ICQ
Submitted by [Drifter] on April 16 2001 12:58:28
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I just want to clear up a couple of things that people aroung here seem to be unaware of about icq security. ICQ is one of the most successful peer to peer technologies in history. Being peer to peer means it communicates directly with other user's pc's. In order to send and recieve communications from one pc to another (without going through a server), you must give out your ip address. There is no way around this, the other person must have your ip address if they are to establish any type of icq connection with you. ICQ used to give out your ip address freely (knowing that anyone who examines the packets being sent by their machine has access to it anyway). However, their new policy is to hide your ip address from users by simply not giving you the option to look at it on the gui. The problem with this approach is obvious, your ip address is still available on icq and always will be, just that their client wont display it anymore. The problem arises when people use other clients (or external programs that add on to the capabilities of the base client). The mirabilis ICQ isnt the only client, there are many clones, some of which dont try to hide the ip address, and some of which will allow you to add people to your contact list without requiring their authorization and without even letting them know they have been added. Ultimately, ICQ has become more than a program, ICQ is a protocol. Any program that can speak in the icq protocol can communicate with the icq servers and log you on to icq with your account, as such, you shouldnt trust that everyone has the same limitations as you, because in reality they dont. (personally, I run licq or gnomeicu on linux, both of which will readily give me the user's ip address and the port icq is listening on, as well as allow me to add a user to my contact list with or without their authorization and without warning them they have been added to someone's list). So to sum it up....there is no security on ICQ as far as your ip address goes. However, the fact also is that your ip address is sent with every packet your pc sends, which means every web site, ftp site, irc server, instant messenger, email system, etc.. you ever use already has access to your ip address (unless you use a proxy). The question you need to ask yourself when using icq is, how important is my ip address? If you are so paranoid that no one must know what area of the world you live in, then your ip address is very important. If you are involved in some serious illegal activity and run the risk of having your isp subpoena'd for your info, then your ip address is very important. If however, you are not doing anything illegal and dont care if people know the general area you live in (state and maybe city at most) then you have nothing to worry about. Now that I have cleared up some of the misconceptions. Id like to invite those of you who still use icq to add me to your contact list. I know Im not a regular around here, but that is because I have always thought that message boards are slow and antiquated in this age of real time chat. I am, however a christian and a bl and would love to have a few similar people to talk to in real time. As it stands now, I have christian friends and I have bl friends, but I dont have any christian bl friends. I dont want to post my icq # here but Im not paranoid either, so if you dont mind having another christian bl on your contact list just drop me a note by email, and Ill send you my icq #. |
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