Removing ip addresses

[miloske]

I would like to remove ip addresses from database from time to time because of my users privacy and security. I wouldn't like someone hacking my database and discovering users' ip addresses (although I'm not very concerned about that.

Is it possible to remove ip addresses from database (mysql), and would it effect forum's functionality?

[elfishtroll]

I would like to remove ip addresses from database from time to time because of my users privacy and security. I wouldn't like someone hacking my database and discovering users' ip addresses (although I'm not very concerned about that.

Is it possible to remove ip addresses from database (mysql), and would it effect forum's functionality?

better to not even have them recorded in the first place!
look in /sources/QueryString.php

Just edit the code in there to null out the IP address if you like.

You will also want to periodically wipe the database table that stores "who's Online" as well

[Tony Reid]

Your banning will be less effective and I would imagine at the least - the function that checks for double posting will fail.

Users IP addresses change very often and its unlikely that any stored in the database would be usable by hackers.

In fact hackers would more likely target your password hashes.

I personally think its a bit silly if you try to remove ip functionality.

[elfishtroll]

Your banning will be less effective and I would imagine at the least - the function that checks for double posting will fail.

Users IP addresses change very often and its unlikely that any stored in the database would be usable by hackers.

In fact hackers would more likely target your password hashes.

I personally think its a bit silly if you try to remove ip functionality.

well, Banning istnt that effective anyway - what? they'll just sign up  again with a new name and address - but you are right... you may have unintended consequences since, as  u point out, there are other functions that need the ip addy.


I think he may be concerned that his records may be subpoenaed ? best leave no 'evidence' around?? LOL

[miloske]

I think he may be concerned that his records may be subpoenaed ? best leave no 'evidence' around?? LOL

yup, that's my concern. I know that sometimes it is easier to track users by their e-mail address, but users can avoid that by using anonymous e-mails (they don't even need real e-mail because my forum can't send emails (blocked php mail function)), they can't avoid leaving their ip addresses on my forum and not all of them know how to use proxies or programs such as tor.

Forum is about local college owned by a guy who got very reach during the time of communism and this is Serbia, if you have money you can do pretty much everything, so it is not hard to imagine that a member of my forum could be somehow punished for saying something bad about that college thinking that he/she is anonymous.

I would like to record ip addresses and then remove them after some period of time, is it safe to just remove ip addresses from database. I don't care much about banning, so there are no problems there, but would it have some other ill effect on the forum?

[greyknight17]

I just played around with this myself on a test forum and removed the IP addresses from the database. I don't see how this would affect the forum's usability (except for those mentioned above by Tony), but I did run into a big problem. Not sure if it's something I did wrong or not, but the last post made column (far right) is blank in the forum. So you don't know what/when the last post was made.

There is probably some other settings that need to be changed...most likely in your PHP files.

I would leave it alone as said earlier.

[Bulakbol]

If they are concerned about thier IPs', they should use proxy's. Email have IPs' anyway and windows/routers are protected by firewall so IP's are now ignored.