I mean, if I leave MSN online permanently and one of my contacts is allowed and online can he hack me assuming I never open any files I receive from him? (and of course assuming I have an updated firewalll, antivirus, etc)

well there was a little program that would let you controll your contacts pc through the screennames, but you need to accpet the file and run it. if you dont run any exe's you should be fine.

It is near impossible to be hacked but it isn't impossible. Seeing how connections through MSN are not Direct Connections (meaning one computer isn't connected to another) It is pretty hard to find the IP Address of the contact you are talking to unless you send a file and get the IP that way. Now whether or not you open an files from this contact or not will not make it easier or harder for you to be hacked unless it is a backdoor torjan. But with the recent release of MSN, most file extensions are blocked from being transfered. Just leave your firewall up and it will be pretty hard for you to get hacked.

Routers work wonders

Matty

Note: spokes you need to provide a more technical solution. One word posts are against the forum rules.

Matty, in the new version of MSN Messenger, there is an option to 'attempt to establish a direct connection with my contacts' so I assume it would be easy to get the IP if someone checked that. But then, there arent many current exploits that have been discovered, so untill you see the next MSBLASTER virus on the news, youll be just fine

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Originally posted by Shawnz
in the new version of MSN Messenger, there is an option to 'attempt to establish a direct connection with my contacts'

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Not much.

quote:

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Originally posted by Shawnz
Not much.

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quote:

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Originally posted by andrey

The "attempt to establish a direct connection with my contacts" option was introduced to ease the traffic load on microsoft's servers. Normally, you would connect to your contact through one of their servers, but when you enable this option, you don't use their servers to forward each message sent, and a direct connection with your contacts' computer gets established.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Matty

Routers work wonders

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uma actually if you are using a avatar pic from your own computer on thier they can trace the image back to your machine

after many times of getting hacked by my friend neo i no longer accept files from him nor do i allow him to see my display pic

quote:

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Originally posted by Shawnz
Matty, in the new version of MSN Messenger, there is an option to 'attempt to establish a direct connection with my contacts' so I assume it would be easy to get the IP if someone checked that. But then, there arent many current exploits that have been discovered, so untill you see the next MSBLASTER virus on the news, youll be just fine

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quote:

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Originally posted by Matty

Routers work wonders

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...direct connection is for AIM(to send animated emotions live,dont kno if aim still has that)...mmm maybe ur thinking about application sharing or whiteboard

It seems that the option for direct connection doesn't seem to work. I and a contact of mine on my list have it checked and my IP is not connected to his IP only the MSN servers so.

Maybe its only initiated for certain contacts depending on various things =/. Like if the load reaches a certain point on the MSN servers then you will try to establish direct connections

it is very easy to get someones IP in msn without sending a file, or viewing a display pic or whatever else, its as simple as opening the conversation window with them,
Open up a new convo with someone, talk do whatever, then hit your start button and select the run option and type in cmd

when in the command prompt type netstat -n and it will list all established connections between your computer and someone else. Now how do you figure out whos IP is whos? well thats easy as well but ill leave that figuring out up to you.

quote:

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Originally posted by DigitalScan
it is very easy to get someones IP in msn without sending a file, or viewing a display pic or whatever else, its as simple as opening the conversation window with them,
Open up a new convo with someone, talk do whatever, then hit your start button and select the run option and type in cmd

when in the command prompt type netstat -n and it will list all established connections between your computer and someone else. Now how do you figure out whos IP is whos? well thats easy as well but ill leave that figuring out up to you.

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as soon as you enter a conversation your IP is revealed of incoming connections and if you want to seal the deal with that then send your contact a picture or something along those lines and then do the cmd netstat -n trick and it will show a new established connection to their computer, i have never encountered any kind of difficulty in doing this and it has always worked either way that i have tried it.

heres a screenshot i just took of the process, my IPs have been blocked out and my friends IP i have circled well he said he doesnt care if i show it since his changes.