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http://www.ozpolitic.com/forum/YaBB.pl General Discussion >> Feedback >> Passwords, Emails & Hacking http://www.ozpolitic.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1397009590 Message started by perceptions_now on Apr 9^th, 2014 at 12:13pm

Title: Passwords, Emails & Hacking
Post by perceptions_now on Apr 9^th, 2014 at 12:13pm

red baron wrote on Feb 9^th, 2014 at 2:30pm:

MKR jumped out of the blocks this week, with healthy ratings.

Just as well the public like it huh? It has been repeated and repeated day and night add nauseum.

Give it a break channel 7 do reruns of 1950's movies anything, but please no triple doses of My Kitchen Rules.

red baron wrote on Apr 8^th, 2014 at 7:03pm:

ALARM BELLS: I DID NOT START THIS THREAD. SOMEONE WITH COMPUTER SMARTS HAS HIJACKED MY LOGO AND POSTED THIS THREAD.

I AM ALERTING THE MODERATORS IMMEDIATELY.

I RECEIVED AN EMAIL TODAY FROM THE TEAM RUNNING THIS SITE ASKING IF I WANTED TO RESET MY PASSWORD AS THEY HAD RECEIVED A REQUEST.

I MADE NO SUCH REQUEST.

THE 'GENUINE' RED BARON

muso wrote on Apr 8^th, 2014 at 7:24pm:

This is a concern.

I've moved this thread here since I'm aware that this has happened to others, including myself. If anybody else has received an email saying that your password has been changed, could you please add to this thread?

In the meantime, I'd suggest changing your password to something longer.

freediver wrote on Apr 8^th, 2014 at 9:38pm:

Change your password.

Many people have received those emails lately (informing them that an attempt had been made to change their password). It could just be a bot filling out forms randomly. Just ignore it and nothing will come of it.

Reality TV sucks balls.

muso wrote on Apr 9^th, 2014 at 7:11am:

Another thing - some other forums are a bit more lax about privacy and some admin accounts are hacked. If you post on another forum, make sure you use a different password.

Change to a password that's difficult to guess. An example is $0x7DE, which is Hexadecimal for 2014, but don't use that one, because that's mine (just kidding).

cods wrote on Apr 9^th, 2014 at 8:16am:

muso wrote on Apr 9^th, 2014 at 7:11am:

if I had a password like that I would need to have it tattooed somewhere

Soren wrote on Apr 9^th, 2014 at 9:03am:

muso wrote on Apr 9^th, 2014 at 7:11am:

$0x7DE, which is Hexadecimal for 2014

Yeah, that's an easy one to remember....

Aussie wrote on Apr 9^th, 2014 at 10:11am:

freediver wrote on Apr 8^th, 2014 at 9:38pm:

How does that explain how it appears this Thread was commenced by Red Baron when it was not. I guess you have had a look at the comparative IPs?

cods wrote on Apr 9^th, 2014 at 10:22am:

Aussie wrote on Apr 9^th, 2014 at 10:11am:

freediver wrote on Apr 8^th, 2014 at 9:38pm:

How does that explain how it appears this Thread was commenced by Red Baron when it was not. I guess you have had a look at the comparative IPs?

,well at the end of the day... we only have Red Barons word for that???....only FD would be able to confirm it surely??...passwords are one thing what about email addresses..people have more than one......

its creepy though ..and it makes you wonder just how far this can go...

Title: Re: Passwords, Emails & Hacking
Post by perceptions_now on Apr 9^th, 2014 at 12:20pm

Aussie wrote on Apr 9^th, 2014 at 10:32am:

cods wrote on Apr 9^th, 2014 at 10:22am:

Aussie wrote on Apr 9^th, 2014 at 10:11am:

freediver wrote on Apr 8^th, 2014 at 9:38pm:

How does that explain how it appears this Thread was commenced by Red Baron when it was not. I guess you have had a look at the comparative IPs?

Yeas, he, and very probably the other Mods, can compare the IP associated with Red's prior posts with the IP associated with the Post which commenced this Thread.

cods wrote on Apr 9^th, 2014 at 10:44am:

Aussie wrote on Apr 9^th, 2014 at 10:32am:

cods wrote on Apr 9^th, 2014 at 10:22am:

Aussie wrote on Apr 9^th, 2014 at 10:11am:

freediver wrote on Apr 8^th, 2014 at 9:38pm:

How does that explain how it appears this Thread was commenced by Red Baron when it was not. I guess you have had a look at the comparative IPs?

Yeas, he, and very probably the other Mods, can compare the IP associated with Red's prior posts with the IP associated with the Post which commenced this Thread.

y thoughts are with other forums.. not just silly ones like this...where we all think we can do a better job...I mean like facebook and the likes...if an ID can he hacked... what next?...it shouldnt be that easy... do you remember when people were getting emails about their bank accounts..

supposedly from their bank... this is a time bomb..

skippy. wrote on Apr 9^th, 2014 at 11:28am:

Aussie wrote on Apr 9^th, 2014 at 10:32am:

cods wrote on Apr 9^th, 2014 at 10:22am:

Aussie wrote on Apr 9^th, 2014 at 10:11am:

freediver wrote on Apr 8^th, 2014 at 9:38pm:

How does that explain how it appears this Thread was commenced by Red Baron when it was not. I guess you have had a look at the comparative IPs?

Yeas, he, and very probably the other Mods, can compare the IP associated with Red's prior posts with the IP associated with the Post which commenced this Thread.

The reason my nick shows that I only joined here in 2010 instead of 2007 is because my original account of skippy without the full stop, had to be deleted by Mozz due to it being hacked. So what Red is saying is quite possible. ::) take Muso advice and what ever you do don't use your nick as a password.

As the "My Kitchen Rules - all week long" thread seems to still be attracting quite a few comments, I have separated the posts relating to "Passwords, Emails & Hacking" and placed them in this new dedicated thread, in the corret section of the feedback board.

I will shortly transfer the original thread of "My Kitchen Rules - all week long" back to the chat section, which is it's proper area.

Hopefully, after the separation, everyone can make some meaningful comments, in the rightful & dedicated thread!

Title: Re: Passwords, Emails & Hacking
Post by Dnarever on Apr 9^th, 2014 at 12:21pm

http://www.news.com.au/technology/online/users-urged-to-change-passwords-after-major-flaw-found-in-internets-key-encryption-method/story-fnjwncel-1226878651919

A MAJOR flaw has been found in one of the internet’s key encryption methods, which means the sensitive information we thought was actually safe and protected isn’t.

Finnish security researchers who work for Codenomicon, a security company in California, and two security engineers at Google discovered the bug yesterday.

This means internet users must change their passwords immediately as the small padlock next to web addresses which is designed to protect sensitive information is effectively broken.

This could also force websites to swap out the virtual keys that generate private connections between the sites and their customers, the New York Times reported.

The vulnerability involves a bug in OpenSSL, the technology that powers encryption for two-thirds of web servers.

Dubbed Heartbleed, the bug is bad news for any sensitive site as it can enable hackers to access the memory on any server running OpenSSL.

This means it can take information and details including customer usernames and passwords, bank details, and other tools organisations use to communicate privately with their customers.

David Chartier, the chief executive at Codenomicon, said the scariest thing about this bug was that it didn’t leave any trace behind.

“Bad guys can access the memory on a machine and take encryption keys, usernames, passwords, valuable intellectual property, and there’s no trace they’ve been there,” he said.

Several companies, including Tumblr, have already issued fixes and warned people to swap out usernames and passwords.

Title: Re: Passwords, Emails & Hacking
Post by perceptions_now on Apr 9^th, 2014 at 12:30pm

I have now transferred the "My Kitchen Rules - all week long" thread, together with comments relevant to that issue, back to the chat area.

Title: My brush with I.D. theft this site
Post by red baron on Apr 9^th, 2014 at 7:10am

Interesting day yesterday, looked up the Chat site to see I had started a Thread My Kitchen Rules - All Week Long.

Had everything there my logo etc. Only trouble was, I had nothing to do with starting this thread.

I had a 'wake up' call earlier in the day when the Moderators sent me an email asking if I had contacted them asking to re set my password. I hadn't.

But whoever you are, if you are reading this. I don't get it. The thread you started was harmless enough.

Why can't you start up your own identity, believe me, you don't want mine.

Title: Re: Passwords, Emails & Hacking
Post by perceptions_now on Apr 9^th, 2014 at 12:55pm

The last 1 Posts were moved here from Chat by perceptions_now.

Title: Re: My brush with I.D. theft this site
Post by Lord skippy of the bush on Apr 9^th, 2014 at 1:19pm

red baron wrote on Apr 9^th, 2014 at 7:10am:

You don't have a Chinese student staying with you at the moment do you,Red? 8-)
On a serious note, I know it can happen, it happened to me, make your password a mix of numbers letters and other symbols, you don't need to remember it write it down somewhere like a diary or something. Never use your nick as a password, I did and got stung. I used to think who would be bothered to hack into an account on a political forum, then it happened to me.

Title: Re: Passwords, Emails & Hacking
Post by red baron on Apr 9^th, 2014 at 2:35pm

The moderators know I have had nothing to do with the thread My Kitchen Rules - All Week Long.

I have emailed the Moderators, and they should be able to identify that this thread, did not originate with me.

It is a harmless thread but the thought of someone being able to use other users' logos to start threads or comment is scary.

Red Baron

Title: Re: Passwords, Emails & Hacking
Post by Aussie on Apr 9^th, 2014 at 4:21pm

red baron wrote on Apr 9^th, 2014 at 2:35pm:

Are you aware there is a PM in your inbox?

Title: Re: Passwords, Emails & Hacking
Post by cods on Apr 9^th, 2014 at 5:50pm

red baron wrote on Apr 9^th, 2014 at 2:35pm:

that is what would bother me.... what was the POINT??..unless it was practice for something bigger.. trust you are keeping an eye on your banking..

Title: Re: Passwords, Emails & Hacking
Post by freediver on Apr 9^th, 2014 at 6:37pm

Dnarever wrote on Apr 9^th, 2014 at 12:21pm:

I don't think YaBB uses "safe" encryption anyway. Don't store your banking details on this site.

If what Baron said was true, it was probably a spammer, doing it to spam this site. It is probably someone getting paid to publicise MKR.

Title: Re: Passwords, Emails & Hacking
Post by Aussie on Apr 9^th, 2014 at 6:59pm

freediver wrote on Apr 9^th, 2014 at 6:37pm:

Dnarever wrote on Apr 9^th, 2014 at 12:21pm:

Assuming Baron is being truthfull (and why would he not be) how did they enter his account? That post came from his account, but he says he did not make it.

Title: Re: Passwords, Emails & Hacking
Post by Andrei.Hicks on Apr 9^th, 2014 at 7:00pm

The desperate world of reality tv eh?

I've only ever watched Big Brother to be honest. I quite liked those.
Especially the Celebrity ones - when George Galloway reckoned he was more famous than Dennis Rodman.

Title: Re: Passwords, Emails & Hacking
Post by Andrei.Hicks on Apr 9^th, 2014 at 7:01pm

Aussie wrote on Apr 9^th, 2014 at 6:59pm:

freediver wrote on Apr 9^th, 2014 at 6:37pm:

Dnarever wrote on Apr 9^th, 2014 at 12:21pm:

Assuming Baron is being truthfull (and why would he not be) how did they enter his account? That post came from his account, but he says he did not make it.

I think that's the point Aussie. Nobody knows.
FD is just saying it's more preventable if you change your passwords often and to more difficult things.

Title: Re: Passwords, Emails & Hacking
Post by Neferti on Apr 9^th, 2014 at 7:15pm

This site is as safe as every other site you visit.

Unless you are as stupid as Skippy was, way back, when he signed on as Skippy and used that name as his password. Skippy freely admits this! Sorry Skip.

How could people request/access a new password unless you gave them the email address you used when you signed up here? When you request a new password, I think you need to supply the email address connected to the ID you created?

Do people ensure that they make their email address PRIVATE except to the Mods? Check your Profile. If your email address is open to the public .... sure, somebody could try to crack it.

This is an itsy bitsy Forum. Nothing is being sold. However, if you don't care about your own security on the Net, nobody else will.

Oh and it is NOT freediver or his mods fault. 8-)

Title: Re: Passwords, Emails & Hacking
Post by Aussie on Apr 9^th, 2014 at 8:07pm

Quote:

I think that's the point Aussie. Nobody knows.
FD is just saying it's more preventable if you change your passwords often and to more difficult things.

I've sent a PM to the Baron account. He has posted here well after I sent it. It remains unread. I wonder if the 'hacker' has somehow managed to intervene. Dunno.

But:

If some Post was made under my tag, with my avatar.....and I did not make it, I sure as hell would want to have a better explanation than is presently being offered. My password here is nothing like it is anywhere else...complicated and could never be casually cracked.

If Red is being honest (and why would he lie) what has happened cannot be dismissed as trivial.

Christ, it goes to the heart, the very core, the essence of personal account security here.

Title: Re: Passwords, Emails & Hacking
Post by mantra on Apr 9^th, 2014 at 9:43pm

Aussie wrote on Apr 9^th, 2014 at 8:07pm:

Christ, it goes to the heart, the very core, the essence of personal account security here.

It has to be accepted that no site is safe. We're supposed to change our bank log in numbers regularly to avoid hacking and if we care about someone getting into our membership here - or any other forum, then we need to be a bit more diligent with our passwords and change them occasionally.

Title: Re: Passwords, Emails & Hacking
Post by AiA in Atlanta on Apr 9^th, 2014 at 11:14pm

Aussie wrote on Apr 9^th, 2014 at 8:07pm:

Quote:

I think that's the point Aussie. Nobody knows.
FD is just saying it's more preventable if you change your passwords often and to more difficult things.

Aussie lives for incidences like these ... expect much forum Sturm und Drang ::)

Title: Re: Passwords, Emails & Hacking
Post by Bam on Apr 10^th, 2014 at 8:49am

The advice that is currently being offered is to change your passwords. This advice is incomplete, and therefore is dangerous.

The naive user will change their password and think they have done what they need to do. THIS IS WRONG!

Right now is the most likely time that crackers are exploiting this flaw. They will read the security advisory, write an exploit and deploy it, often on the same day. Then they will be potentially reading all the new passwords that users are providing in a mad rush to change their passwords. The irony here is that it is the new passwords that are as likely to be compromised.

The proper procedure is to make sure you change your passwords after the website administrators announce that they have fixed the flaw. Until that assurance has been given, any new password cannot be assumed to be safe from this exploit. Your old password isn't safe, either - so you may even find it best to change the password more than once.

When choosing a new password, long passwords are safer. People think that passwords of 8-10 characters full of numbers and punctuation are safe. They are not. An 18-character password composed of nothing but common words actually takes a lot longer to crack, even if the method of constructing the password is known. Here is an xkcd webcomic that illustrates the point.

Title: Re: Passwords, Emails & Hacking
Post by cods on Apr 10^th, 2014 at 9:45am

gees thanks for that?

we are now outsmarted by the freaking computer..

if only it would do the washing and ironing..cook a chook.. or make a cup of tea.

Title: Re: Passwords, Emails & Hacking
Post by muso on Apr 10^th, 2014 at 6:20pm

cods wrote on Apr 9^th, 2014 at 8:16am:

How does that explain how it appears this Thread was

,well at the end of the day... we only have Red Barons word for that???....only FD would be able to confirm it surely??...passwords are one thing what about email addresses..people have more than one......

its creepy though ..and it makes you wonder just how far this can go...

No. Red Baron was right. He didn't make the original post, unless he can travel very fast and change ISPs.

Title: Re: Passwords, Emails & Hacking
Post by cods on Apr 10^th, 2014 at 8:34pm

muso wrote on Apr 10^th, 2014 at 6:20pm:

cods wrote on Apr 9^th, 2014 at 8:16am:

No. Red Baron was right. He didn't make the original post, unless he can travel very fast and change ISPs.

I dont doubt him why would he lie.after all....but the point is... if it can be done...we are all at risk...

if we have to 18 letter passwords...

I am in a lot trouble...

Title: Re: Passwords, Emails & Hacking
Post by Lord skippy of the bush on Apr 10^th, 2014 at 9:17pm

muso wrote on Apr 10^th, 2014 at 6:20pm:

cods wrote on Apr 9^th, 2014 at 8:16am:

No. Red Baron was right. He didn't make the original post, unless he can travel very fast and change ISPs.

So to access Reds account someone would have to guess or know his password, wouldn't they? Not good.

Title: Re: Passwords, Emails & Hacking
Post by muso on Apr 11^th, 2014 at 7:22pm

cods wrote on Apr 10^th, 2014 at 9:45am:

gees thanks for that?

we are now outsmarted by the freaking computer..

if only it would do the washing and ironing..cook a chook.. or make a cup of tea.

Take your birthday date. The year (2 digit) can be a page in your favourite book. The month can be the line number on that page then use the day to count to the first letter in your password. It could start in the middle of a page. Write down the 18 letters that follow. If you forget it, you can look it up again.

Title: Re: Passwords, Emails & Hacking
Post by mantra on Apr 12^th, 2014 at 7:29am

skippy. wrote on Apr 10^th, 2014 at 9:17pm:

So to access Reds account someone would have to guess or know his password, wouldn't they? Not good.

Just a suggestion - whether FD and Muso are happy or not with me making one - it's made in consideration of Ozpolitic members. All those people who are using the same email address on Ozpolitic as they've used on PA should change their email address here.

Title: Re: Passwords, Emails & Hacking
Post by muso on Apr 12^th, 2014 at 9:09am

I don't think many ozpolitics members post at PA anyway. It's a very different environment.

I also don't know how people find the time to post in more than one politics forum. As I said previously, if you share passwords between forums (any forums), you lay yourself open to account hijacking.

Title: Re: Passwords, Emails & Hacking
Post by cods on Apr 12^th, 2014 at 9:19am

muso wrote on Apr 11^th, 2014 at 7:22pm:

cods wrote on Apr 10^th, 2014 at 9:45am:

gees thanks for that?

we are now outsmarted by the freaking computer..

if only it would do the washing and ironing..cook a chook.. or make a cup of tea.

look I am open to 18 letters for sure but only if it cooked the chook and did the ironing..

just to stop someone hacking into an account that is "meaningless"...... well.. not so sure why anyone would be bothered to be honest....

I think the person that did this..on a forum like this.. needs help.

Title: Re: Passwords, Emails & Hacking
Post by muso on Apr 12^th, 2014 at 10:00am

Off-Topic replies have been moved to this Topic.

Title: Re: Passwords, Emails & Hacking
Post by muso on Apr 12^th, 2014 at 10:01am

Sorry, I'm not going to let this thread degenerate into criticising other forums.

Title: Re: Passwords, Emails & Hacking
Post by mantra on Apr 12^th, 2014 at 10:10am

muso wrote on Apr 12^th, 2014 at 10:01am:

Sorry, I'm not going to let this thread degenerate into criticising other forums.

Of course not. It's best to stick with "what you don't know won't hurt you".

Title: Re: Passwords, Emails & Hacking
Post by AiA in Atlanta on Apr 12^th, 2014 at 10:19am

muso wrote on Apr 12^th, 2014 at 10:01am:

Sorry, I'm not going to let this thread degenerate into criticising other forums.

wise move friend. some are so sly with their criticisms of other forums ...

Title: Re: Passwords, Emails & Hacking
Post by miketrees on Apr 12^th, 2014 at 10:24am

Reading a lot of posts on this site makes me very suspicious that indeed a lot of usernames and passwords have been hacked by undesirable, unaustralian, oxygen thieves.

Title: Re: Passwords, Emails & Hacking
Post by mantra on Apr 12^th, 2014 at 10:29am

miketrees wrote on Apr 12^th, 2014 at 10:24am:

Reading a lot of posts on this site makes me very suspicious that indeed a lot of usernames and passwords have been hacked by undesirable, unaustralian, oxygen thieves.

Maybe that's because they're not Australian.

Title: Re: Passwords, Emails & Hacking
Post by miketrees on Apr 12^th, 2014 at 10:30am

I dont think they are from Earth

Title: Re: Passwords, Emails & Hacking
Post by WDKYMYS on Apr 13^th, 2014 at 8:22pm

skippy. wrote on Apr 10^th, 2014 at 9:17pm:

muso wrote on Apr 10^th, 2014 at 6:20pm:

cods wrote on Apr 9^th, 2014 at 8:16am:

No. Red Baron was right. He didn't make the original post, unless he can travel very fast and change ISPs.

So to access Reds account someone would have to guess or know his password, wouldn't they? Not good.

Especially not if Red Baron was dumb enough to use his name as his password ;D ;D

Title: Re: Passwords, Emails & Hacking
Post by skippy. on Apr 13^th, 2014 at 8:48pm

At least make your attempted troll mean something,fail. ::) ::)

Title: Re: Passwords, Emails & Hacking
Post by WDKYMYS on Apr 13^th, 2014 at 9:49pm

skippy. wrote on Apr 13^th, 2014 at 8:48pm:

At least make your attempted troll mean something,fail. ::) ::)

I would never troll you Skippy whatever do you mean...I could never ever be that bored...

Title: Re: Passwords, Emails & Hacking
Post by skippy. on Apr 14^th, 2014 at 10:26pm

The Mole wrote on Apr 13^th, 2014 at 9:49pm:

skippy. wrote on Apr 13^th, 2014 at 8:48pm:

At least make your attempted troll mean something,fail. ::) ::)

I would never troll you Skippy whatever do you mean...I could never ever be that bored...

Yet here you are. ::)
Does anyone know if we managed to hunt down and shackle the culprit?

Title: Re: Passwords, Emails & Hacking
Post by mantra on Apr 14^th, 2014 at 10:50pm

skippy. wrote on Apr 14^th, 2014 at 10:26pm:

Yet here you are. Roll Eyes
Does anyone know if we managed to hunt down and shackle the culprit?

I think he's been given one of these.

Title: Re: Passwords, Emails & Hacking
Post by Sir George of the Mash Tun on Apr 15^th, 2014 at 2:30pm

Long passwords, change them occasionally, don’t use your bank’s password here :D are the main things.