Results 1 to 5 of 5

Thread: The rainzhang affair

  1. #1
    Senior Member registered user
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Columbia, Maryland USA
    Posts
    1,631

    The rainzhang affair

    .
    This site was really hacked for about half-a-day (early 3/26).
    Kudos to the sysop(s) that turned this around so well.

    Do we users need to correct any of our procedures
    so as not to invite future incursions as what we saw?

  2. #2
    Moderator Moderator
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Asheville, NC, USA
    Posts
    528
    No prob! It became obvious after a few minutes that this was a relatively large instance of true abuse, so I got cracking. Ultimately, I banned him permanently and deleted all his posts. I suspect there will a deeper inquiry into how he got access, but it was unusual, at least. It was apparently LOTS worse in the past.

    The one suggestion I can think of is to send a Private Message to all the moderators (Clinton, HarryKuhn, myself, and I'm sure there are others.) It was only because he replied to a post in a thread to which I was subscribed that I became alerted. A PM is rare, and comes into my email so it's probably going to be noticed sooner, especially if no replies to threads I've subscribed to are there.

    Cheers!

    Krishna

  3. #3
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Posts
    242
    Hunh ? I noticed this twelve hours ago but I live an in unconventional timezone. I logged in and clicked on the 'Contact Us' at the bottom of the page and sent a message. Where did it go ?

    Waddayoumean your are sure there are other moderators ? If you don't know who they are, how are we to know who they are ?

    @dinosoep

    Easy lesson learnt the hard way.

    rainzhang, whoever he was, logged it sometime goodness knows when and checked the 'remember me' check box. It's so 'handy'. So he doesn't have to log in any more and neither does his kid sister or a the nasty script that ran when she clicked on some interesting looking web-link promising handbags, anti-spot and anti-ageing cream and boys a-go-go. If you don't run NoScript then nasty scripts get to run before you find out where the link has taken you. If you are a web type (I'm not), it's a piece a cake to write a java script (or XUL script) to run through your history looking for all url's with the word forum in them (for example) and add a post to each one.

    @ All

    1. Always run NoScript in your browser and if your browser won't run NoScript, get a browser that does.

    2. If you've registered with a web-site then always log and type in your password. Security is, by definition, not 'handy'.

    3. Use a password generator like PasswordMaker so that every site has a different password.

    @ Moderators and such

    1. Disable the remember me cookie ?

    2. I've seen sites with a 'report this page button'.

    @ Finally

    I've seen sites with so much grafitti that I just don't bother going to them any more even if they are the only hit in Google.

  4. #4
    Moderator Moderator
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Asheville, NC, USA
    Posts
    528
    Quote Originally Posted by Forester View Post
    Hunh ? I noticed this twelve hours ago but I live an in unconventional timezone. I logged in and clicked on the 'Contact Us' at the bottom of the page and sent a message. Where did it go ?
    Not sure. It didn't get to me, but it probably went to those on the highest levels of control on the board - but they are often busy with other things, which is why they invited me to help out.
    Waddayoumean your are sure there are other moderators ? If you don't know who they are, how are we to know who they are ?
    I meant I only know the few whom I've interacted with, and I'm not sure who's active right now. All of us are identified in our posts with the tag Moderator.

    Your point is well taken. It would be good if there were a mechanism to send out an alert to ALL the mods, so someone who's not preoccupied (e.g. asleep, out of town, etc.) can get to it more quickly.
    @dinosoep

    Easy lesson learnt the hard way.

    rainzhang, whoever he was, logged it sometime goodness knows when and checked the 'remember me' check box. It's so 'handy'. So he doesn't have to log in any more and neither does his kid sister or a the nasty script that ran when she clicked on some interesting looking web-link promising handbags, anti-spot and anti-ageing cream and boys a-go-go. If you don't run NoScript then nasty scripts get to run before you find out where the link has taken you. If you are a web type (I'm not), it's a piece a cake to write a java script (or XUL script) to run through your history looking for all url's with the word forum in them (for example) and add a post to each one.
    Personally, I can't stand NoScript - It's removed immediately on any system I use. Since Chrome is my main browser, it's not such an issue, and there are several worthy extensions that can be used to prevent trouble.
    @ All

    1. Always run NoScript in your browser and if your browser won't run NoScript, get a browser that does.

    2. If you've registered with a web-site then always log and type in your password. Security is, by definition, not 'handy'.

    3. Use a password generator like PasswordMaker so that every site has a different password.
    Personally, I use a single password (on my knoppix-data.aes) - if somebody powers up my system when I'm not around, they can log onto the wifi network (they should know the passphrase - my family members do) and browse with "vanilla" Knoppix, sans my saved passwords and other mods.
    @ Moderators and such

    1. Disable the remember me cookie ?

    2. I've seen sites with a 'report this page button'.

    @ Finally

    I've seen sites with so much grafitti that I just don't bother going to them any more even if they are the only hit in Google.
    We shall endeavor to out-live them.

    Cheers!
    Krishna
    p.s. This isn't really news, so I moved it to the Lounge.
    Last edited by krishna.murphy; 03-26-2011 at 08:31 PM. Reason: Moved thread

  5. #5
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Posts
    123
    Yeah forester, I'd have to agree noscript comes in handy here.
    But noscript can't protect you from everything. The user has to be cautious too

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  


FINISAR FTLX1471D3BTL TM SM 10KM SFP 1310NM CPRI 9.8G TRANSCEIVER picture

FINISAR FTLX1471D3BTL TM SM 10KM SFP 1310NM CPRI 9.8G TRANSCEIVER

$20.90



Cisco C3KX-NM-10G 4-Port SFP  10G Expansion Module 3750-X / 3560-X Switch picture

Cisco C3KX-NM-10G 4-Port SFP 10G Expansion Module 3750-X / 3560-X Switch

$50.00



CISCO N9K-X9788TC-FX Nexus 9500 48p 1/10GBaseT and 4p 100G line card-Lifetime WR picture

CISCO N9K-X9788TC-FX Nexus 9500 48p 1/10GBaseT and 4p 100G line card-Lifetime WR

$5999.00



Cisco SG110 24 Port Gigabit Ethernet Switch w/ 2 x SFP SG110-24 picture

Cisco SG110 24 Port Gigabit Ethernet Switch w/ 2 x SFP SG110-24

$117.00



Genuine Cisco SFP-10G-SR V03 10GBASE-SR SFP+ Transceiver Module 10-2415-03  picture

Genuine Cisco SFP-10G-SR V03 10GBASE-SR SFP+ Transceiver Module 10-2415-03

$8.00



For Cisco SFP-10G-T, Ubiquiti UF-RJ45-10G Module 10G SFP+ to RJ45 10GBase-T picture

For Cisco SFP-10G-T, Ubiquiti UF-RJ45-10G Module 10G SFP+ to RJ45 10GBase-T

$48.59



FS SFP-10G-T, 10GBASE-T SFP+ Copper RJ-45 30m Transceiver Module  picture

FS SFP-10G-T, 10GBASE-T SFP+ Copper RJ-45 30m Transceiver Module

$50.00



GENUINE Cisco SFP-GE-T EXT 30-1421-01 USA 1000BASE-T RJ45 SFP Transceiver picture

GENUINE Cisco SFP-GE-T EXT 30-1421-01 USA 1000BASE-T RJ45 SFP Transceiver

$9.99



NEW Sealed Cisco SFP-10G-SR-S 10G SR SFP+ Module 850nmMM *US Shipping* picture

NEW Sealed Cisco SFP-10G-SR-S 10G SR SFP+ Module 850nmMM *US Shipping*

$15.00



LOT OF 20 Genuine Cisco SFP-10G-SR V03 10GBASE-SR SFP+ Transceiver Module picture

LOT OF 20 Genuine Cisco SFP-10G-SR V03 10GBASE-SR SFP+ Transceiver Module

$89.00