Security

[THECORBYLOON]

There are genuine concerns about the security on this site. Some numpty thinks it's a joke to impersonate others and then gets the hump when they complain.

It has now gone 11.30 here in the UK and there has been no response to this issue. What is being done? A wee statement saying it's being investigated would not go amiss

[jno]

I woldn't be surprised if the monks are flat out running round fixing holes in the dyke, TCL, breaking their vow of silence only to mutter imprecations... I suspect some ABers rather compromised security when they generously announced their user ID numbers a week or two back, which may well have been enough information for a proper hacker to access their user names, though not necessarily the inner fortifications of the monastery itself. If so they'll probably have to get themselves new user names and go green for a while.

[pixi]

hi corbyloon, I have just been saying on msn that I come on cb to get away from real life and have fun. It now seems cb is much more stressful than real life, and i was also stupid enough to post my userid in the coloured background thread. Something really needs to be done about this as soon as possible

[jno]

ah pixi you wouldn't like to give me your PIN number just for safekeeping, would you? Give you one less thing to worry about...

[netibiza]

jno without giving the game away what is an ID number? I thought we only had usernames? Do I have a number, where do I find it? I don't want to be impersonated.

[jno]

neti, you get assigned a user number by the system... someone explained how to find it, last Friday night I think - but I can't remember how it was done. Anyway, several users (the ones who are now being impersonated, I suspect) found their numbers and posted them. The thread may still be visible in CB if you want to wade through sludge for hours looking for it.

[THECORBYLOON]

There was a thread telling folk how to see their user id and from trying it masel, it seems you can see yir own user id but not others'. The folk who gave their user ids did so in all innocence and they are still there (or were last night) for md to see. Perhaps, ABE, that thread should be deleted or all the posts edited?

Netz if you don't know yir id I wouldn't worry since no-one else will know it either.

[jno]

oh I remember... go to View (probably in the taskbar at the top of your screen), then to Source. Then under Edit at the top of the page that comes up click on Find, and look for userID. Now don't tell me what your number is, let me guess...

[Dakota2]

JNO - You're on the ball gal :)

I was one of those who gave out my USERID, and I *do* bitterly regret it now. That was a damn stupid thing for me and the rest of us to have done.

I rather suspect the the monks are working on the problem too.

[netibiza]

Oh look 666 !!!!

[whiffey]

TCL I second all you say

jno stop it !!

[pixi]

pmsl at neti, i got so stressed trying to do the backgrounds that i posted pixi666 in frustration lol

[netibiza]

Oh well done neti - who needs hackers when I'm about?? Having a spanish system, jno's instructions don't translate word for word, and I've clicked on everything I can find. If I pop up all over the place, or disappear completely, it's cos I messed up my system.

[Dakota2]

Neti, I *am* me :(

Pixi can confirm, I'm talking to her on MSN :((

[AB Editor]

Hi All,

The reason why I haven't been able to post is because I have been trying to sort out this dubious imposter situation.

The current imposter situation will be cleared up shortly.

In the meantime, from a security perspective, please do not tell other ABers your UserID or post it on the site.

Thank you for your patience and contribution to the wonderful world of AB.

AB ED

[netibiza]

Dak I know it's you, never doubted it. Is jno female? I always thought they were male. Get back in my box I think.

[netibiza]

Just out of interest, how many imposters are there (or were last night) how do I know the genuine ones (I know Dak is ok). I always thought life was easy til I came on AB.

[Dakota2]

Thanks Neti x

As far as I'm aware, 3 of us were targetted, but we cannot be sure as I was talking to one on MSN this morning and it's pure chance that she was looking at her "threads you're involved in" bit, otherwise she wouldn't have known.

[jno]

meanwhile, there's a new poll! Wheee!

[dothawkes]

It was my question about not being able to post on Dak's thread, I can find it in my profile and have copied it but it does say above it it is banned so this link might not work

http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/ChatterBank/Question155625.html

it looks ok but see what happens when i submit

[dothawkes]

No it's not posting, but it is still there in my profile in full

the person called Bill started it all off!