  I have no problems with anyone using Bart Simpson at all as I don't have a copyright/patent on it (be cool if I did as I'd be a millionaire  ;D)

NGMsGhost wrote on Oct 29^th, 2006 at 7:26pm:

trubster wrote on Oct 29th, 2006 at 7:12pm: Hi guys, I have just come across this post... I did not realise that my signature was causing so much annoyance on this web site... There is nothing illegal in this signature, and all it does is shows YOU YOUR ip address and ISP etc... these signatures are freely available at the website stated by a mod above (Dont want to spam) No one else sees your IP address etc... this is only shown to you... Trubster, I now understand what you say is true but the first time you see one of these posts in a forum its not obvious that the details displayed aren't able to also be read by everyone reading the thread (as of course any normal data in  a post would be readable by everyone).  Thus without an explanation that only you the current reader can see your own IP address and ISP and IE version it does initially look like a spy in the cab. Lastly you say your name is Kev which is a strange coincidence as one of our forum moderators who you have chosen to pick the same forum avatar as (Bart Simpson) is also called Kev.  It would really be better if you picked a different avatar if you are going to post on here on a frequent basis although if not it probably doesn't matter if you are posting only occasionally.  Its just that normally speaking when I see Bart appear I immediately think - aha its bbb_uk/kev.

All done and changed... sorry for misunderstanding...

Kev

andy9 wrote on Oct 26^th, 2006 at 8:40am:

some of the browser tests at http://gemal.dk/browserspy/ will show you what information your browser transmits to all webpages In my case, the IP address test there shows 2, one for a proxy

That's interesting as I didn't know by visiting a webpage they could tell how you connected to the internet.  This shows that my connection type is: LAN.  Could someone who connects via wireless check to see what is displayed under 'Connection Type'?

bbb_uk wrote on Oct 30^th, 2006 at 12:34pm:

andy9 wrote on Oct 26th, 2006 at 8:40am: some of the browser tests at http://gemal.dk/browserspy/ will show you what information your browser transmits to all webpages In my case, the IP address test there shows 2, one for a proxy That's interesting as I didn't know by visiting a webpage they could tell how you connected to the internet.  This shows that my connection type is: LAN.  Could someone who connects via wireless check to see what is displayed under 'Connection Type'?

Hard to believe... it really is big brother is watching... is there any 'Privacy software' where you can with-hold this information???

Cheers

Kev

It isn't big brother watching. Any website you visit needs information about what browser you are using in order to chose what information to send back to you, whether you have Javascript or ActiveX plug-ins, what your IP address is, and so on. Maybe it doesn't need to know what type of connection you have at your end, but this is hardly an invasion of privacy.

If all of the various protocols that make up the internet were barred you wouldn't be able to use it. Emails and secure websites that use your personal details are encrypted by a double-key system that means other people cannot get your information as it passes them.

trubster wrote on Nov 1^st, 2006 at 1:19am:

Hard to believe... it really is big brother is watching... is there any 'Privacy software' where you can with-hold this information???

I believe there is software that can stop some information from being sent to a website you visit but an IP address is always needed as the website you're visiting needs to know where to send the information back to.

None of the information available/sent to a website is actually personally identifiable information on its own as even an IP address can't be used to personally identify you as only your ISP can identify you from your IP address.

Update:

Sorry Andy, double post.