Is there a simple way to get any useful information out of an IP address?
Someone tried to get into one of my online accounts on another site and their IP was logged. I’m just not sure what to do with it now.
Any advice?
thanks.
You can use Network Solutions (for North America), RIPE (for Europe) or various other whois sites to find out who owns a particular IP address. That might tell you which ISP the person uses.
You can search the Whois database here. It will give you the ISP. From that point, you’ll need to contact the ISP and find a way to look at their logs. It may require police intervention and/or a court order.
Sometimes this will refer you to another whois database (e.g. RIPE), but at least it gives you a lead.
Not may; will. No ISP will release such information without a warrant or court order and risk a lawsuit.
Even if you can trace the IP address, it probably wouldn’t do you any good. If someone is trying to hack your account, then probably, the address would just turn out to be a proxy server.
Unless, of course, you are associated with the White House. In that case, it does not appear to matter.
I can’t find anywhere in that link a discussion of releasing IP addresses without a court order. Can you point it out for me?
However, some ISPs will continue the investigation and take action on their own. This is especially true if the Internet access came through some organization, such as a university or place of business: Such organizations might not want their employees or students engaged in such activities.
This is also unfortunately true. Worse, the proxy server might not even be one that someone intentionally set up as a proxy server, but a zombie machine the attacker had previously broken into (without the knowledge or consent of the owner).
But, But, … They can do in seconds on CSI Miami and they can do DNA in minutes also. You guy MUST be wrong about this… :smack:
I usually use DNS Stuff website. A lot of good tools in one place.
Unless it happens to be someone you know, I doubt if investigation will lead to much action, if any. Just chalk it up to the anonymous worldwide nature of the Internet and maybe change your password(s) if you’re extra-paranoid.