Internet Protocol, commonly known as the IP address, is basically the identification of your device while connecting to the internet. All the traffic your device sends and receives is possible through the help of the IP Addresses, which are unique for each device. Although it is mostly harmless for someone to know your IP address, some people can try to take advantage of it by using various IP grabbing tools.
How Are IP Addresses Grabbed?
There are many free tools available on the web to grab IP addresses. Most of these tools use links, which can seem like shortened URLs, to extract IPs. When the receiver clicks on the link, the sender will be able to see the IP address of the receiver.
How to Protect Yourself from IP Grabbing?
An IP address alone does not pose too much of a risk since it cannot be used to reveal your identity or hack into your computer. That being said, it is possible to use an IP address to block users’ ability to reach certain websites, online games, and forums. So, it is a good practice to keep your IP address hidden from third parties. We listed some of the things you can to protect your IP address:
- Keeping privacy settings at “private” in apps,
- Using dynamic IP address instead of static IPs,
- Keeping your firewall and router updated, changing the default password of your router, and adjusting firewall settings to block ping requests,
- Clicking links only from trusted sources,
- Using Virtual Private Network, or VPN.
IP Grabbing in Short
IP grabbing, which can also be called as IP tracking, is the act of extracting IP address using third-party tools. While an IP address alone does not put the user at high risk and does not contain significant personal information, it is still important to protect it against third parties.
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