Why Changing Your IP Address is Not Enough
Why do people change IP? How does changing your IP address help maintain your anonymity, safety and security over the internet? If you think that an IP change does it all think again. Before your personal information ends up in the wrong hands, make sure that you have enough protection.
Let us start by knowing something about IP addresses. Your IP address is the identification of the server (computer) that you use when you connect to the internet. This address contains information that identifies you as the user. Any information that you give during your surfing activities are associated to your IP address. This means that your IP address can be used by unscrupulous people against you.
This is why the use of an anonymous proxy to change your IP address is advised. By using a proxy server, your identity is hidden. Instead of your IP address appearing on the website that you access, it is the proxy server’s address that appears. Even if you have a so called electronic trail, websites cannot use it to lead back to you. Instead, they will just end up to the proxy server’s identity.
However, there are situations when changing your IP address is not enough. Aside from the basic features of anonymous surfing, you must also look for added security such as data encryption. Encryption adds a higher level of protection.
When data is encrypted plain text is converted into non-readable form. Encrypted data cannot be intercepted by criminals. Even if they do intercept it, they cannot get any useful information. Thus, it is advantageous to choose proxy servers that not only changes IP addresses, but also encrypts data. For encrypted data to become readable, the receiver must use a key to decrypt the message. It can only be read if it returns to its original text form.
Furthermore, there are levels of data encryption that you can choose from. For example you can use 64-bit or 128-bit encryption. Between the two, the 128-bit encryption is the stronger of the two. The 64-bit has the danger of being broken thus exposing all data contained in the text.
Some confidential information that needs to be encrypted is your user names, passwords and credit card information. Without encryption, you could become a victim to any unscrupulous person who intercepts your data.
So make sure to IP change to protect your identity, but be careful when choosing an IP changer. Get one that assures you not only of guaranteed anonymity, but also one that uses 128-bit encryption. With this your personal information remains your own ‘property’, and cannot be used against you.
