Using IP analysis to secure your online business
Gergo Varga, Senior Content Manager at SEON tells us how you can protect your company from attacks via your IP address.
We live in a world full of remarkable developments that were unimaginable just a few decades ago. Nobody would’ve believed you if you told someone from that time that you have a small robotic friend called Alexa that can turn on or off the lights, start the heating, make a grocery list, play music, and even speak with you. But those developments weren’t only beneficial for us, but also for fraudsters who have used them for their malicious actions.
Fraud has become more widespread than ever, with new cyber-attacks or fraud attempts happening constantly. From big companies like The Colonial Pipeline Attack to individuals, fraudsters don’t care who their target is if they can profit.
Unfortunately, fraudsters will never stop, but that doesn’t mean you have to accept that you will eventually become a target of a cyber-attack or fraud. Yes, you might become a target, but by using proper security measures, you will be able to prevent your business from becoming a victim.
Cybersecurity has also been evolving through the years, trying not only to keep up with the fraudsters but get ahead of them and prevent attacks before they can cause any damage. From antivirus programs, firewalls, multi-factor verification methods to IP analysis, there are cybersecurity tools available that can suit everybody’s needs. This method gives you an opportunity to stop fraudsters before they even get the chance to enter your network. The best method for keeping your business secure is prevention and not reaction.
What is an IP address?
An IP address or Internet Protocol address allows us to be connected to the Internet and be part of the modern digital world. Anything from accessing the websites to using emails would be impossible without it, as an IP address is what allows one connected device to communicate with another device over the Internet. You can think of an IP address as your phone number or home address by having other parties know where to reach you. With the IP address, the Internet will know where to send your data.
What is IP analysis?
The IP address analysis is one of the most common methods used in cybersecurity. It allows you to get more insight into your users, where they are located, and their intentions towards your business. It is also helpful in different aspects of business, such as marketing as it helps you optimize your targeted marketing strategy.
Streaming services even use the geolocation aspect of IP analysis to determine if the users are legally allowed to access their content due to copyright regulations. In cybersecurity, IP analysis is used to determine any red flags connected with the IP address in question. According to the survey conducted by Small Business Trends, just 14 percent of small businesses would say their ability to mitigate cyber risks is “highly effective.” Introducing IP analysis can increase that number.
What data can IP analysis uncover:
Geolocation: If it is a legitimate IP address, then it will indicate where the user is located. This is extremely useful as it can indicate account takeover fraud or other kinds of fraudulent actions. For example, if you suddenly receive a large number of visits from a country you never had a visitor from before or if a user has accessed your site from a completely different country than during their previous visits.
Internet Service Provider: This helps you discover where the connection is coming from, such as a residential home, library, or web servers and data centers. Fraudsters will most likely use the latter, so you can use this knowledge to react on time.
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Spam checklist scan: It compares the IP addresses that access your website with the database of IP addresses used for email spamming. IP analysis will not say for sure if you have been targeted by fraudulent actions, but it can indicate red flags and give you a chance to react on time. From blocking that IP address immediately to requesting additional information to verify the user, there are numerous ways in which you can protect your business from threats indicated by IP analysis. It should be combined with additional fraud prevention methods such as device fingerprinting, email lookup tools, or data enrichment for best results.
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