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Can admins read user to user PM's


pyralex

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Only if they have a reason to ;)

 

(I actually don't know)

Edited by Maserface
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If we were absolutely dead set on it, there is a way. However, it's not easy or straight forward to do. I think I've had to do it maybe 3 times in the approximate 12 or 13 years I've been running APC. We respect members' rights to privacy and personal communication. There has to be a VERY compelling reason if we're going to go through the trouble.

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I checked some forums on this before and it appeared as though it is pretty easy to do. All the mod has to do is add themselves to the conversation. Another way is to check the databases and see what it compiling. There are IP tools for this stuff that they can use.

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Marks, actually that is wrong. It really depends on the forum software that is used. There are some sofwares where it is easy, other where it is possible but not easy and forum software that don't allow it or request the user to give permissions to do so.

 

And even between the ones that allow are big differences. From some where the user cant see if someone got into his account and some only allowing bruteforce methods (e.g. removing/changing password by admin), where the user can see it.

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I don't think so. This would be too gullible for me or others to believe. I checked forums particular to IP. You can't tell me I'm wrong and then say it depends. Sounds like you don't know and I don't know. But I do know it is possible. I'm not an IT person but I was studying for it so I do know the possibilities are endless. I wouldn't be too quick to right off what a mod says on this.

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The brute force method of manually changing a password used to be the only way, but that is quite obvious. I had to do this once a long time ago. On older versions of this forum software, you could eventually find what you were looking for in the raw log files if you downloaded them. That was a gigantic hassle the single time I needed to do it. There is currently an easier method, but it's still not very convenient, and I'd never bother just to snoop around or to spy on people.

 

I'm not entirely sure if I can just add myself to a conversation. At the bare minimum, I would have to know exactly what conversation I wanted to get in on. I poked around a bit, and it's not like there's just a list of every conversation. I'm not saying it can't be done, just that I wouldn't know how to go about it. It also gives notifications anytime anyone joins or leaves a conversation for what it's worth.

 

There is also a difference on this forum at least between moderator privileges and administrator privileges. Admins are definitely the only ones with the power to do any of these things. I don't think you need to worry about either of us.

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Remember, Lil brother could be watching as well as big brother alphabet dudes. So be careful with what you send whatever it is! :D

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  • 7 years later...

It's just a few clicks to do it. From the MSQL database who have access to the server everyone can read everything. Your IP address, registered Email address, browser, Os, time, what visited, every step you made on the site. Where are you still registered on other sites with the same nickname, email, the authorities are looking into it. And sending the users private messages to find out as much information as possible about them such as additional contact details like Facebook etc. The administrator has access to your entire management interface and sees everything just like you. If he want, can even comment on your account and send private message with you nick name without being able to distinguish who sent it. This softwares log your IP when you log in, when you commenting, blogging, editing something your IP address is recorded above your comments forever, which you cannot see but are there. User IP, Browser, OS and time are logged. In addition, the server records everything in detail when a user opening a page. This data is available in real time anywhere in the world (who have access the server). Individual users using a not-so-anonymous VPN are easily tracked (what sending the service name in the host name, using too many time the same IP), and the users who visiting the same site same topic without VPN, Tor. When you visit the site, or you are a user always use Tor Browser. The government have access everything and gives it to the allies even real time. In the EU if the user are in another EU country the secret service of the other member state can intercept him in another country without any problems. Secret services of other member states also have access to the server in real time. Even smaller social networking sites are real spyware, with overly detailed logs. These logs are never deleted from the system. Pyrotechnics forums are full of people by the authorities who often send private messages to those who understand the theme and these moles are registered in multiple nicknames. You should not help anyone in private, just public. If the user using specific VPN, Tor the log can be used to track who visited the given service even if the user not logged in.

 

The best protection always use Tor when you visit the site. Do not contact users with private and do not give any information about you. Use specially created e-mail address, nickname for this purpose what created with Tor. This is important if homemade fireworks are not legal in your country. A certain level of intentional misinformation about yourself can be useful. If you haven't seen the current user works in detail, you don't know who he is. Anyone who wants to help others should do so publicly.

Edited by mx5kevin
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It's just a few clicks to do it.

Daaang... not only is that horse dead, it’s skeleton’s decayed away :D

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  • 1 month later...
I don't know if they can buy personally I wouldnt care. I mean if the subject of my pm is so sensitive just communicate via email or text. Of course that's just me. My wife is always shocked that I'm not more private. The way I feel about it is if someone is going to like me or not based on what I am and if something like earnings or what I own makes a difference then I probably don't want to be friends with them anyway.
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