Wireshark program, also known as Ethereal, is a packet analyzer and Wireshark sniffer tool. It is the world's most popular network protocol analyzer, with more than 1,000,000 users worldwide. In addition to its power and the ability to read and save all kinds of packets, Wireshark also has powerful traffic analysis functions, available in a variety of ways.

In this article, you'll learn how to get IP using Wireshark and how to protect it.

Wireshark can be used to examine all manner of network traffic, from the simplest to the most complex. It is often used by network administrators to troubleshoot network problems, and by network developers as a protocol analyzer for testing new protocols. Its powerful features make it a favorite tool for security-related tasks, such as data forensics and penetration testing. It is possible to decode protocols with Wireshark, which is sometimes known as "sniffing" packets, although this term is not an accurate description of what Wireshark does.

Nearly every day, Wireshark is used to solve difficult problems, perform forensic analyses, create demos and training materials, develop new protocols, etc. Wireshark development thrives thanks to the support of a vibrant open-source developer community and contributors from around the world. Wireshark can use Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) requests to get the IP address of an unknown host on your network. ARP is a broadcast request that aids the client machine in determining the host network.

 

What are Some IP Leakage Risks

The following risks may occur:

• The ISP can track your browsing activity, including the time and duration you spend online.
• The ISP can block content and websites, e.g. “adult” or copyright-protected content. In some cases, the ISP may prevent you from accessing a specific website or service.
• If a hacker gets your IP address, they can also get a ton of knowledge about you, including your location and online identity. They could potentially get into your device, steal your identity, and more using this information as a starting point.
• Hackers have been known to use stolen IP addresses to download illegal content that poses a national security concern, as well as anything else they don't want to be linked to them. You will protect yourself if you hide your IP address.
• A DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attack could be used against you if a hacker has your IP address. A DDoS attack uses a hacker's army of computers to flood your device with traffic, causing it to disconnect from the internet and shut down completely.

 

Until now, you have learned how to use Wireshark to get IP and the risks of IP leakage.

Any computer, laptop, or smartphone has an IP address, which is a unique number assigned to it. It's used to identify a device on any network and works similarly to a mailing address. Your IP address is required to get the current weather forecast or to access the latest news. Websites and services would be unable to send required data without it. It means that anyone interested in your genuine IP address can get it. This is an opportunity for cybercrooks to gain access to your personal information.