Think you're anonymous? Think you're safe hiding behind that so-called anonymous email address? Think your email is safe from prying eyes? Think again! If you visit Web sites, use the IRC, email, usenet, or just about any Internet technology, you leave little traces of your visit everywhere you go. Interested? Read on...

Every single Web server out there has what are referred to as Log files. The log files tell the system administrator about the visitors to his site. They tell the admin:

• the IP address of visitors
• the Hostname of the visitor (ISP)
• the browser the visitor was using
• the operating system of the visitor
• the referrer that brought the visitor to the site

While I was writing this article, I checked the log files of the Entheogen Dot site during a one day period. Here's what I found: Quite a few of you logged in through educational institutions:

• usc.edu
• umass.edu
• uc.edu
• purdue.edu
• uiuc.edu
• missouri.edu
• indiana.edu
• reed.edu
• k12.il.us
• nmu.edu
• k12.md.us
• ree