# Encrypting IP Addresses

DevFeed: [Encrypting IP Addresses](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/encrypting-ip-addresses-36383.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://berthub.eu/articles/posts/encrypting-ip-addresses/>)

Published: 2017-05-07T18:46:14Z

Content type: article

Language: en

Sources: [Bert Hubert's writings](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/bert-hubert-s-writings.md>)

Topics: [Encryption](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/encryption.md>), [Security](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/security.md>), [Networks](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/networks.md>), [Cryptography](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/cryptography.md>)

Tags: [encryption](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/encryption.md>), [internet](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/internet.md>), [networks](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/networks.md>), [privacy](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/privacy.md>), [security](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/security.md>), [threat-intelligence](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/threat-intelligence.md>), [traces](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/traces.md>)

## AI overview

The article examines encrypting IP addresses in network log files as a way to support security analysis while limiting immediate privacy impact. It discusses preserving IP address representation for existing tools and the limitations of zero-padding, XOR, stream ciphers, and block ciphers for encrypting 32-bit IPv4 addresses.

## Source excerpt

On IP address encryption: security analysis with respect for privacy Frequently, privacy concerns and regulations get in the way of security analysis. I'm a big fan of privacy, but I'm also a big fan of security and preventing people from getting hacked. If you are hacked you have no privacy either. Per-customer/subscriber traces are extremely useful for researching the security of networks. Specifically, lists of DNS requests per IP address make spotting infected users or infected devices very easy, especially if you look at "yesterday's traffic" and compare it to today's threat intelligence.