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What Web Sites Get from Your Computer April 2007
Most people surf the Web for both entertainment and information. But did you know that each site you visit also gets information from you? Each link that you click on the Internet is a request for a file. Usually, that file is a Web page. As part of each request, your Web browser shares information about itself and your computer. Below are some of the major parts of the story your computer silently tells online. IP address One bit of information every Web site gets from you is your IP address. IP addresses allow computers to locate each other on the Internet or other networks. You may have seen them without knowing it. A common IP address in home networks is 192.168.1.1. Your IP address doesn't give away your identity. However, it can be used to determine which ISP (Internet service provider) you're using. The ISP is a clue to which region or city you're in. That's a bit too specific for some folks. Tools such as Tor, JAP and Privoxy can help hide your true IP address. They put other computers between Web sites and your PC. Their IP addresses are exposed to Web sites rather than yours. These tools do not make you completely anonymous. After all, Web servers still must deliver information to your computer. Privacy tools only make the communication path difficult to follow. They won't help you evade law enforcement if you're up to no good. Cookies Web sites also have access to cookies. These are text files that allow sites to save information between visits. The typical cookie contains a single number. Web sites can't identify you, so they just give you a number. That allows sites to see the path of the average visitor. Cookies are handled by your Web browser and saved with its files. You can view or delete them if you wish. To see cookies in Internet Explorer, click Tools>>Internet Options. Under "Browsing history," click the Settings button. Then click "View files." You'll see the cookies among other bits of information the browser saves. In Firefox, click Tools>>Options. Select Privacy. Then click the Show Cookies button. Generally, cookies can only be read by the sites that create them. That is, most browsers don't allow a site to read another site's cookies. Some marketers work around this rule with third-party cookies that track your Web surfing. Network ports With your IP address, malicious sites might scan your computer for open ports. Ports are numbered paths of communication to or from your computer. Most ports are reserved for specific programs by convention. For example, Web browsers typically use port 80. Open ports can indicate particular programs you're using on the Internet. For example, an open port 5190 indicates AOL Instant Messenger. It also invites attacks through potential security holes in the program. A good firewall makes your computer invisible to port scans. Firewalls also can close ports you don't need. Browser and Windows security holes Web sites may also determine the Web browser and Windows versions you're using. This information can help site owners improve their pages. Malicious sites can use the information to customize their attacks. If you are interest in seeing what information is shared about your computer when you surf the Internet visit http://analyze.privacy.net. Your best defense against these attacks is an updated computer. Updates often fix the security holes upon which hackers rely. To catch any threats that get through, run antivirus software and several anti-spyware programs.
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