Your proxy/VPN is connected to that IRC server, and you are connected to that proxy/vpn server at a specific time. How do you think people keep getting busted even though they're 'behind 7 proxies'? If you're behind a proxy/vpn, you're still communicating with the IRC server. For me, anonymity is being anonymous to everyone, no matter what. Rory's definition is correct in the context of being anonymous to most people, but that's not the definition I subscribe to. Some people have a different definition of anonymity than me. Or maybe you'll just click on a drive-by-download link. Your IRC client could also be vulnerable to buffer overflow attacks / string formatting vulnerabilities / etc. What's to stop them from cooperating with law enforcement? While other servers will block everything, all IRCops/admins know the real IP you're connecting from. Even the ones that partially mask your IP will show part of where you are.

The vast majority of servers I've visited also expose your IP Address to everyone unless you're behind a proxy or VPN, so there's no real anonymity. IRC admins can read your private messages as well. You have to install addons to enable encrypted communications, if they're even done right.Įven if the server itself encrypted the messages/uses SSL, it's a moot point: everyone can connect and read what you're saying unless you encrypted it on your end. All of your messages, in general, are unencrypted. Your ISP can snoop on the contents easily. Almost all servers utilize communication through plaintext. I don't think IRC is in any way secure by default.

Internet Relay Chat is actually incredibly insecure

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