An IP address is one of those invisible pieces of internet plumbing that everyone uses but few people understand. Yet it’s central to how the internet works—and it’s also where attackers and defenders often focus their attention. This post will explain IP addresses in plain language, show how they’re used in everyday life, and — crucially — point out the security and privacy implications you should know about. If you use the internet (and you do), this matters. What is an IP Address? A simple analogy Think of an IP address like a street address for your device on the internet. Just as your home needs a postal address so letters can be delivered, every device connected to the internet needs an IP address so data packets (the “letters” of the internet) can find it. There are two common IP systems in use today: IPv4 — The older format. Looks like 192.168.1.10 . It’s the most familiar and still the most used. IPv6 — The newer format created because the world needed many m...