[smaulpaul]

sorry if this is in the wrong forum.

Is it true that people can steal your IP address and use it for their internet connection without you knowing?

I have heard that from my IP address that forums have been registered with in my name and that the language is terrible and threatening.

Can this be possible? Or is it a coincedance that the IP address is the same?

What a strange one this is

[O111111O]

Yes and No.

No; It's not easily possible to "steal" your IP. Your IP belongs to an aggregate that belongs to your carrier, or your carrier's carrier, and ultimately the registrar for your part of earth. Network carriers peer with allowed prefix-lists, which makes it very very very difficult to "steal" an IP. Now, stealing an entire network, AS, or continent that isn't exactly "in use" yet is a little different.

Yes; If your system compromised by something such as trojan, one could use your system as a proxy or TOR node to commit all kinds of fraud. Or, if you have an insecure wireless access-point, a malaced person could sit outside in the street "borrowing" your network access to commit fraud, therefore making it appear that your source network did it.

The former is nothing to worry about. The latter is a reason AV/IDS/Firewalls/good reasoning are needed.

[JohnWill]

Actually, the best defense against wireless intrusion is still WPA/WPA2 encryption on the link with a long and random key.

[gurutech]

JohnWill - I also use MAC Address filtering. That way even if someone figures out my key, they can't get on my wireless network. :-)

[TerryNet]

gurutech, by "someone figures out my key" do you mean "guess it" or do you mean to "break the encryption"? I understand your point if you mean the former, but surely you agree that anybody with the tools and knowledge to break WPA, WPA2, or even WEP, has the tools and knowledge to detect an allowed MAC address, knock that PC off, and spoof the address.

[JohnWill]

MAC filtering is pretty easy to spoof, as you've already been told. He doesn't really even have to knock you off, unless you stay connected to your wireless 24hr/day, which isn't likely. Once he's figured out your MAC address, he just has to connect when you're not there.

I guess it's time for my Six Dumbest Ways To Secure Your Wireless LAN link again. Take note of the #1 item on the list.

[gurutech]

Hmmm... I guess we learn something new every day... Never thought of MAC cloning as a possibility.

And as far as "figuring out" my WAP key, it could really go either way. Whether they cracked it or guessed it, either way they would be able to connect.

[TerryNet]

A WAP [sic] key should keep 'em confused!