In the digital era, when all banking and entertaining activities are based on the quality of online systems created, it is important to know about such internet addresses and identifiers. As an IT specialist, a cybersecurity analyst, or just an ordinary internet user, sometimes you see some weird, unknown strings, such as 185.63.253.2pp. On face value, it resembles an IP address, and in a funny way. What, then, does it mean? A real place on the web, a software malfunction or something more evil?
This article dissects all the details you need to know about 185.63.253.2pp, including what the format of an IP address means and how to apply these techniques in real life, what dangers you may expect, and how to remain safe on the Internet.
What Is an IP Address, and Why It Matter?
Before we can know what is strange about 185.63.253.2pp, we must discuss IP addresses. The term IP refers to Internet Protocol, and an IP address is the numerical name given to all devices that are connected to the computer network. It is a digital mailing address: it makes sure the data packets arrive at the right place.
One octet is between 0 and 255 octets; thus, the valid IP address is between 0.0.0.0 and 255.255.255.255. And there is IPv6, which works with longer alphabetical-numerical strings, yet that does not matter here.
Now, when we look at 185.63.253.2pp, the first part—185.63.253.2—is a completely valid IP address. But the extra “pp” at the end throws things off and makes this string invalid as a formal IP.
Potential Explanations for 185.63.253.2pp
Here are several plausible reasons why you might come across such a string:
1. A Typographical or Formatting Error
Companies can just spare the embarrassment as, in most cases, such strings, as 185.63.253.2pp, are typographical errors. Maybe someone had been pasting an IP address into a Word document or code editor and hit the wrong button to add the letters pp. It might also be caused by a formatting bug in software that automatically generates URLs or records.
As a simple example of how this could happen, we might not consider that an error in placement of a character might have resulted in the odd and illegal combination we have ended up with here: someone meant to type 185.63.253.2:pp (perhaps referring to a port number or protocol), but the incorrect character placement may have caused the garbled version we see.
2. Obfuscated or Malicious URL (Phishing Technique)
The second alternative is that 185.63.253.2 is part of a phishing or malware action. At times, to beat spam filters and to deceive users, cybercriminals will obscure URLs. They can use dummy suffix names, such as puttypp, that they feel cannot be detected, or they can deceive the final user into clicking something they should not.
In case you have received a text or email message that has a link that has 185.63.253.2pp, do not open the link. Rather, you can use a malware URL checker or direct it to your IT/cybersecurity team to go through.
3. Internal System Tag or Non-Standard Identifier
It is likely that the 185.63.253.2pp is an internal proprietary code of an organisation, development team or system. For instance:
- The abbreviation of pp could be the meaning of processing point, proxy path or private port
- It might be a unique machine name which is based on its IP address, together with some sort of tag
- On legacy systems, these appended characters can also be useful to differentiate the test vs. live environments.
Such utilisation would be completely internal and unable to be solved on the global web. Till the time you are working that system, you would not be expected to know it.
Who Owns the IP 185.63.253.2 (Without the “pp”)?
By dropping the suffix, we have a valid IP: 185.63.253.2. We can track the owner of this IP address using a tool as WHOIS or an IP geolocation lookup.
This IP is European and linked to a hosting company or a database. It may be utilised by:
- A website hosted on a virtual private server (VPS)
- A VPN provider
- A cloud infrastructure vendor
- A commercial content delivery network (CDN)
Is 185.63.253.2pp Dangerous? Should I Be Worried?
The suffix of “pp” does not allow it to be directed at best, and its existence may indicate maliciousness or deviousness.
Common situations that you should watch out for are the following:
- Spam Emails containing strange links having IP address 185.63.253.2pp
- Text messages telling you that somebody wants you to verify something using a funny-looking address
- Pop-up redirects or suspicious site redirects
- Browser logs which depict this string when browsing untrusted or unsafe content
Even when you receive this string, and are not quite sure what it is? Then ignore everything that is in it, and scan your machine using current anti-virus programs.
Conclusion
Although 185.63.253.2pp will seem like a pseudonym of a legitimate IP address, it is still not a valid address and should never be handled as a valid address. It could be a spelling error, phishing scam, or even an internal system, but when it appears in the body of emails or as part of the address of the URL, it should be a signal of alert.
The internet is full of innocent misfits as well as intentional efforts to be deceptive. In case of uncertainty, slow down, check the source and do not make contact with the suspicious links, particularly those lying on the brink of authenticity.
Remaining vigilant and alert is how you and your systems can avoid sudden cyber attacks.
Also Read: How to Choose a Residential Proxy That Truly Works for You