Protect Your IP From Unnecessary Exposure
An IP (Internet Protocol) address is a unique identifier for a node or host connection on an IP network. In each and every Internet application, the IP address of the sender is an integral part of the TCP/IP standard protocol of the Internet and can be revealed by any party to the communication session using certain software and/or hardware.
Some of the communications on ICQ are conducted by Direct Connections (peer-to-peer), thus exposing IP addresses. As this increases vulnerability to various security and privacy risks such as hacking and nuking, ICQ has developed a privacy feature allowing you to reduce your IP address exposure.
Configure Your Peer to Peer Connection Settings
- Click
-> Security & Privacy Permissions.
- Select Peer to Peer Connection.
- Choose from the following settings:
- Select Allow Peer to Peer Connection with any user to allow peer to peer communications with the entire ICQ community. This will enable any user to view your IP address.
- Select Allow Peer to Peer Connection with users listed on your Contact List to allow peer to peer communication with users on your Contact List. This will enable them to view your IP address.
- Select Allow Peer to Peer Connection with any user upon your authorization to allow peer to peer communication. This will enable others to view your IP address upon your authorization.
In any of these settings, you will be able to establish Direct Connection after a specific communication with an ICQ user.
- Click the Apply button to save your settings, OK to save your changes and close the window, or Cancel to close the window without saving your changes.
Please note that the IP Privacy feature is provided to you as a convenience only and does not guarantee non-exposure of your IP address. ICQ is a non-secured application. You should therefore not assume that by using this feature others would not be able to see your IP address.
