What Should I Do If My IP Address Is Exposed
Think of this as your address on the internet — a location where you receive mail and other data such as webpages, images, and mesages. Your IP address is made up of a string of four groups of numbers, such as 192.172.33.1, which identifies both the network you are on and the device you are using. With these two pieces of information networks and websites can both route data to you and check that you have permission to access it.
Avast says my IP Address is Visible and How To Fix It
The first thing to know is that you’re not alone in experiencing this issue from Avast. There has been a wealth of people online that have had the same experience and have been able to fix it.
And that’s exactly what we’re going to help you solve in this short guide.
What’s Causing “IP Address is Visible” Message?
To begin, it doesn’t actually matter whether you use Avast Sercureline VPN specifically, you might actually be using a different VPN provider (like NordVPN for example) and still receive this message.
Why? Because you will in fact have an Avast product installed on your device or computer. Avast have a range of products which aim to help keep you safe and secure online, however some of their messaging at times can be confusing at best.
There’s also 2 different instances that you might be receiving this message so let’s address them individually.
1. Avast Free Products Carry IP Address Visible Adverts
Yes, you read that correctly. The first thing you should check is whether this is actually an advert.
When using free versions of Avast apps and software (typically this happens with Avast Internet Security product), the way they monetize these customers is by showing them adverts. These adverts also aim to trigger you to buy their paid-for versions of the product. Unfortunately it mainly only triggers anxiety in the user as they worry that they have a security breach.
In short what happens is, if you have a 3rd party (non Avast) VPN installed and also have a different Avast product (like Avast Internet Security) installed, then Avast are able to detect this and they show you an advert to try to make you switch to their Secureline VPN.
Thankfully, there is a solution for this. The following steps will walk you through it:
- Install Avast Secureline VPN (in addition to your other VPN provider)
- Don’t enable Avast Secureline VPN
- The advertising banner messages should now stop – Avast will detect that you have downloaded their VPN (even though you haven’t activated or used it)
Unfortunately this is the way some internet companies and products work. There’s a little bit of selling fear combined with marketing opportunism. In my opinion it leaves a sour taste.
Regardless, I hope this has solved you ‘IP address is visible’ message.
If this solution doesn’t work or isn’t relevant to your situation then keep reading.
2. A Second Way to Disable Ads on Avast Products (if you’ve paid a subscription)
If you do have paid versions of Avast products and you’re still seeing the adverts, that’s because you haven’t turned them off.
Avast clearly don’t want to do this for you as they are too busy trying to upsell you their other products and want to keep showing you adverts if they can.
That said, there is the option to turn them off if you have paid a subscription for that specific Avast product. Here’s how:
- Go to Avast GUI
- Click Settings
- Click Personal Privacy
- Turn Off Adverts
A frustrating thing to happen but an easy fix all the same.
If this still hasn’t solved your question, keep on reading.
3. Your IP is Public (Regardless of Avast) and VPN Providers Use it to Alert You
Ultimately this is a marketing ploy that many VPN providers use. They suggest that your internet traffic is not protected or that your IP address is visible.
Which in both cases is true unless you are connected to a VPN.
As advocates of secure browsing at VPN Reactor, we very much recommend browsing with a VPN at all times to protect your internet security and increase your safety online.
To use it as a marketing tool doesn’t sit well with me as many web browsers aren’t tech savvy and will think that they’ve had a security breach.
So I can see both sides of the argument.
Ultimately if you haven’t been able to remove the Avast “my IP address is visible” message/banner then you have two options:
Remove any Avast products you have on your computer (this doesn’t change anything, your IP address is always visible unless you’re connected to a VPN). It just means that Avast won’t be flashing it in your face the all the time.
Or, connect and use a VPN. It doesn’t have to be Avast, but you might also feel comfortable using their Secureline VPN product. This will give you better internet security and safety while browsing.
That brings us to the conclusion of another guide on, this time how to fix the Avast “avast says my IP address is visible” message. I hope you’ve been able to solve the issue and maybe learn a little about how and why you’re seeing it.
NordVPN scored 9.5/10 in our rating and is currently ranked the best VPN
What Should I Do If My IP Address Is Exposed?
This article guides you on what you should do to protect yourself if you think your system or device has been hacked. The focus of this article is on limiting the harm and containing the security incident.
IP address is used by servers to send and receive data to and from your device. Nowadays, whether it is a financial institution or an informational website, each website with an online presence on the Internet needs a safe environment to exist—What may your IP address be used for, and how can you protect yourself from data breaches. Because this is a very prevalent question in the digital world, you will discover all pertinent information about IP addresses, potential assaults, and preventive strategies.
What is an IP address?
Consider your IP address to be your address. It is a mechanism for other devices to recognize your device the same way that a home address would. The Internet is similar to a vast highway system where items (data) are continually delivered from one location to another. Your IP address is used by servers to send and receive data to and from your device. YouTube wouldn’t know where to send the lovely kitten video you just saw if it didn’t have it.
Your network hardware’s IP (Internal Protocol) address is required to connect your computing equipment to other devices on your network or the Internet. It will never be the same as any different IP address on the Internet, and it will be made up of numbers and letters.
406.342.12.423 is an example of an IP address. An IP address not only identifies your devices but also discloses other details about you, such as your location −
- Your country’s name
- Your town’s name
- Who is your Internet Service Provider? (Internet Service Provider)
- What is the ZIP code of your home?
What Is the Best Way for Someone to Find Your IP Address?
Following are the ways in which one can discover your IP address −
- Through Torrent files – It is reasonably easy for many seeders and lechers to locate your IP address if you’ve torrent files. They’ll look at the list of peers, and all information about the torrent client’s version and IP addresses will be shown.
- Through IP Address – If you send someone an email, he may look up your IP address in the message’s header. It is worth noting that not all email providers show your IP addresses. Gmail, for example, displays the mail server’s address, but Yahoo and Microsoft Outlook include extra information in the email header, such as IP addresses.
- Through Website’s IP Address – Furthermore, if you have a website that you host on your computer (webserver) at home, people can use their OS systems’ CMDs (Command Prompt) to ping the website’s domain. The website’s IP address will be returned via the command prompt. They may also do the same thing using an Internet IP lookup tool. As a result, it is one of the reasons why individuals prefer to put their websites on a data center server for peace of mind.
- Web Server Log Files – Checking the web server log files of the website you visit will reveal your IP address. Remember that any website may access and retain your IP address, but only the website’s administrators or owners can do so. People may use various services to track who reads their messages and embed code in transparent photos. The service will alert you and offer the location (IP Address) information after engaging with the email message.
- Through Wi-Fi Password – If you reveal your Wi-Fi password, anyone who connects to your network may quickly view your IP address by searching “What is my IP address” on Google. Because administrators of gaming servers, forums, and blog websites can see your actual IP address, they may quickly block you.
- Though Online Advertisement – If you engage with any online ad (mainly on social media sites), the marketers will be able to see your IP address.
- Through Various Links – People may also build a link to any website and email it to you using programs like Grabify. You will access the legitimate website if you click on that link, but it will also allow the person who supplied it to monitor your information, including your IP address.
What Can Your IP Address Be Used for?
Under the DNS leak warning flag, the CyberGhost VPN logo appears sinister.
To be quite clear − Your IP address does not reveal your name, phone number, or home address right away. It reflects your geographical location and identifies your ISP (Internet Service Provider).
CyberGhost VPN encrypts your traffic and changes your IP address to protect you from hackers. However, if someone with the correct tools and skills obtains your IP address, they may still do a lot of damage. They can do the following −
Keep Tabs on Your Online Activities
Your ISP, government, browser, social media, websites you visit, and any other online tools and adverts are all continually monitoring what you do online. As a method of identifying you, many people connect this data to your IP address. This information is kept on servers worldwide, leaving a digital trail of your Internet activities.
Nobody can directly obtain information about your online activity by knowing your IP address, but they can watch you through lawful routes. Hacking into firms’ systems that have previously saved your data allows cybercriminals to take your information. Every day, businesses get hacked therefore the possibility of this happening is never zero.
Find Out Your Identity and Location
Your IP address cannot reveal your identity to a hacker. It may be used to find out who you are and where you reside. Because your IP address is tied to your Internet service provider, thieves might employ scams or network assaults to get your personal information.
An unscrupulous individual may potentially transmit your IP address together with a bogus threat to the authorities, which is how Swatting came to be. That’s what happens when someone takes your IP address and sends a false threat to the rules, resulting in a SWAT squad showing up at your door.
Malware Infects Your Device
By knowing your IP address and testing it with multiple ports, a competent hacker can access your device. They would have to use brute-force approaches to go through a lot of ports, however, it is doable. When you’re connected to public Wi-Fi networks, it is significantly more accessible for a cybercriminal to gain access to your device.
Without your knowledge, cybercriminals can use these tactics to install malware on your devices, steal your information, and track your online activities. They can also use your IP to locate your email address and send you spam or phishing attacks.
DDoS Attack Can Take Down Your Network
If an attacker has your IP address, they can use a DDoS (Distributed Denial-of-Service) attack to overwhelm your network with traffic. This assault overwhelms your network, causing it to slow down to the point where you cannot accomplish or access anything online. To prevent thieves from interfering with your Internet connection, install CyberGhost VPN on your device.
Impersonate You to Engage in Illegal Activities
Cybercriminals will make great efforts to conceal their identity, including stealing and reusing IP addresses. Authorities can use your IP address to hunt you down (by requesting information from your ISP) and prosecute you for your illicit Internet actions.
Stealing Copyrights
Proving you weren’t the one stealing copyrighted material or accessing national security databases might entail a protracted court struggle. To protect yourself from the realm of cybercrime, save yourself a trip to court and download a reputable VPN.
Do I Need to Hide My IP Address?
Think of this as your address on the internet — a location where you receive mail and other data such as webpages, images, and mesages. Your IP address is made up of a string of four groups of numbers, such as 192.172.33.1, which identifies both the network you are on and the device you are using. With these two pieces of information networks and websites can both route data to you and check that you have permission to access it.
Why Would I Want to Hide My IP Address?
Since your IP address is needed to surf around the web, it can act as a fingerprint of your online activities. Webpages may choose to store this information to learn more about you and your interests for marketing purposes. Your data can also be potentially sold to third parties without your consent, or used to spy on you if someone has malicious intent. An example of this would be so-called “spyware,” which can covertly log the sites you visit.
IP addresses are also used to restrict access to content, such as streaming services that are only available in certain locations. But hiding your IP address for this purpose is not something we advocate.
How Do I Hide My IP Address?
There are two main ways to hide your IP address: by using a virtual private network (VPN), or a proxy server. VPNs are the most common tools used by consumers to mask their IP addresses. This is a piece of software that allows you to create a secure connection to another server over the internet, so your data appears to come from the server you connect to. So, if you are in Los Angeles, for instance, the software can connect you to a server in London, hiding your actual location since your traffic appears to originate in London.
A proxy server is different in that it acts like a middleman between your device and the server you are trying to connect with. It receives a request from your device and then retrieves that information from the target server. The proxy can be either a computer or a piece of software that performs this function. It’s different from a VPN in that it doesn’t encrypt, or scramble, your information, making it less secure. That’s why we suggest that you use a VPN.
When Should I use a VPN?
There are a few scenarios when you may want to hide your IP address. The first is if you’re using public Wi-Fi, because your browsing activity might be accessible to anyone nearby. If you use a VPN, you can make a secure connection to the network and keep your activities private.
You may also choose to hide your IP address if you are concerned about your privacy on the web in general and want to make sure that there are no websites or cybercriminals tracking you.
Finally, users who want to connect with a private business or home network may also choose to use a VPN. Many businesses, for example, only allow their employees to connect to their internal network if their IP address is coming from an approved network. With a VPN, you can connect to the internal network from anywhere and you will be allowed access since it is coming from an approved IP address.
Other Ways to Protect Your Privacy
- Check the privacy of all of your accounts to make sure they are on the strictest settings. On social media, make sure that only friends can see your information.
- Turn off location services on websites and apps if you don’t need to use them. Unless you are using a service for mapping, or other location-critical functions, there is no reason to share your movements through the world.
- Use complicated passwords and passphrases and keep them private. Password managers can help make this easier.
- Install comprehensive security software on all of your devices. Try to choose a product that includes a VPN and identity theft protection.
- When on a public Wi-Fi network, like in an airport or hotel, always use a VPN if you want to do banking and other sensitive activities securely.
- Keep up-to-date on the latest threats, and how to avoid them.
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