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ICQ [I Seek You]

Securing your ICQ account - based on 2002A

First, register somewhere for an anonymous e-mail account that you use only for things like ICQ - and use this e-mail address when you set up your ICQ account. Keep in mind that ICQ will set you up with a web page (at http://www.icq.com/xxxxxxxx where xxxxxxxx is your ICQ number) and any personal information that you provide will be put there and is immediately searchable by people using the web.

Go to www.icq.com and download the ICQ client. Scan the file and then execute it to install the program.

Configuring ICQ

  • Bring up ICQ and click on the word main at the bottom left
  • Click on the security & privacy permissions option
  • The Status selections should be highlighted.
  • Click on general and make sure only the following 2 boxes are checked:
    contact list - my auth is required before others can add me to their contact list
    security level - high
  • Click on apply
  • Click on password
  • Set your password - do not check the box for Save password
  • Click on visible list and make sure you add the ICQ numbers for any of your friends
  • Click on apply
  • Now click on communication events - all options should be checked under the red box (for no-one) except:
  • Set the following to yellow or only those on my contact list: Unsupported event notification, send web page address, receive file from, and send/start ICQ chat.
  • Set the following to green (anyone) - Request for contacts
  • Click on Contact info/files
  • Set all 3 options to red for noone
  • Click on peer to peer connection - only the last 2 boxes should be checked - they should be set to allow peer to peer only with your authorization and do not allow peer to peer with older versions on ICQ
  • Click on messages - check all the boxes which should be: accept msgs only from users on my contact list, do not accept multirecipient msgs from users not on my contact list, do not accept pager msgs, do not accept EmailExpress msgs
  • Click on apply
  • Click on OK to exit security preferences
  • Now click on main again and Select View/Change My Details
  • Click on Info Summary and make sure there is no real personal info there
  • Click on ICQ Details/E-mail to change your name, nick and/or e-mail address
  • Go through every option and check for any other personal information, changing it to protect yourself as necessary
  • Click on apply and then on OK
  • To the right of the Main icon is another icon that will say something like Available/connect or invisible or away. Click on this icon and a number of options will appear. Select invisible so that only users on your visible list can see you.

Adding someone to your visible list

  • Left click on the users name in your contact list
  • Go to the bottom and click on alert/accept modes
  • Click on general (left side of screen)
  • Click on status (right side of screen)
  • Select the option you want (visible or invisible)
  • Click on apply and then OK

Other basic tips include:

  • 1. Make sure you run the latest version of ICQ
  • 2. When configuring ICQ put absolutely no personal information into ICQ and do not give the correct age or gender. Also, choose a gender neutral name.
  • 3. Choose a strong non-obvious password and change it regularly
  • 4. Never give that password to anyone
  • 5. Only tell people you really trust your new ICQ address, chat nick and e-mail address
  • 6. NEVER accept files from anyone on chat or ICQ
  • 7. Only put people in your contact list that you really trust
  • 8. If others have physical access to your computer then secure it in some way (boot password, Esc)
  • 9. Shutdown your computer or disconnect it from the network when you are not at the keyboard
  • 10. Set ICQ to the highest security level so no-one can use it without putting in their account and password
  • 11. Configure your ICQ options securely:
  • a. Set ICQ so people cannot add you to their contact list without your permission
  • b. Set ICQ so people cannot add themselves to your contact list without your permission
  • c. Set yourself to run in invisible mode (status and then privacy)
  • d. Ensure all users in your contact list are I your visible list
  • e. Set ICQ to not publish your IP address and do not allow it to publish your presence on the web
  • 12. Most of the above options can be set by clicking on the ICQ menu and then choosing security & privacy

You should look at every configuration option that is set on ICQ and make sure you understand what they are and set them so they are secure.

If you need more information there is a great deal of information on ICQ security available at www.icq.com and the firewall and antivirus sites listed above are great resources for security information in general.