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 The IP, or Internet Protocol Address, of every computer is unique and is used to identify and locate computers on a network. IP addresses can be used in this way on both private networks like LANs, as well as public networks like the Internet. As an interesting exercise, try typing “IP address” in a Google search and be amazed that you can see your actual latitude and longitude, as well as your Internet Service Provider (ISP)! IP addresses are actually stored in binary code, but are most often shown in regular numerals for ease of use. There are a few reasons that you might want to hide your IP address; hackers can use your IP address to request your personal information from your Internet service provider, they can track your Internet use, seeking vulnerabilities in your habits and behaviors that can be used against you in the future.

To prevent anyone from tracking your Internet use and collecting your sensitive passwords, contact information and credit details you can hide your IP address while you are online. There is software available, both by download and to buy, that guarantees to hide and remove all traces of your Internet activity and the history of all your browsing habits. Privacy software can also protect you in a variety of other ways including any passwords or credit card information that you have entered online, communications that you have engaged in by instant messaging and other peer to peer logs, the contents of your media player downloads, and recently launched software and email applications.

Records of websites that you visit are stored on your computer and might put your privacy at greater risk. For personal or professional reasons, it might be in your interest to clear your browsing history, and it is easy to do so. Beyond securing your privacy from anyone who might be able to access your computer in person, erasing your Internet history also protects you from the threat of hackers gaining access to the passwords or account information that you have entered online.

If you use Internet Explorer as your web browser, first select the Tools Menu and then Internet Options. In the Internet Options menu, choose Clear History and then Yes to confirm.

If you use Firefox, start in your Tools Menu and select Clear Private Data. This menu will give you the option to erase your browsing history, click on all the boxes to delete everything. Next, select Clear Private Data Now to confirm and execute the command.

 As you have likely already considered, there are a number of reasons why someone might want to gain access to your computer system including stealing your credit information or identifying information like birth date and Social Security Number or viewing your web browsing history and behaviors. As well, it is possible to use victim computers as routers for illegal or unsolicited material such as spyware, adware, spam, and viruses.

A hacker is widely known as someone with superior computer programming skills. Hacking can be done for good or for evil. White hat hackers are the good guys, and generally put their skills towards strengthening security software and vulnerabilities in operating systems; black hat hackers are those who have gone over to the dark side and use their powers to their own advantage.

There are a number of ways that a hacker or Internet vandal can gain access to your computer, most often by taking advantage of a weakness in the system’s security. To find a vulnerable system, hackers use a remote device to contact either one target computer repeatedly, or a large number of computers at random, to find a connection from their modem to the modem of the target. Computers that are run with constant connections like high speed DSL are scanned by IP address until a vulnerability and connection can be found. The use of a router acts as a firewall, skewing the IP address, and reduces risk of connection.

Somewhat ironically, the scanning devices and modem searches that hackers use to find and infiltrate vulnerable systems are available online for download. Other similar programs that hackers use to access sensitive information can even read information as it is being sent between systems, from one computer to another. While hackers are rarely sensitive to the people whose computers they raid, they are generous with each other and post the IP addresses of computers that are either vulnerable to attack or have been ‘backdoored’ by a trojan and are open for hacking. Once a trojan is opened on a computer, usually by an email attachment or other download that the user unknowingly accepts, the malicious code establishes a ‘backdoor’ through which the hacker, or potentially hackers, can get into the system, all without the users knowledge.

Depending on the operating system, hackers then seek out known weaknesses. Some weaknesses are insecure systems that do not require passwords to access system preferences and administrative controls, or security software without the latest updates and patches that will not detect or identify a new worm or virus. Once in the system, the hackers can create administrative accounts and use the computer by remote access without detection.

Another type of hack intends to take control of as many computers as possible and use them collectively to launch a destructive attack, like a virus, through the Internet. By connecting to enough computers, the hacker can issue a virus through them simultaneously with one command. Ensuring that you keep both your operating system and your security program up to date with the latest updates and patches reduces your risk of being a target of hackers.