An IP or Internet Protocol address is a unique numerical address assigned to a computer when it connects to the Internet. The IP address can be assigned to a specific individual with the help of Internet Service Provider (ISP) records. Virtually every World Wide Web (Web) site will track and log IP addresses as visitors click through pages on the site. Two main reasons for this are security and site improvement.
Visitors are tracked by a website even when they don’t register or log in.
Each website is hosted on a server. When a visitor clicks on a website, the user’s browser sends a request to the server for a local web page. The server returns the web page to the IP address of the request. The page is then loaded on the visitor’s computer screen.
Evaluating the popularity of web pages is a common reason for tracking IP addresses.
If the server is clogged with traffic (handling too many requests at once), pages may load more slowly for visitors. In case of overload of simultaneous requests, the server will “hang” or crash, leaving the site temporarily unavailable. This can be a form of attack, called a denial of service (DoS) attack. If the attack comes from a network of infected computers called a botnet, it is called a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack.
A malicious hacker can infiltrate a web server in an attempt to obtain information from protected databases that contain customer data, such as credit card numbers. So-called “script kiddies” may simply want to defame a website by uploading images or text to the website.
For these and other reasons, websites naturally track and log IP addresses, storing numerical addresses in server logs. Each IP address request is logged, along with a timestamp. Older data is routinely removed from the logs to make room for newer data. The length of time a site keeps IP logs is variable, set by the site administrator, and depends on many factors.
Sites also track and log IP addresses to learn which pages are the most popular. The website can be built on popular pages to increase website traffic. Tracking IP addresses on the website can also reveal traffic leaks. For example, a page providing information about a product may link to a remote site with additional information. If the server logs reveal that a lot of traffic is going to the other site, the administrator can improve the content or layout of the page to keep the traffic going longer.
Site policies generally refer to IP addresses as “anonymous” data. However, with the help of computer cookies, websites have many ways to link identities to IP addresses, even when the address is dynamic or changes with each web session. Many websites also contain “web bugs” or some pixels linked to an advertising company that can track and log web IP addresses from one website to another, surreptitiously collecting detailed browsing profiles of individuals over a period of months or years. .
A visitor does not need to register with a website to be tracked and traced. Generally, all visits to a website are time-stamped and recorded in a cookie, if cookies are enabled in the browser. All pages and links visited within the site are commonly added to the cookie (in addition to server logs). Although server logs are purged, cookies are typically preserved. Removing a cookie from a user’s computer does not remove the duplicate cookie from the web server. On a subsequent visit to the site, the server may “recognize” the Internet user from various system and software data that browsers routinely deliver; even when the browser is careful to allow only temporary cookies, or no cookies at all.
Due to these concerns, many savvy web surfers prefer to browse anonymously. In this case, the proxy server stands between the browser’s computer and the Web. All requests from the browser are sent to the proxy that transmits them to the Internet. Web servers return pages to the proxy’s IP address, logging its address instead. The proxy receives the page, forwards it to the browser and acts as an intermediary. Web servers have no record of the browser’s IP address (however, the proxy server will track and log IP addresses).
If you use a proxy service, it is important to know if it is truly anonymous. Some proxy servers forward the requester’s IP address in their headers, defeating the purpose. Only anonymous proxy servers hide this information. Some proxies claim to be anonymous, but they are not, so it is recommended to perform a personal verification through available proxy tools. The use of international proxies can also increase anonymity because the proxy logs will not be subject to the jurisdiction of the user’s country of origin. That said, proxy services are designed to help maintain freedom and privacy for legal activity, not to protect illegal activity.
The Firefox™ browser has a plugin called FoxyProxy that allows users to maintain a list of proxy servers and easily switch between them to prevent logs from piling up on a single proxy server. Proxy servers can also be linked, putting two or three proxies in a chain, however this slows down browsing. Also, if one of the proxies is down, requests are lost. In addition, there are various shareware programs for proxy browsing.
Anonymous web-based services allow visitors to browse the web through an interface on the site. Navigating from the site, the requested pages appear in a window. The only IP address disclosed to the Internet is the website address itself. But once again, the website itself will record and track the IP addresses of those who use its services.
Websites have many ways of linking identities to IP addresses.
