│ Actually, I'm glad they don't fetch much attention. Part of
│ the reason this subject interests me, and why I changed the
│ subject line, is the question of BBS security. I am very
│ surprised at how many BBSs require enough information to
│ get a credit card in your name, even just to find out what
│ they have to offer. Some of that, such as phone number,
│ is a hangover from the old days when many didn't have
│ call display and had to pay for lines to keep the board up.
│ Nowadays, I think it is highly inapropriate to be asking
│ for someone's sex and phone number. I wonder what's up
│ with that. It seems to me that a BBS is a great phishing
└─[V=>E]

I have tried to change the questions on my board as best as I can so as not
to collect too much "personal" info. However, also being an "old fart," BBS-wise, I am still of the notion that I would like to know a little about
a person, and someone who is intent to be up to no good on a BBS usually
will give up before answering too many questions. I see it as a way to
weed those folks out.

Unless you are running an open-source package, and know how to program in
the language it is written in, it can be real hard to stop the software
from asking some questions, though.

##MMR 2.61ß. !link V 2-04-10 3:06
--- BgNet 1.0ß12 - Capitol City Online * KY/US * 502/875-8938 * cco.ath.cx

Re: Bbs Security (was Freenet
By: MIKE POWELL to VOXIGO on Sat Feb 06 2010 04:41 pm

I have tried to change the questions on my board as best as I can so as not to collect too much "personal" info. However, also being an "old fart," BBS-wise, I am still of the notion that I would like to know a little about a person, and someone who is intent to be up to no good on a BBS usually will give up before answering too many questions. I see it as a way to
weed those folks out.

Not neccessarily true. If I feel like a SysOp is being too intrusive and asking me for too much personal information I'll hang up. And I'm a goody-two-shoes.

--Rassilon...

-Enid we never really knew each other anyway...


---
■ Synchronet ■ Vertrauen ■ Home of Synchronet ■ telnet://vert.synchro.net

Re: Bbs Security (was Freenet
By: Rassilon to MIKE POWELL on Sat Feb 06 2010 09:52 pm

Not neccessarily true. If I feel like a SysOp is being too intrusive and asking me for too much personal information I'll hang up. And I'm a goody-two-shoes.

same here.. I don't mind to answer the questions that's required for doorgames etc like sex and birthdate and an email but nothing more than that.

why does a sysop need someones address and home phone number? I never understood that.. even if for verification purposes, why would someones physical properties need verified? it's not like they're buying a car.. sheesh..


--

Tim Smith (Mrproper)
WarZone BBS: warzone.synchro.net
BBSsearch : http://search.synchro.net

---
■ Synchronet ■ Warzone - warzone.synchro.net - Chatsworth GA, USA

Re: Bbs Security (was Freenet
By: mrproper to Rassilon on Sun Feb 07 2010 01:38:11

Re: Bbs Security (was Freenet
By: Rassilon to MIKE POWELL on Sat Feb 06 2010 09:52 pm

Not neccessarily true. If I feel like a SysOp is being too intrusive and asking me for too much personal information I'll hang up. And I'm a goody-two-shoes.

same here.. I don't mind to answer the questions that's required for doorgam etc like sex and birthdate and an email but nothing more than that.

why does a sysop need someones address and home phone number? I never understood that.. even if for verification purposes, why would someones physical properties need verified? it's not like they're buying a car.. sheesh..

--

Tim Smith (Mrproper)
WarZone BBS: warzone.synchro.net
BBSsearch : http://search.synchro.net

Back in the day it was actually supposed to be collected for mailers and things I never agreed with. My user databases were always private. Also if someone was doing something illegal on your bbs and you were questioned you needed to know who they were not just a handle. Privacy is a must. If you don't trust a sysop it's like watching tv, change the channel. Alot of the standard was in place before caller ID also. So verification was a must. oh well that was then.

Freejack

Freejacks BBS - telnet://fjbbs.gotdns.com - Technical Manuals, HowTo's and
Support for Networking, Virus
Removal

---
■ Synchronet ■ Freejacks BBS - Hueytown, AL - telnet://fjbbs.gotdns.com

Re: Bbs Security (was Freenet
By: Freejack to mrproper on Sun Feb 07 2010 01:50 am

Back in the day it was actually supposed to be collected for mailers and things I never agreed with. My user databases were always private. Also if someone was doing something illegal on your bbs and you were questioned you needed to know who they were not just a handle. Privacy is a must. If you don't trust a sysop it's like watching tv, change the channel. Alot of the standard was in place before caller ID also. So verification was a must. oh well that was then.

yeah, lots have changed since then, I could understand why someone back in the day would need to do it, but I still don't agree with it. I did'nt ask all them questions on my BBS back in the day, and to keep the trouble users out I did'nt offer porn, warez, or anything like that. and I never had trouble.


--

Tim Smith (Mrproper)
WarZone BBS: warzone.synchro.net
BBSsearch : http://search.synchro.net

---
■ Synchronet ■ Warzone - warzone.synchro.net - Chatsworth GA, USA

Re: Bbs Security (was Freenet
By: mrproper to Rassilon on Sun Feb 07 2010 01:38:11

why does a sysop need someones address and home phone number? I never understood that.. even if for verification purposes, why would someones physical properties need verified? it's not like they're buying a car.. sheesh..

Yah, I just close my connection to those boards and lever log back on again.

Seriously...WHY do they need that information?

--Rassilon...

-He was he was he was a bed and breakfast man...

---
■ Synchronet ■ electronic chicken bbs - bbs.electronicchicken.com

Re: Bbs Security (was Freenet
By: mrproper to Freejack on Sun Feb 07 2010 08:39:39

Re: Bbs Security (was Freenet
By: Freejack to mrproper on Sun Feb 07 2010 01:50 am

Back in the day it was actually supposed to be collected for mailers and things I never agreed with. My user databases were always private. Also i someone was doing something illegal on your bbs and you were questioned y needed to know who they were not just a handle. Privacy is a must. If you don't trust a sysop it's like watching tv, change the channel. Alot of th standard was in place before caller ID also. So verification was a must. well that was then.

yeah, lots have changed since then, I could understand why someone back in t day would need to do it, but I still don't agree with it. I did'nt ask all t questions on my BBS back in the day, and to keep the trouble users out I did offer porn, warez, or anything like that. and I never had trouble.

--

Tim Smith (Mrproper)
WarZone BBS: warzone.synchro.net
BBSsearch : http://search.synchro.net

Agreed there, I also used to use it to send out formal invitations to christmas party and other events I used to have for BBS members. So it has it's pros and cons. Right now mine does it cause I haven't changed it yet been nusy getting files in place. I hopefully will be changing all that.

Freejack

Freejacks BBS - telnet://fjbbs.gotdns.com - Technical Manuals, HowTo's and
Support for Networking, Virus
Removal

---
■ Synchronet ■ Freejacks BBS - Hueytown, AL - telnet://fjbbs.gotdns.com

│ Not neccessarily true. If I feel like a SysOp is being too intrusive and
│ asking me for too much personal information I'll hang up. And I'm a
│ goody-two-shoes.
└─[R=>MP]

Your loss. Like I said, it ain't always the sysop. Some of these BBS
systems have that stuff hard-coded. If it ain't open source, or isn't in a language you program in, you can't turn it off.

For example, I changed one of the questions from asking for a street address
to asking where the user heard about the BBS. I was able to change the screen that the user is shown with that question, and the prompt itself, but the software still requires some sort of answer (and it has to be at least 2 words).

OTOH, I can't change the phone number question because it is expecting a
number in a certain format. All I can do is tell the user that they can
enter all 5's and hope they can read.

But I at least want to know where they are calling from (city & state or country). I figure I have a right to know that.

You have to remember, when you are on a BBS, you are on someone else's
PERSONAL computer. It ain't at all like the rest of the Internet. Because
you are logged onto their personal machine, they may feel they have a right
to know something about the person that is on there.

You're thinking "I don't want to tell them too much or they might do
something bad to me," but you have to remember, they are trusting you with their equipment. They may not want to trust just anyone, no matter how hacker-proof they may think their software/setup is.

##MMR 2.61ß. !link R 2-06-10 21:52
--- BgNet 1.0ß12 - Capitol City Online * KY/US * 502/875-8938 * cco.ath.cx

Re: Bbs Security (was Freenet
By: MIKE POWELL to RASSILON on Sun Feb 07 2010 09:26 am

│ Not neccessarily true. If I feel like a SysOp is being too intrusive and │ asking me for too much personal information I'll hang up. And I'm a
│ goody-two-shoes.
└─[R=>MP]

Your loss. Like I said, it ain't always the sysop. Some of these BBS systems have that stuff hard-coded. If it ain't open source, or isn't in a language you program in, you can't turn it off.

For example, I changed one of the questions from asking for a street
address to asking where the user heard about the BBS. I was able to change the screen that the user is shown with that question, and the prompt
itself, but the software still requires some sort of answer (and it has to be at least 2 words).

What BBS Software is this? In Synchronet, those kinds of new user questions can be easily disabled in SCFG->System->New User Values->Question Toggles.

digital man

Snapple "Real Fact" #96:
The average American will eat 35,000 cookies in his/her lifetime.

---
■ Synchronet ■ Vertrauen ■ Home of Synchronet ■ telnet://vert.synchro.net

Re: Bbs Security (was Freenet
By: MIKE POWELL to VOXIGO on Sat Feb 06 2010 04:41 pm

I have tried to change the questions on my board as best as I can so as not to collect too much "personal" info. However, also being an "old fart," BBS-wise, I am still of the notion that I would like to know a little about a person, and someone who is intent to be up to no good on a BBS usually

you know who else doesnt like to answer info? trouble makers.
people that are rude or people who are trying to compromise a system.

they would rather go to the next server than spend the time filling something out.


---
■ Synchronet ■ chaotic bliss - chaoticbliss.darktech.org

Re: Bbs Security (was Freenet
By: mrproper to Rassilon on Sun Feb 07 2010 01:38 am

why does a sysop need someones address and home phone number? I never understood that.. even if for verification purposes, why would someones physical properties need verified? it's not like they're buying a car.. sheesh..

they probably just never changed the default settings.


---
■ Synchronet ■ chaotic bliss - chaoticbliss.darktech.org

│ What BBS Software is this? In Synchronet, those kinds of new user questions can
│ be easily disabled in SCFG->System->New User Values->Question Toggles. └─[DM=>MP]

GT Power.

##MMR 2.61ß. !link DM 2-07-10 19:23
--- BgNet 1.0ß12 - Capitol City Online * KY/US * 502/875-8938 * cco.ath.cx

│ you know who else doesnt like to answer info? trouble makers.
│ people that are rude or people who are trying to compromise a system.
│
│ they would rather go to the next server than spend the time filling something │ out.
└─[JH=>MP]

That has always been my thinking. Some folks will hang up when even the simplest questions are asked, as if they think more are to follow (they
really don't).

Mike

##MMR 2.61ß. !link JH 2-08-10 6:53
--- BgNet 1.0ß12 - Capitol City Online * KY/US * 502/875-8938 * cco.ath.cx

Re: Bbs Security (was Freenet
By: MIKE POWELL to JAS HUD on Mon Feb 08 2010 06:58 pm

That has always been my thinking. Some folks will hang up when even the simplest questions are asked, as if they think more are to follow (they really don't).

what pisses me off is when people are too lazy to logoff correctly, I have a user who hangs up in my League10 games. but what he does'nt know is if exited the game like he is supposed to the batchfile finishes up to do the outbound routine that person posts on this network (you know who you are)


--

Tim Smith (Mrproper)
WarZone BBS: warzone.synchro.net
BBSsearch : http://search.synchro.net

---
■ Synchronet ■ Warzone - warzone.synchro.net - Chatsworth GA, USA

Re: Bbs Security (was Freenet
By: mrproper to MIKE POWELL on Tue Feb 09 2010 10:05 am

what pisses me off is when people are too lazy to logoff correctly, I have a user who hangs up in my League10 games. but what he does'nt know is if exite the game like he is supposed to the batchfile finishes up to do the outbound routine that person posts on this network (you know who you are)

--

make it an hourly event. we're not in the dialup days where people hanging up on us is a big deal.


---
■ Synchronet ■ chaotic bliss - chaoticbliss.darktech.org

Re: Bbs Security (was Freenet
By: Jas Hud to mrproper on Wed Feb 10 2010 06:54 am

make it an hourly event. we're not in the dialup days where people hanging up on us is a big deal.

what about the left over inuse flags? I know I can get rid of them with a batch file too but I'm not going to sift through 50 doors to try.


--

Tim Smith (Mrproper)
WarZone BBS: warzone.synchro.net
BBSsearch : http://search.synchro.net

---
■ Synchronet ■ Warzone - warzone.synchro.net - Chatsworth GA, USA

In a reply from mrproper on 09:58 about Bbs Security (was Freenet

make it an hourly event. we're not in the dialup days where people

hanging > up on us is a big deal.

what about the left over inuse flags? I know I can get rid of them with a batch file too but I'm not going to sift through 50 doors to try.

I have mine deleted at the midnight maint. (before that game run it's maint.)

---
Rob Starr
Lord Time SysOp of Time Warp of the Future BBS
telnet://time.synchro.net:24
ICQ # 11868133 Yahoo : lordtime2000
AIM : LordTime20000 MSN : Lord Time
Jabber : lordtime2000@gmail.com Astra : lord_time


■ CMPQwk 1.42-R2 16554 ■ Light speed! Ridiculous speed! Ludicrous speed!
---
■ Synchronet ■ Time Warp of the Future BBS - Home of League 10 IBBS Games

Re: Bbs Security (was Freenet
By: Lord Time to mrproper on Wed Feb 10 2010 12:57 pm

what about the left over inuse flags? I know I can get rid of them with
a batch file too but I'm not going to sift through 50 doors to try.

I have mine deleted at the midnight maint. (before that game run it's maint.)

I know I need to add more to my batches to kepp any problem from arising but with what I'm doing now, it's hard to find the time.


--

Tim Smith (Mrproper)
WarZone BBS: warzone.synchro.net
BBSsearch : http://search.synchro.net

---
■ Synchronet ■ Warzone - warzone.synchro.net - Chatsworth GA, USA

In a reply from mrproper on 20:09 about Bbs Security (was Freenet

what about the left over inuse flags? I know I can get rid of them

with m> a batch file too but I'm not going to sift through 50 doors to
try.

I have mine deleted at the midnight maint. (before that game run it's maint.)

I know I need to add more to my batches to kepp any problem from arising but with what I'm doing now, it's hard to find the time.

LOL, I am at the point, if I find a problem I put in a fix asp.

---
Rob Starr
Lord Time SysOp of Time Warp of the Future BBS
telnet://time.synchro.net:24
ICQ # 11868133 Yahoo : lordtime2000
AIM : LordTime20000 MSN : Lord Time
Jabber : lordtime2000@gmail.com Astra : lord_time


■ CMPQwk 1.42-R2 16554 ■ How to defend yourself against a Banana.
---
■ Synchronet ■ Time Warp of the Future BBS - Home of League 10 IBBS Games

Re: Bbs Security (was Freenet
By: Lord Time to mrproper on Thu Feb 11 2010 10:25 am

LOL, I am at the point, if I find a problem I put in a fix asp.

yeah.. I try to do the same or else there is NO WAY to keep up.


--

Tim Smith (Mrproper)
WarZone BBS: warzone.synchro.net
BBSsearch : http://search.synchro.net

---
■ Synchronet ■ Warzone - warzone.synchro.net - Chatsworth GA, USA

Not neccessarily true. If I feel like a SysOp is being too intrusive and asking me for too much personal information I'll hang up. And I'm a goody-two-shoes.

same here.. I don't mind to answer the questions that's required for doorgam etc like sex and birthdate and an email but nothing more than that.

why does a sysop need someones address and home phone number? I never understood that.. even if for verification purposes, why would someones physical properties need verified? it's not like they're buying a car.. sheesh..

Everyone is a bit different. I ask for Name, handle, city and state (or country), sex, and email. Thats it.
xxcarol

---
■ Synchronet ■ SHENK'S EXPRESS, Virginia Beach, VA, shenks.synchro.net

Re: Bbs Security (was Freenet
By: Carol Shenkenberger to mrproper on Sat Feb 13 2010 11:12 am

Everyone is a bit different. I ask for Name, handle, city and state (or country), sex, and email. Thats it.

same here.

and M or F for certain games.


--

Tim Smith (Mrproper)
WarZone BBS: warzone.synchro.net
BBSsearch : http://search.synchro.net

---
■ Synchronet ■ Warzone - warzone.synchro.net - Chatsworth GA, USA

Re: Bbs Security (was Freenet
By: MIKE POWELL to RASSILON on Sun Feb 07 2010 09:26 am

│ Not neccessarily true. If I feel like a SysOp is being too intrusive and │ asking me for too much personal information I'll hang up. And I'm a
│ goody-two-shoes.
└─[R=>MP]

Your loss. Like I said, it ain't always the sysop. Some of these BBS systems have that stuff hard-coded. If it ain't open source, or isn't in a language you program in, you can't turn it off.

For example, I changed one of the questions from asking for a street address to asking where the user heard about the BBS. I was able to change the scre that the user is shown with that question, and the prompt itself, but the software still requires some sort of answer (and it has to be at least 2 words).

OTOH, I can't change the phone number question because it is expecting a number in a certain format. All I can do is tell the user that they can enter all 5's and hope they can read.

But I at least want to know where they are calling from (city & state or country). I figure I have a right to know that.

You have to remember, when you are on a BBS, you are on someone else's PERSONAL computer. It ain't at all like the rest of the Internet. Because you are logged onto their personal machine, they may feel they have a right to know something about the person that is on there.

You're thinking "I don't want to tell them too much or they might do something bad to me," but you have to remember, they are trusting you with their equipment. They may not want to trust just anyone, no matter how hacker-proof they may think their software/setup is.

##MMR 2.61ß. !link R 2-06-10 21:52

Just out of curiosity, what would be the difference between
logging into a computer that is running Maximus, and say one
which is running apache? I have both blogs and web pages out
there and I don't ask anything from my users. Anybody can
go directly there, or get referred from Google. And anybody
can post on the blogs. I'm not getting this. Is it because
the coputer with the BBS is more often in someone's home.
Is location that important? Just asking...
/v


---
■ Synchronet ■ Vertrauen ■ Home of Synchronet ■ telnet://vert.synchro.net

Re: Bbs Security (was Freenet
By: Carol Shenkenberger to mrproper on Sat Feb 13 2010 11:12 am

Not neccessarily true. If I feel like a SysOp is being too intrusive asking me for too much personal information I'll hang up. And I'm a goody-two-shoes.

same here.. I don't mind to answer the questions that's required for door etc like sex and birthdate and an email but nothing more than that.

why does a sysop need someones address and home phone number? I never understood that.. even if for verification purposes, why would someones physical properties need verified? it's not like they're buying a car.. sheesh..

Everyone is a bit different. I ask for Name, handle, city and state (or country), sex, and email. Thats it.
xxcarol

Hi Carol,
That makes a lot of sense. Some information is good for knowing
about people. Like age and location. It's always interesting to
know where someone is from. What their native language might then
be etc. However, the only verifiable information is really the
e-mail address. Since few of us use the old copper lines for our
computer communications any more, a phone number doesn't mean
anything anyway. It would also not make sense to demand that
a person _get_ a phone just to qualify for use of a board.

That said, I still wonder why people need to "sign up" just to
find out if the board is even socially acceptable. Some aren't,
and they still want all that information from you before they
tell you about themselves.
/v


---
■ Synchronet ■ Vertrauen ■ Home of Synchronet ■ telnet://vert.synchro.net

Re: Bbs Security (was Freenet
By: Voxigo to Carol Shenkenberger on Sun Feb 14 2010 02:00 am

That makes a lot of sense. Some information is good for knowing
about people. Like age and location. It's always interesting to
know where someone is from. What their native language might then
be etc. However, the only verifiable information is really the
e-mail address. Since few of us use the old copper lines for our
computer communications any more, a phone number doesn't mean
anything anyway. It would also not make sense to demand that
a person _get_ a phone just to qualify for use of a board.

Most people don't ask for a phone number. Unless you have to actually pay to use the BBS (which I don't get, especially these days.. but they're out there).

The only verifiable information needed is a correct email address, in case the user forgets their password or something, they can get it emailed to them securely. Noone demands anyone to get a phone to qualify use for a board. And if they do, they probably don't get very many callers.

That said, I still wonder why people need to "sign up" just to
find out if the board is even socially acceptable. Some aren't,
and they still want all that information from you before they
tell you about themselves.

It's the way BBSes have _always_ been. If you don't want to sign up for access, go play around on the web. And actually, I'm pretty sure web forums have you sign up for access as well. Especially worthwhile ones that take the time to keep the spammers out and keep on topic.

axisd

---
■ Synchronet ■ thePharcyde_ >> telnet://bbs.pharcyde.org (Wisconsin)

Back in the day it was actually supposed to be collected for mailers and
thi I never agreed with. My user databases were always private. Also if someone doing something illegal on your bbs and you were questioned you needed to kn who they were not just a handle. Privacy is a must. If you don't trust a sys it's like watching tv, change the channel. Alot of the standard was in place before caller ID also. So verification was a must.
oh well that was then. Freejack Freejacks BBS - telnet://fjbbs.gotdns.com

Yes, it is probably mostly historical. Also, how do you know if you
can trust a sysop? If they don't trust you first, then it might be
a standoff. The thing is that nowadays it might be worse, the sysop
might be shooting themselves in the foot and be turning users away.
Since most boards have absolutely not users from what I've seen by
going to a lot of them, I think that might be an important point.

Also, without official ID and the possibility of lying, then the
information is absolutely useless anyway. There is a lot of denial
going jon here. No?

--

---
■ Synchronet ■ Roughneck BBS - telnet://roughneckbbs.com - www.roughneckbbs.com

Agreed there, I also used to use it to send out formal invitations to
christ party and other events I used to have for BBS members. So it has
it's pros a cons. Right now mine does it cause I haven't changed it yet
been nusy gettin files in place. I hopefully will be changing all that.

Yes in the days of POTS that made sense because most callers
would be local to the area. Now, only one of the boards that
I use is possibly within 3 hours driving. Most are about
a day's travel away and requires a plane ride, and three of
them are not on the same continent. I would appreciate a
party invitation, but I might not show up. :)

--

---
■ Synchronet ■ Roughneck BBS - telnet://roughneckbbs.com - www.roughneckbbs.com

Hi Mike,

but the software still requires some sort of answer (and it has to be at least 2 words). OTOH, I can't change the phone number question because it
is expecting a number in a certain format. All I can do is tell the user that they can enter all 5's and hope they can read.

Interesting, I wonder if the person who wrote the software was
aware of the fact that we use a different format here in NA and
not what would be standard where he/she lives - or was it the
other way around?

But I at least want to
know where they are calling from (city & state or country).

I like that too. It gives some cultural clues which are
useful for communication.

I figure I
have a right to know that. You have to remember, when you are on a BBS,
you are on someone else's PERSONAL computer. It ain't at all like the rest of the Internet. Because you are logged onto their personal machine, they may feel they have a right to know something about the person that is on

I am getting the idea that doing it at home is part of the
fun. However, I don't think all do it that way. After all
the physical location of the computer is not really relevant
to the software you are running. Regarding the internet, some
people also like to have the server at home. You can run an
http and ftp server on even the oldest of hardware. Again,
I just don't see the relevance of hardware location. /v

--

---
■ Synchronet ■ Roughneck BBS - telnet://roughneckbbs.com - www.roughneckbbs.com

Everyone is a bit different. I ask for Name, handle, city and state (or country), sex, and email. Thats it.

same here.

and M or F for certain games.

Yes, some need that to be picked up from the drop file.
xxcarol

---
■ Synchronet ■ SHENK'S EXPRESS, Virginia Beach, VA, shenks.synchro.net

Everyone is a bit different. I ask for Name, handle, city and state (or country), sex, and email. Thats it.
xxcarol

Hi Carol,
That makes a lot of sense. Some information is good for knowing
about people. Like age and location. It's always interesting to
know where someone is from. What their native language might then
be etc. However, the only verifiable information is really the
e-mail address. Since few of us use the old copper lines for our
computer communications any more, a phone number doesn't mean
anything anyway. It would also not make sense to demand that
a person _get_ a phone just to qualify for use of a board.

I only ask for the email so I can let folks know about system issues or BRE resets. Stuff like that. The system doesnt require a real entry there at
all (or even any I think).

I like the display of city/state or city country is all.
xxcarol

---
■ Synchronet ■ SHENK'S EXPRESS, Virginia Beach, VA, shenks.synchro.net