Surf anonymously

Sample Help Sender Receiver Subject Message   Password

Surf anonymously

Are you anonymous online?

There is a pretty well-known saying: "On the Internet, nobody knows you're a dog". Well, this is not true. Quite a lot of information about you is available to web servers you visit, and the records they keep may reveal a lot.

Check out this site to get an idea of how much can be found out about you:
http://privacy.net (a new window will pop up)

Chances are, Privacy.net could tell you your IP address and a lot more - if you have JavaScript enabled, it may also list your time, screen resolution, browser version and a number of other interesting things.

Note that this test is not very sophisticated, and a dedicated "snooper" can often learn much more. You can even come across a server that may try to connect to your computer's hard disk (by the way, given certain conditions and ActiveX enabled, accessing files on your hard disk from the Internet may not be hard).

Why would I want to stay anonymous?

There are situations in which you may want to visit a site without letting anyone know who you are and where you come from. You should also remember about things like cookies, user tracking, and browser security holes. Trying to hide at least some of your information often seems like a good idea.

Anonymization is important if you are using a dialup connection, and it is essential if you are connected via DSL, cable modem, or T1 line (like at Denison), because in that case your IP address is fixed and you are easily matched to your computer.

Why hide your IP address?

You can be identified by your IP address and easily tracked back.
If someone has your IP address they can attack your machine in various ways.