Set Square wrote:
In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
John Rumm wrote:
As a matter of interest, just how easy/difficult is it to establish
the true identity of a poster. For example, where would I find the
detailed headers for *this* message? Are they likely to show any or
all of:
Message-ID:

^ That's you

References:

s.com

ps.com

^ The References are the message IDs above yours in the thread to which
you are replying, not you. Someone else was using Tiscali.

X-Trace: individual.net
faBkxWQldmr+t9Go3KahgQKmGv3NRps8C5TABKFQyTWTMEwJ vF

^ That's you too.

Interesting! So it's not *too* easy for Joe Public to establish a poster's
real identity without getting information from one's ISP - which they
*hopefully* wouldn't disclose without good reason.

It's quite difficult to get a "real" identity, but quite easy to get
someone's online identity, from which one may deduce facts about their
real identity. For example, if you (in another newsgroup) had posted
something about where you worked, that could be picked up.

However, you can almost always be tracked back through ISPs to the
network logon-ID you are using, or to the phone line if you're using an
0845 no-registration-required ISP.

FWIW, my ISP is *not* Tiscali - despite what the headers may lead you to
believe.

I think John Rumm slipped a line when he was reading, between
Message-ID, Path and References.

Owain

Set Square wrote:

Interesting! So it's not *too* easy for Joe Public to establish a poster's
real identity without getting information from one's ISP - which they
*hopefully* wouldn't disclose without good reason.

In reality most ISPs roll over with very little provocation alas - some
however have been know to put up a fight. (recent examples of the RIAA
trying to identify people they think are violating copyright spring to mind)

FWIW, my ISP is *not* Tiscali - despite what the headers may lead you to
believe.

Yup, sorry, just glanced at the refered articles which threaded to the
OPs message that was posted from Tiscali - but you aren't the OP! You
posted via indivadual.net, who would no doubt be able to relate your
real identity to that of the post.

--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

On Sun, 12 Jun 2005 11:39:11 +0100, "Set Square"
wrote:

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
wrote:


Your posts are in the public domain, on google no less, along with
headers, detailed descriptions of the problem, history, and stated and
explained intention to commit a crime. Your neighbours also know about
it now, and may or may not talk to the next inhabitant.

You must be dumb as well as dishonest.


NT

As a matter of interest, just how easy/difficult is it to establish the true
identity of a poster. For example, where would I find the detailed headers
for *this* message? Are they likely to show any or all of:
* my News.Individual.net account ID
* the IP address from which I posted it
* my ISP
* my logon account name
* etc.?

You are not anonymous, its just a matter of how hard somebody has to
try to find you, and if its worth the effort.

Finding your ISP is easy, getting from there to you is harder.

In the good old days, there were free servers that hid you behind
them, but again once you have access to the server the cloak has gone.

The easisest way to make life easier when trying to find you is to
send you a virus, or spyware, which sits there and reports back
everything you do.

There are levels of everyting, your firewalls, spam filters, virus
scanners will keep out the script kiddes, but not the talanted
attacker determined to find you.

Rick