Private messages are NOT private

[Christine]

Originally posted on EE website: http://earthempaths.net/wp/2015/12/28/p ... t-private/



On any board. Vbulletin, phpBB, Invision ...you name it.

Users can only hope and trust that an admin with access to cPanel will not do that.

Assume somebody will read your PM's. Don't share sensitive info. Don't be naive.

This is how the database looks for the PM table (only opened once for the purpose of this article):



I covered the sensitive info but you get the picture.

All boards, all forums.

What is needed it's a mod (app) for encrypting the messages in the database. In such a way to make it very hard for the snoopy admin to decrypt the info.

While there are various mods for encrypted PM's they are a pain to install and maintain and the person installing it will still be able to decrypt the messages.

Maybe one day...

[Exit-0]

A long time ago, I had suspicions that my Private Messages were being looked-at, in another website. The administrator assured me that wasn't being done during a back-room discussion I had with him. He said something about it being impossible, or too difficult, or some other words to that effect.

It all reduces to a "trust issue". Does one trust their most personal information with someone else on the internet?

At some level of existence, somewhere out in the Multiverse of Possibilities, there exists a place where there are no secrets between separate individuals. At that place all thoughts are transparent to every other separate soul. No individual is capable of gaining control over any other individual using secret cabals, and magical powers.

I so wish to return to that, Happy Place....

[Pluto's Child]

There is a simple solution to this, start a second account & send pictures of your bum to yourself.


I have noticed that the "bots" are seen as registered users, does this mean google etc have full access to the "members only" part of the forum ?

[Christine]

Good question. Leaves it for the test cat.

The funny thing is that the "contributors only" thread is of no real interest to anyone who would wonder what goes on inside ee.

There is a simple solution to this, start a second account & send pictures of your bum to yourself.

I have noticed that the "bots" are seen as registered users, does this mean google etc have full access to the "members only" part of the forum ?

[Naga_Fireball]

Thank you for your bravery, Christine. Also the poster under beginning of thread had similar experience to mine on other site, the admin plays dumb/innocent while they ransack...

Even on Mmowned the admins told fewer lies.

[Cristian]

I have noticed that the "bots" are seen as registered users, does this mean google etc have full access to the "members only" part of the forum ?

The members only forum is not indexed by the various bots.

This is a cached version of what how the google bot sees the board index:

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/s ... clnk&gl=ro

[Pluto's Child]

For what it's worth, on vbulliten forums admin can log in as any member, which not only means reading PMs, it also means they can delete them, send them, make posts in a members name, and give "thanks" which can be used as a subtle psy-op, such as making it appear that a friend is thanking someone "trolling" you.

[norman]

I have noticed that the "bots" are seen as registered users, does this mean google etc have full access to the "members only" part of the forum ?

The members only forum is not indexed by the various bots.

This is a cached version of what how the google bot sees the board index:

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/s ... clnk&gl=ro

That's assuming Google is revealing all it has, which, all things considered, is doubtful.

[norman]

So, running a forum, is like running the banking system. A dictator's wet dream come true.

What causes are there for an administrator to have the members PMs all laid out across their monitor?

Do moderators have access to the PMs?

When an administrator logs in as a member, can they bypass the password stage?

Are the passwords viewable?

[Pluto's Child]

So, running a forum, is like running the banking system. A dictator's wet dream come true.

What causes are there for an administrator to have the members PMs all laid out across their monitor?

You answered your own question before you asked it mate !

Do moderators have access to the PMs?

When an administrator logs in as a member, can they bypass the password stage?

Are the passwords viewable?

Not on any forum I have seen, mods just have more buttons than members ie, edit on every post & some options like merge threads & ban member.

Other than that there is just a mod section, often there is an admin section too not accessible to mods.

Admin have a control panel with endless options, they can change anything, from members avatars to the style & format of the forum.