An IP address is a sensitive set of digits that you wouldn’t want to expose to anyone on the internet. Each system has its own unique IP address, along with a MAC address that makes it distinguishable on a network and helps transmit and to receive data packets from routers and other devices.
Let me simplify all of it for you. Just like you have your SSN, your computer has an IP address; if any of it is exposed, your personal information is at stake. So the best you can do about this is to keep it secure. You can hide your SSN in your locker, but what can you do to hide your IP?
Well, what most cyber security geeks suggest is to use a VPN, which is the best possible solution for individual users like you and me, and if you are a business owner, no worries, VPN companies do provide you with a solution to set up VPNs in your business infrastructure.
Coming back to our topic, you are here to find out what someone can do if they have your IP address; we had a word with several techies around the globe and interviewed them for the same, and our conclusion is penned down below an easy peasy and non-techy language.
Contents
Things A Hacker Can Do With Your IP Address
1. Find out your location
Yes, you read that right; the hacker can find out your location and send you a thin-crust pizza. Just kidding, the hacker’s not going to send you a pizza but can use your location for various purposes, such as stalking.
But the good thing about this is IP never reveals your exact coordinates, so even if the hacker wants to stalk you, he will have to find out a lot more information about you. However, there are several other ways to find out the exact location of the user with its IP address or even attack you using phishing methods.
2. Track your online activities
An IP address can allow hackers and even tech giants like Facebook, Google, and Microsoft to track your online activities. However, a hacker can launch a DDoS attack, which can seize your network and also leak your sensitive information. This is why it is important to mask your IP address whenever you are surfing the internet or playing online games.
3. Trick you into opening spam & phishing emails
You must have received several spam emails in your mailbox and wondered why you are even receiving them. It is because a hacker has access to your IP address and email address, which he is using to target personalized phishing emails.
For example, a hacker who has your IP address and email knows you are living in California, and the government of California has announced a relief package for those who lost their jobs in . In that case, the hacker who has IP and emails of people living in California will send a customized email with the subject: You are selected for California Relief fund…Click to open. If you open the mail and click on any of the links that are embedded in it, you are most likely to fall into the trap and let hackers do a lot more with your IP address. You may even end up installing a virus in your system.
4. DDoS attacks
Furthermore, hackers may use your IP address as a point of entry for a DOS or disseminated DOS assault (DDoS). Here, the hackers are using a swarm of controlled computers to flood your smartphone with information. The gadget then turns off and disconnects from the network.
These distributed denials of service (DDoS) assaults are carried out by hackers for the sole purpose of making quick cash. Therefore, they often set them up for regular users. They instead target well-known brands and media outlets. They launch attacks against a company’s service in an effort to bring it to its knees and then demand a huge ransom in exchange for stopping the attack.
So this is a part of “what hacker can do with your IP address” because there’s a lot more that can be done.
Concluding this
So what can be done to safeguard yourself from such attacks? The simple answer is to use a VPN. It can help you to mask your IP address and prevent hackers from finding out your actual Ip and carrying out attacks.
