On Mon, 26 Aug 2013 01:01:29 +0100, The Natural Philosopher wrote:

came to my attention, since web security is a bit of an issue I have to
deal with.

This site wont hurt, but it will tell you, possibly rather too exactly
(it certainly knew which exchange I was on ADSL wise, and I'd still like
to know how) where you are located.

http://www.ip-tracker.org/locator/ip-lookup.php

I would be very interested to know how many people here find the same -
that it is more accurate than it has any right to be.

It certainly suggests thatif you are on a fixed IP your town at least is
known. I'd be interested to hear also from those on a dynamically
allocated IP address how accurate it is.

I did look up one 3 year old dynamically allocated IP address in an
email from someone local, and it reckoned they were in Dorset, which is
a long way away, but the mail was several years old.

So I'd like to know if it 'knows' where you are right now.

The implications are not pleasant. Especially in the context where I
discovered it being used. In essence any website that wants to know
where the person that said XYZ on their blog is located, to possibly
withina few miles, can do so.

And the site I chanced upon is one where the sort of people who run it,
would be quite capable of slinging a brick through your windows slashing
your tyres or worse.

Needless to say I got out very fast indeed.

Looks like a proxy server in a datacenter is the only way to go if you
want anonymity these days...

it showed a circle around london. slough is the nearest it got to me and that is still approx 15
miles out.

i have been to web pages that are far more accurate, some get it down to maidenhead which is 7 miles
away.


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mhm x v i x i i i