Are we members at risk for hacking?

Moderators

You all continue to have great ideas. We'll keep you posted on the updates! Thank you, thank you!

Freya244117

I have just joined after occasionally reading for about 8 years. Apart from the spam, the other problem you have, as has been mentioned, is people with health anxieties in the not dxd but worried section. I'm not sure how you can deal with that to be honest. I don't believe it is good for them or the forum to be allowed to continue to post after being given the all clear medically.

It was only after reading this thread and believing that changes were being made to address the above issues that I finally joined. Thank you mods.

NancyHB

To appear more legitimate, the spammers are now searching for and cut and pasting previous posts from BCO (and can still post links in their signature line). I saw this about a week ago and it happened again just now.

It had happened a couple of years ago, too, if I remember correctly. That bothers me more than anything else - using our own words to cover your spam

ceanna

Question for the techies here. When legitimate links are posted in the threads, I always try to remember to right click on the link and open in a new window. Is there risk in opening the link directly in the same window, thereby, moving out and then back into the BCO threads, or less risk by opening in a new window? If there is more risk to opening within the same window, why does BCO allow links to open in the same window or is it a browser issue?

Anonymous

Ceanna, good question. Can I ask, (you don't have to answer if you don't want to) what browser? Someone correct me if I'm wrong but I'm sure it's more a browser issue rather than a site issue.

I hear chrome is very secure, BUT horrible for privacy. Since I try and strangle google as much as possible I won't do chrome under any circumstances.

Notwithstanding the increasingly underhand ways browsers are tracking users (a privacy issue), they are coming up with new ways to make things more secure like sandboxing though I'm not up with exactly where they're at with this and how granular the sandboxing is. For those unfamiliar with sandboxing, your operating system is typically isolated from your browser sessions which at termination can (depending on settings) completely flush all traces including any inadvertant nasties you clicked on in your travels. ANY level of sandboxing is always ALWAYS going to be a good thing security wise.

Next, you're mentioning risk so it's necessary to define what we're risking - it comes down to security and privacy (privacy in its ultimate sense, anonymity). These two can be separate but are mostly co dependent and inextricably linked. Thus, you always have start by asking yourself, private and secure from who and what? That will change depending on what site you're visiting and what you're doing. For example you're not going to expect to be anonymous and thus private from your bank when you bank online, but you certainly want the maximum security possible. Conversely, if you're just browsing a forum where you're not registered, or if you are, you're not logged in then that's a different threat model.

All that said, I'm assuming that at BCO if you're clicking on LEGIT links, by opening them in new windows or in private browsing mode, your concern is a privacy one. If that's the case then it's all going to depend on how much you've hardened your browser. There's still other sneaky ways a site can link you to here, many of which I've discussed in your privacy thread. Generally the ONLY way you're going to remain anonymous is to obfuscate your ip address and MAC address (which is your hardware NIC) and to do that requires VPNs (that don't leak such as DNS requests) and other options outside the scope of this thread. If you just want your session @ BCO to not be tracked across sites, this is what I'd do (in FF) : > RightCLk on link > save link as > paste into wordpad (or similar) > close browser session > open new session > paste link into address bar. If that's too tedious, and if you haven't already, I'd start by disabling all cookies or at least 3rd party cookies. I'd also disable scripts with a script blocker, which accounts for the majority of ways we can be tracked, scammed and so on. However the tradeoff is less convenience like micro managing scripts if a site breaks and won't show the content we want to see.

HTHS

Anonymous

Mods, though I haven't been looking in the section where the most spam occurs I haven't seen as much of it at the top level when I've visited, so thankyou for what you're doing. Spam is so obnoxious. I did see a sneaky one a couple of days ago that had no http but had a .com in it's title, so these idiots are being more inventive for sure.

I definitely hope there is a limit on newbies starting threads and to a lesser degree initial/short term posting limits. I'm sure that would severely hamper spamming efforts.

Freyer I agree that it's unhealthy for people stick around here after an all clear and additionally those who refuse to be dxd. The only exception for people to stay around would be for caregivers.

ceanna

Thanks musical. I'm not sure I understand all you discussed, but I use IE most of the time and dislike Chrome and Google. I'm most concerned if I'm allowing my privacy to be compromised by going out and then back in the threads by clicking on a legit link. What is that new site able to glean from my browsing in the BCO threads? Understandably, I should probably just do as you suggest--cut and paste links to a list and go to them once I've closed (and deleted cache) my browser and then reopened. I'm concerned how invasive websites can be and don't want to give them private info by going out and back into the BCO boards. I don't know if BCO has ever addressed that issue which ties back to our discussion about privacy and Outbrain links in the previous thread.

I hate that I need to prevent digital invasion of privacy. My cell phone just started asking me if I'd like to add the picture I just took to Google maps and tells me where I just took the picture. Now, that's invasive!!! I can't figure why it started or how to turn it off. Big brother IS watching!!! I'm about ready to go off the grid.

Anonymous

Hi Ceanna, (and others interested)

Privacy invasions, Big Brother, cell phone issues yes yes and yes. I hear you! Sadly unless we take some action about this ourselves we can't trust that websites will do it for us even if their intentions are good. The real technological issues involved are something the vast majority of people don't want to face, much less deal with it even on a superficial level. (to be clear I can't blame them!!!!!) To answer your concerns (within my capabilities) about how to know what websites know about you, there's only one real sure way. That is some type of traffic analysis. That sounds scary and in it's full capacity it IS. I'll touch on an easier method (soon) so don't be put off, but I think it's more appropriate to revisit your thread as I don't want to detract too much from the OP's intentions here.

I'll say this though. At some point, each person has to evaluate a level of action proportional to where they stand on this invasion of privacy and to keep themselves SECURE from that, like hacking you - and for what? yeah to get your private details so they can rip you off, or do you harm just for the sake of it and other evil practises. Thanks but no thanks. I have my own line drawn and have adopted certain measures to satisfy that need. If I hadn't taken these steps I would have indeed pulled the plug long ago. Needless to say privacy and security are very important to me. Some people salivate over all this techy stuff and absolutely love all the challenges it poses. What I do is more out of necessity than an outright love for all this. I'd frankly prefer to spend my time doing other things but as it stands right now, the benefits of what I get from the internet are in line with the measures I am forced to adopt to protect myself from it. Yes it's a bit ironic!