Pedelecs reported as an attack site

swinnerton

Pedelecer
Aug 1, 2008
29
0
I to have received a copy of this repulsive e mail...this totally unacceptable use of personal details needs to be investigated by whosoever is responsible for the running of this site and the necessary steps taken to ensure that this sort of misuse does not recur.
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
53,212
30,608
No other ill effects than the spam e-mail, and those I selectively delete at the ISP's server so they never enter my system.

As Russ made clear, it's not a pedelecs site caused problem, it's the site provider v-bulletin that has been hacked.
 

Biged

Esteemed Pedelecer
Dec 7, 2010
269
0
Watnall, Nottingham
Pedelec Spam

Had this turn up in my inbox this morning from webmaster@pedelecs.co.uk


Dear Anonymous,

The purpose of this message is to inform you about the Revolution:

OCCUPY HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT IN LONDON ON NOVEMBER 5, 2012.
OCCUPY CONGRESS IN WASHINGTON D.C. ON NOVEMBER 11, 2012.

STOP WAR.
CANCEL ALL DEBT.
REDISTRIBUTE WEALTH.

Please, watch the "Nazi Banksters' Crimes Ripple Effect" movie to find out why, how, and to have sound arguments to persuade others. The movie can be easily found with a search engine.

Please, print the flyers at 2012jubilee.info and distribute them.

Please, spread this message and the movie to everyone you know.

-Anonymous


Strange....most strange! :confused:
 

funkylyn

Esteemed Pedelecer
Feb 22, 2011
3,172
27
South Shields, Tyne & Wear
See Pedelecs reported as attack site thread Biged........and join the club :)

Lynda :)
 

rsscott

Administrator
Staff member
Aug 17, 2006
1,399
196
Sorry to everyone who received a spam email. It looks what happened is the hackers (I can think of some other words I use would to describe them) found an exploit in the vBulletin software which we use to run the site. The exploit allowed them to redirect the forum to another site and also send a spam email using the site's email system. I don't believe the email addresses of users will be have been taken but rather they just created some code to email all the users on the forum.

I'm checking all the software to make sure it is up to date, I can't guarantee it won't happen again as other than the visual design of the site the rest of the code is commercial software and we are reliant upon the developers to find and fix holes as they occur. There are a large number of sites affected.

I would suggest all users check to make sure they don't use the same password on this site as their email password. You may want to sign up for a free email address and use that instead. We don't keep personal information on anyone so they won't know your names, addresses etc.

I can't afford for this to keep happening so I am currently looking at moving away completely from vBulletin and creating a whole new site.
 

rsscott

Administrator
Staff member
Aug 17, 2006
1,399
196
Can I also ask everyone replies to this thread rather than just creating new ones.
 

halfer

Esteemed Pedelecer
Just got one of these yesterday afternoon. A few points for edification and/or amusement:

  • I wouldn't necessarily move from vBulletin to another forum, unless it is felt that this platform is particularly risky. The trick is to keep up with security updates on a regular basis - I check my Wordpress installation mostly every day, for example.
  • I agree that spamming and hacking is a poor way of distributing a political message. It is also illegal in a number of countries (but of course whether a law has been broken depends where the hack came from - that the site likely operates under British law is not relevant).
  • With the last point in mind, if you're more annoyed about receiving spam than what the bankers have done to the world economy - and all the accompanying austerity ideology - then you're not paying attention.
  • The branding of the spam and the website makes it appear to be from the group "Anonymous", who have been involved in a number of anti-Scientology and pro-Wikileaks actions. Thus far they have not put forward any religious ideas, and I would guess they'd chase off their core supporters if they did so. Hence, the Deuteronomy-quoting, the God's Laws nuttery and the crown-of-thorns iconography suggests that it is not them.
  • And the problem with the last point is that since Anonymous is a loose collective, rather than an organisation, anyone can claim to be speaking up for them; there is no leader and no hierarchy. But I suspect there will be some disavowals from Anonymous members regarding this nonsense.
Incidentally, this is why I create a different email address for every site I use. Non-technophobes here could get themselves a cPanel account for a few quid a month (available at a squillion different hosting companies), and create a new address whenever they need one - and if one gets into the hands of spammers, just delete it and create a new one.
 
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vectra

Pedelecer
Feb 5, 2011
213
5
Electronic Arts

Hi.
I realise that this post is related to those posted re' attack site, however I've just received an email from a company called "Electronic Arts" or "EA"and I don't want this post to be lost amongst all the others. Email states that I now have an account open with them. Never heard of them. Has anyone else had an email from this lot?

Particularly interested if you also received the email from webmaster@pedelecs.co.uk yesterday.

Regards
Vectra
 

halfer

Esteemed Pedelecer
It appears the owner of this forum has used our personal email addresses to send an unlawful message inciting civil unrest and an illegal act (the call to occupy Parliament is unlawful, with severe penalties for anyone who attempts it).
Women chaining themselves up outside of parliament demanding equal voting rights was also illegal, but then you sound like the sort of angry tabloid reader who'd be opposed to that also.

I was unaware that my details were still registered on this forum, as I haven't looked in here for a year or more, until the forum owner sent this distasteful message, clearly misusing the personal information I gave when I joined several years ago.
Your message brings to mind an urban legend in which a bamboozled computer owner calls a technical support line to complain that his computer won't work during a power cut. Perhaps you'd consider putting your computer back in its box? :p
 

bode

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 14, 2008
626
0
Hertfordshire and Bath
I feel quite left out of this big drama, as I (Windows 7/ Firefox) have had no untoward experiences since the intitial problem was sorted out (as was thought) a month ago.

Touch wood...
 

halfer

Esteemed Pedelecer
I feel quite left out of this big drama, as I (Windows 7/ Firefox) have had no untoward experiences since the intitial problem was sorted out (as was thought) a month ago.
I think this thread is covering two issues - there was some chat about viruses and whatnot in its early stages, but the spam email is a new thing, I think. The latter will affect anyone, since it is an attack on the server, not users' computers.
 

funkylyn

Esteemed Pedelecer
Feb 22, 2011
3,172
27
South Shields, Tyne & Wear
I feel quite left out of this big drama, as I (Windows 7/ Firefox) have had no untoward experiences since the intitial problem was sorted out (as was thought) a month ago.

Touch wood...
Yes, ok Roger, stop bragging :D and let us in on your secret.....I have windows 7/chrome and am not very technical but did a full avg thingy this morning and all seems well......anything else a non techno can do......or are we all in the lap of the gods ........and Russ ?

Keep touching your wood :D

Lynda :)
 

Biged

Esteemed Pedelecer
Dec 7, 2010
269
0
Watnall, Nottingham
Pedelec Spam

I posted a thread this morning, it was an email i i had received from *********@pedelec.co.uk
I have not completed the web address this time.

It has been removed?

I have no problem at all with my postings being removed if they cause offence, are considered inappropriate or are just plain stupid.

Why was it removed and why no notification?

As i said this morning Strange....very strange! :mad:
 

funkylyn

Esteemed Pedelecer
Feb 22, 2011
3,172
27
South Shields, Tyne & Wear
I posted a thread this morning, it was an email i i had received from *********@pedelec.co.uk
I have not completed the web address this time.

It has been removed?

I have no problem at all with my postings being removed if they cause offence, are considered inappropriate or are just plain stupid.

Why was it removed and why no notification?

As i said this morning Strange....very strange! :mad:
Yes, and I noticed my reply to you went to the other thread.......very strange......but hey,at least its sunny :D

Lynda :)
 

Fordulike

Esteemed Pedelecer
Feb 26, 2010
3,802
1,538
Join pforpedelecs, banish petrol, free electricity, ride over your enemies ..... moofah fah fah fah fah