Wed Sep 14, 2005 3:23 pm
Good grief! This is awful.
Now, I had not been on the site at all yesterday, was planning to go on late last night to at least feed my pets, do dailies, etc. But RL things prevented me.
So, I'm going to guess that I am safe? I always come here first just to see what's happening, if there's anything new, any glitches, etc.
Part of me wants to steer way clear of the site, part of me wants to go check that everything is ok. I'll have to go with the part of me wanting to stay away for the time being.
As to why someone would do something like this (cookie grabbers, etc.) - IMHO it's a) because they think it's fun, especially given TNT's firm stance that the site's never been and never will be "hacked";
b) because they are testing if they work - I'm too computer illiterate and have no desire to know such things, but I understand there are places where you can easily and legally learn about them;
c) because they CAN - they already know at least the basics (also speaks to a) (they think it's fun in some really perverse way);
d) the most troubling - it's practice. If someone can do something to a game site, then they could, theoretically, use that and gain the additional knowledge to go after bigger, RL things. My roomie's email being hacked and her personal financial information being taken and used was a real eye opener.
I also agree with the statement that just because someone has visited a site with a CG or other baddie (keylogger, etc.) does NOT make them stupid. What are people supposed to do, never go anywhere on the internet? What good is having a computer with internet access if we have to be afraid of every place we go? I know of the petpage mentioned, have read it in the past. I have to say I don't agree with everything written there. I don't like some of the assumptions made. Edit: Thank you Inrun
Browser/computer security is important for everyone to take care of as best they can - Firefox is good, but not perfect. IE has had security updates to (supposedly?) help stop the incidence of CG. Having a firewall, anti-virus, anti-spyware programs, keeping them updated and doing scans regularly can help. I also clear all cookies, temporary internet after every site I visit as part of my safer surfing. But no one, I don't think, is completely immune from everything.
I hope TNT is able to find and stop this, clear out whatever bad has been put on the site and tighten whatever hole was found and compromised. I wouldn't want to be in staffs' shoes today. What a nightmare for them.
Unfortunately, that will probably negatively impact the rest of us in some way. Every time a few bad eggs find a way to mess with things, the rest of us are burdened with more, stricter rules - which most of us don't know until we try to innocently do something (coding) or are frozen for something we didn't know was wrong.
BTW - disabling java may or may not help - I don't really understand all the workings of javascript (told you I was illiterate) - but I know of 2 people who've been frozen for disabling jscript for rs'ing - frozen, I believe, for something like an "unfair advantage". Though I have seen tech sites strongly recommend disabling java just on principle because of the bad things it can be used for.
I don't understand how someone could have put any javascript anywhere on the site - I tried once on a petpage (a no right click, very basic thing) and it wouldn't let me. You can't even type javascript on the boards let alone use it anywhere on the site. At least us normal folks don't seem to be able to.
The problems with the site, when they pop up, seem to be getting bigger and happening regularly. The last big duping incident - there had been dupes before, first seeming to be glitches, then people finding out how to do it at will - that was supposed to have been fixed. We all found out that it hadn't been, or hadn't completely been fixed.
A rep from my internet provider visited the site while I was on the phone with him a while back and he said he thought there was something weird with the way it's set up. He didn't know what or how (not his area), but he said it just didn't seem "right".
Now, I had not been on the site at all yesterday, was planning to go on late last night to at least feed my pets, do dailies, etc. But RL things prevented me.
So, I'm going to guess that I am safe? I always come here first just to see what's happening, if there's anything new, any glitches, etc.
Part of me wants to steer way clear of the site, part of me wants to go check that everything is ok. I'll have to go with the part of me wanting to stay away for the time being.
As to why someone would do something like this (cookie grabbers, etc.) - IMHO it's a) because they think it's fun, especially given TNT's firm stance that the site's never been and never will be "hacked";
b) because they are testing if they work - I'm too computer illiterate and have no desire to know such things, but I understand there are places where you can easily and legally learn about them;
c) because they CAN - they already know at least the basics (also speaks to a) (they think it's fun in some really perverse way);
d) the most troubling - it's practice. If someone can do something to a game site, then they could, theoretically, use that and gain the additional knowledge to go after bigger, RL things. My roomie's email being hacked and her personal financial information being taken and used was a real eye opener.
I also agree with the statement that just because someone has visited a site with a CG or other baddie (keylogger, etc.) does NOT make them stupid. What are people supposed to do, never go anywhere on the internet? What good is having a computer with internet access if we have to be afraid of every place we go? I know of the petpage mentioned, have read it in the past. I have to say I don't agree with everything written there. I don't like some of the assumptions made. Edit: Thank you Inrun
Browser/computer security is important for everyone to take care of as best they can - Firefox is good, but not perfect. IE has had security updates to (supposedly?) help stop the incidence of CG. Having a firewall, anti-virus, anti-spyware programs, keeping them updated and doing scans regularly can help. I also clear all cookies, temporary internet after every site I visit as part of my safer surfing. But no one, I don't think, is completely immune from everything.
I hope TNT is able to find and stop this, clear out whatever bad has been put on the site and tighten whatever hole was found and compromised. I wouldn't want to be in staffs' shoes today. What a nightmare for them.
Unfortunately, that will probably negatively impact the rest of us in some way. Every time a few bad eggs find a way to mess with things, the rest of us are burdened with more, stricter rules - which most of us don't know until we try to innocently do something (coding) or are frozen for something we didn't know was wrong.
BTW - disabling java may or may not help - I don't really understand all the workings of javascript (told you I was illiterate) - but I know of 2 people who've been frozen for disabling jscript for rs'ing - frozen, I believe, for something like an "unfair advantage". Though I have seen tech sites strongly recommend disabling java just on principle because of the bad things it can be used for.
I don't understand how someone could have put any javascript anywhere on the site - I tried once on a petpage (a no right click, very basic thing) and it wouldn't let me. You can't even type javascript on the boards let alone use it anywhere on the site. At least us normal folks don't seem to be able to.
The problems with the site, when they pop up, seem to be getting bigger and happening regularly. The last big duping incident - there had been dupes before, first seeming to be glitches, then people finding out how to do it at will - that was supposed to have been fixed. We all found out that it hadn't been, or hadn't completely been fixed.
A rep from my internet provider visited the site while I was on the phone with him a while back and he said he thought there was something weird with the way it's set up. He didn't know what or how (not his area), but he said it just didn't seem "right".
Last edited by everconfused on Wed Sep 14, 2005 3:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Wed Sep 14, 2005 3:23 pm
I'm just going to note; calling people stupid because they fell for scams or had their cookies grabbed or whatever is totally innapropriate; and if it happens again on this thread, the consequences will not be friendly.
Got it? Good.
Got it? Good.
Wed Sep 14, 2005 3:27 pm
ahoteinrun wrote:I'm just going to note; calling people stupid because they fell for scams or had their cookies grabbed or whatever is totally innapropriate; and if it happens again on this thread, the consequences will not be friendly.
Got it? Good.
Who is that directed towards Ahotein?
Wed Sep 14, 2005 3:50 pm
Slime Lord wrote:ahoteinrun wrote:I'm just going to note; calling people stupid because they fell for scams or had their cookies grabbed or whatever is totally innapropriate; and if it happens again on this thread, the consequences will not be friendly.
Got it? Good.
Who is that directed towards Ahotein?
I believe that was for an earlier post that was made (page 1 I think)
I just don't understand why people feel the need to do things like this. If you find a breach in the security why not just mail the staff and let them know instead of taking the fun out of the game for alot of people.
Wed Sep 14, 2005 4:28 pm
Eh. I just like putting on my general's hat for these kind of situations 
Something I've found out is that some of the people who have lost everything were Firefox users. (My point: Don't assume you're safe just because you have FireFox)
I just want to stress that no matter what you're using, just be careful when you're participating in a part that may have been set up by another user.
Proceed with extreme caution...
Something I've found out is that some of the people who have lost everything were Firefox users. (My point: Don't assume you're safe just because you have FireFox)
I just want to stress that no matter what you're using, just be careful when you're participating in a part that may have been set up by another user.
Proceed with extreme caution...
Wed Sep 14, 2005 4:39 pm
It's still going on? I think i'll wait until tomorrow to request my Password, hopefully it'll be all sorted, cheers for theheads up.
Wed Sep 14, 2005 5:20 pm
ScottNak wrote:Eh. I just like putting on my general's hat for these kind of situations
Something I've found out is that some of the people who have lost everything were Firefox users. (My point: Don't assume you're safe just because you have FireFox)
I just want to stress that no matter what you're using, just be careful when you're participating in a part that may have been set up by another user.
Proceed with extreme caution...
Interesting - in a disturbing way. I wonder if the folks at firefox are aware of this, if there's anything they can do or think of to protect people using the browser. It almost sounds like it's some sort of sick "test" to find weaknesses in firefox as well as neo.
Wed Sep 14, 2005 5:39 pm
everconfused wrote:ScottNak wrote:Eh. I just like putting on my general's hat for these kind of situations
Something I've found out is that some of the people who have lost everything were Firefox users. (My point: Don't assume you're safe just because you have FireFox)
I just want to stress that no matter what you're using, just be careful when you're participating in a part that may have been set up by another user.
Proceed with extreme caution...
Interesting - in a disturbing way. I wonder if the folks at firefox are aware of this, if there's anything they can do or think of to protect people using the browser. It almost sounds like it's some sort of sick "test" to find weaknesses in firefox as well as neo.
The only reason that the people that are being caught out are using firefox is that people on other browsers are more likely to stay away. It's a false security. Firefox does protect you more from cookie grabbers - that is true. However these cookie grabbers are on a trusted site - they have been written to look like they come from neopets, hence why they are so effective - no browser can ever protect you against those as far as I am aware.
Thinking any one browser is safer against those is dangerous, firefox users should stay away the same as other users if these cookie grabbers are really on there.
Wed Sep 14, 2005 6:26 pm
hmm, this is nuts!
Any word on if we can go back now?
Any word on if we can go back now?
Wed Sep 14, 2005 6:53 pm
I kinda missed out, so I changed my password and logged out. I had no idea this was going on. oO
...
Wed Sep 14, 2005 9:48 pm
ahoteinrun wrote:I'm just going to note; calling people stupid because they fell for scams or had their cookies grabbed or whatever is totally innapropriate; and if it happens again on this thread, the consequences will not be friendly.
Got it? Good.
Thank you ^^ My sister went on a few seemingly harmless sites a few months ago and got a really nasty computer virus. We had to call Geeks A Knocking to come out and fix it, and we still lost a bunch of stuff. Was she stupid? No. We had Firefox, virus scans, firewalls, the whole thing. Sometimes bad things happen to good people
And I'm staying off of Neopets for the time being, this is just scary! I had just got interested in my Neohome, too . . .
Wed Sep 14, 2005 10:05 pm
cosmicaxe wrote:What a lot of crap!!!! Stupid people are being scammed, not hacked. Read this page petpage. NoYouWereNotHacked<hr>ahoteinrun wrote:....... If I was to hack (which I don't, far to noble, and too computer illiterate for that matter) why would I want to go telling people?
Meh.
And why would you waste time with New Member accounts if you were a hacker? Why wouldn't you hack somebody like featheralley or jazz_invincible? And why would you be hacking Neopets and not Swiss bank accounts? The people on the boards suffer from too much 'groupthink' and never stop to look at the impossibilities, only the rumours
SNak Edit: Don't double post. If you have something to add, use the EDIT button on the top right corrner of your post.
Surely you realize hacking a "Swiss bank" is riskier than hacking your average website...
And as for why hackers talk about what they do, it's generally pride in their work and skills.
Wed Sep 14, 2005 10:16 pm
Any news on whether whatever happened is over? Neopets without shops is pretty much useless to me, heh 
Wed Sep 14, 2005 10:45 pm
*avoids the site like the plague*
People just have to ruin all the fun, don't they?
People just have to ruin all the fun, don't they?
Wed Sep 14, 2005 10:49 pm
Yes. They do. But you have got to admit, all of us. It takes some large lemwarts to do this sort of thing to Neopets and TNT in today. Five years ago it wouldn't be as interesting, today it is.
Like I said earlier, I give this person a congrats in the most unrespected way I guess. I just hope everyone can get their accounts back for the most part. Money you can make back, your username you most often can't.
Like I said earlier, I give this person a congrats in the most unrespected way I guess. I just hope everyone can get their accounts back for the most part. Money you can make back, your username you most often can't.