Security & your user profile details - please read this
15 March 2001, 12:16 AM
#2
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One other point I recently discovered, a private individual who registers a '.com' domain rather than a '.co.uk' has their address visible on the domain information when performing a 'whois'.
Apparantly this is due to a freedom of information act in the US, rather than the data protection in the uk, which won't show the address on a .co.uk whois.
Needless to say, if you've registered a .com domain in your home address this could be a security risk, especially if your site is dedicated to your car and it is kept at the same location.
My hosting company were quite willing to list their offices as the admin address on the domain records, rather than use my home.
Apparantly this is due to a freedom of information act in the US, rather than the data protection in the uk, which won't show the address on a .co.uk whois.
Needless to say, if you've registered a .com domain in your home address this could be a security risk, especially if your site is dedicated to your car and it is kept at the same location.
My hosting company were quite willing to list their offices as the admin address on the domain records, rather than use my home.
15 March 2001, 10:56 AM
#3
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Hi Chaps / Chapesses,
Most of you will already know this, but some may not.
Never use your real name and address (even county) when registering with Scoobynet (or any other bbs).
If you do some simple tools on the web can easily pinpoint your home address (and the number of your house), making it very easy for anyone wanting to pay you a visit and "admire" your car.
Obviously I'm not going to list the URL's for these tools. Needless to say its very easy to do.
So if anyone currently lists their address (or even just their county) in the user profile, I suggest you remove it.
Neil
Most of you will already know this, but some may not.
Never use your real name and address (even county) when registering with Scoobynet (or any other bbs).
If you do some simple tools on the web can easily pinpoint your home address (and the number of your house), making it very easy for anyone wanting to pay you a visit and "admire" your car.
Obviously I'm not going to list the URL's for these tools. Needless to say its very easy to do.
So if anyone currently lists their address (or even just their county) in the user profile, I suggest you remove it.
Neil
15 March 2001, 01:20 PM
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I'm all for security on the Internet but the ability to find out someones home address using a few simple clicks? I appreciate publically posting how to do this is possibly a bad move but I am interested to see this substantiated.
Would it be possible to email me more information? Just to character reference myself, I'm webmaster at Corsa Sport, we have a similar board and thus similar securty concerns. TIA.
Would it be possible to email me more information? Just to character reference myself, I'm webmaster at Corsa Sport, we have a similar board and thus similar securty concerns. TIA.
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15 March 2001, 02:08 PM
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And if you want people to be able to mail you and your email address states your full name then it doesn't matter what your username is - they will still work out where you live.
Once tactic you can use is to register with 192.com and they will mail you when anybody enquires about you. Not much help but better than nothing. Trouble is, this doesn't let you know if they just do a search on your name....
Matt.
Once tactic you can use is to register with 192.com and they will mail you when anybody enquires about you. Not much help but better than nothing. Trouble is, this doesn't let you know if they just do a search on your name....
Matt.
15 March 2001, 02:20 PM
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As Chiark says 192 is just one of the tools I was referring to.
There are plenty of other sites out there giving all sorts of info (i.e. price of the house in your street etc etc).
Back to my main point tho - its important to stay anonymous!
Neil
There are plenty of other sites out there giving all sorts of info (i.e. price of the house in your street etc etc).
Back to my main point tho - its important to stay anonymous!
Neil
15 March 2001, 02:33 PM
#15
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Grrr!!! 
Just tried 192.com and Scoot. Despite being ex-directory, my full name address and phone number is accessible. I also tried someone else who I know is very secretive about her whereabouts because of 2 stalkers in the past. Her details are also readily available.
This is disgusting. It's a charter for criminals and perverts. Is it legal to not be on the electoral register to prevent all this info being available? And how come the electoral register stores your (ex-directory) phone number.
May just change my name to John Smith. With a handle like mine, I must be the only one in the country.
Consider me one very unhappy bunny.
Jerome.
[This message has been edited by Jerome (edited 15 March 2001).]
Just tried 192.com and Scoot. Despite being ex-directory, my full name address and phone number is accessible. I also tried someone else who I know is very secretive about her whereabouts because of 2 stalkers in the past. Her details are also readily available.
This is disgusting. It's a charter for criminals and perverts. Is it legal to not be on the electoral register to prevent all this info being available? And how come the electoral register stores your (ex-directory) phone number.
May just change my name to John Smith. With a handle like mine, I must be the only one in the country.
Consider me one very unhappy bunny.
Jerome.
[This message has been edited by Jerome (edited 15 March 2001).]
15 March 2001, 03:13 PM
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Mmn, pretty scary this. I did a search, and it wouldn't have taken much from my previous profile to work out where I lived.
I've updated my location profile now (haven't bothered with the name/email thing *yet*), and I would encourage everyone else to do the same.
Question: If I change my profile, will it be reflected in my previous posts? I guess not, but I thought I would ask...
I've updated my location profile now (haven't bothered with the name/email thing *yet*), and I would encourage everyone else to do the same.
Question: If I change my profile, will it be reflected in my previous posts? I guess not, but I thought I would ask...
15 March 2001, 03:20 PM
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Shark,
Have you ever had any stolen from your premises. Listening to a conversation at Bell & Colvill while I was waiting for my car to be serviced I heard them say they had had 6 cars stolen from their dealership.
Have you ever had any stolen from your premises. Listening to a conversation at Bell & Colvill while I was waiting for my car to be serviced I heard them say they had had 6 cars stolen from their dealership.
15 March 2001, 03:34 PM
#20
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heres a trick for 192.com sufferers. I just got them to change my name! it sounds stupid, but I told them they had the wrong details and I offered the new ones and they did it really fast.!!!
rapiddescent
my01 wrx (still in the post)
rapiddescent
my01 wrx (still in the post)
15 March 2001, 03:49 PM
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Joey
Touch wood--->
, we have yet to have a car stolen, Well apart from a Meastro about 12 years ago, but that didn't bother us!!
We have 24 hr on site security, so we are better of than most.
David
Touch wood--->
, we have yet to have a car stolen, Well apart from a Meastro about 12 years ago, but that didn't bother us!!We have 24 hr on site security, so we are better of than most.
David
15 March 2001, 06:07 PM
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One option is to avoid filling out the electoral register form. I've been off it for 5 years for privacy reasons (I called the local council to ask if they would give me a written guarantee of privacy and they said they couldn't) and never had any hassle at all about it. I think the maximum penalty is about £1k fine - if you ever got charged with the offense I'm sure if you explained why then they would fine you £50 or something, and then just don't pay like the crooks and nothing will likely be done about it.
15 March 2001, 06:16 PM
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<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:<HR>Originally posted by ChrisB:
<B> It's my understanding that you have to write to 192.com <I>yearly</I> to ensure you stay off the site.
I believe each year they ship the entire electoral role out to China where they pay people peanuts to type everything in. Each year they start from fresh, hence you need to write yearly.
Chris.[/quote]
Mmmmm, just checked with 192 and they came back with:
"Once you have entered your details for removal you will be omitted from all future infodisk products."
LOL about the Chinese stuff too - somebody has to be joking...
<B> It's my understanding that you have to write to 192.com <I>yearly</I> to ensure you stay off the site.
I believe each year they ship the entire electoral role out to China where they pay people peanuts to type everything in. Each year they start from fresh, hence you need to write yearly.
Chris.[/quote]
Mmmmm, just checked with 192 and they came back with:
"Once you have entered your details for removal you will be omitted from all future infodisk products."
LOL about the Chinese stuff too - somebody has to be joking...
15 March 2001, 10:48 PM
#30
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All,
don't get _too_ paranoid about all this!!
Sure, 192.com can find your address from a name, but so can the the Electoral Register - which is a public document - go to your local library! The whole 192.com database is available on CD for only a few tens of pounds (or a bit more for FULL reverse lookup).
If you really want to be anonymous - forget credit cards or even bank accounts. But how are you going to pay for your petrol then?
Oh, and can you _really_ trust your local Scooby garage - after all, they know your address AND have your keys (to be copied)!
Yes, it does make sense to have a pseudonym for your Scoobynet name, and no obvious e-mail address. Also, don't divulge information to anyone without being sure of the destinations (e.g. address, holiday dates, car details).
Just be sensible!
mb
p.s. I live in Birmingham, and my name can be guessed by cross-referencing various posts and web-sites, and my car is known by other Scoobynet members, and i am in the phone book, and i shop and buy petrol by credit card, and i have MASSIVE security precautions on and around my car (which may or may not be a Scooby!).
don't get _too_ paranoid about all this!!
Sure, 192.com can find your address from a name, but so can the the Electoral Register - which is a public document - go to your local library! The whole 192.com database is available on CD for only a few tens of pounds (or a bit more for FULL reverse lookup).
If you really want to be anonymous - forget credit cards or even bank accounts. But how are you going to pay for your petrol then?
Oh, and can you _really_ trust your local Scooby garage - after all, they know your address AND have your keys (to be copied)!
Yes, it does make sense to have a pseudonym for your Scoobynet name, and no obvious e-mail address. Also, don't divulge information to anyone without being sure of the destinations (e.g. address, holiday dates, car details).
Just be sensible!
mb
p.s. I live in Birmingham, and my name can be guessed by cross-referencing various posts and web-sites, and my car is known by other Scoobynet members, and i am in the phone book, and i shop and buy petrol by credit card, and i have MASSIVE security precautions on and around my car (which may or may not be a Scooby!).