Spammers on avast forum!

Lisandro · 2006-10-13T03:22:26.000Z

budd512 post:34:

Can I change a setting in my preferences to stop people from being able to email me?

Budd, they ‘stolen’ the email database, they’re not ‘sending’ you a mail, they’re spamming all avast emails database.
Hidden the email at the profile options should be enough to nobody else discover your email and spams you… but they’re stolen, cracked, hacked… the database.

system · 2006-10-13T03:26:49.000Z

NOP, mine is and I got the PM too! Had a picture of a Asian guy or kid with a O====> bigger than his arm LOL! Ohh well! Can’t nobody do anything against these morons?!?!

system · 2006-10-13T03:28:30.000Z

I did not go through the entire thread because some of the responses on the 1st page did not make any common sense. People spam on a lot of boards. That has nothing to do with the forum needing updating or the quality of the Avast product.

EdwardN got me too but besides the text was also a pornographic picture.

budd512 post:34:

Can I change a setting in my preferences to stop people from being able to email me?

I just did. Click on “Profile” at the top of the page… under “Modify Profile” on the left click “Personal Message Options”.
Uncheck “Notify by email every time you receive a personal message” and click “change profile”. That will stop it.

EBathory · 2006-10-13T03:31:40.000Z

I opened the email but did not click on any of the links. I somehow knew right away what was going on and just deleted it.

This can happen to anybody, on any message board. In fact, I am more worried about using Internet Explorer and all its holes (use it only when I have to).

If something looks funny or you don’t recognize it, just delete!

It has crossed my mind too that it is maybe someone from another anti-spyware company. Trying to make AVAST look bad.

The AVAST people work hard to keep their anti-spyware up-to-date. Perhaps someone else got very jealous.

bob3160 · 2006-10-13T03:36:17.000Z

Unfortunately, someone posted the picture in the forum in another thread.
I haven’t opened any of the links but, wound up seeing the junk anyway.
Spam I expect. Someone actually posting the XXXXX picture in the forum, I did not.
It’s been reported and it’s up to the Mod’s to take the appropriate actions.

system · 2006-10-13T03:36:35.000Z

I as well received a message from “EdwardN on avast!WEBforum.”

It was obscene, and also seemed to cause popups to continue in these forums displaying that message, even after I’d read it, and it was no longer new.

I agree: if the user database is compromised, please inform us.

quard post:30:

I too got the message from EdwardN. If the user database was found to be compromised please let us know in case there were others (unlike myself) who used a primary or important email account to register here.

system · 2006-10-13T03:44:14.000Z

Tech post:18:

Jedi Master post:17:

Umm… That a security product is inadequate in it’s own forum security?? Doesn’t exactly inspire confidence…

So, why do you trust MS? Or why do you bought a product from HP?
Have they never get into hot waters?

I’m suspecting that all this bad press on avast forum are comming to jealousy people from other products

No, it’s coming from people like me who expect a security company to be, well, aware of security.

I see at the bottom of each page here that the forum is on v1.0.1 of the forum software.
The current release is v1.0.8 it is a critical update.

Which is something basic for administrators, especially where knowledge of security matters should be high…

system · 2006-10-13T03:46:21.000Z

I got one from: JessicaA with the same content. :-\

system · 2006-10-13T03:47:24.000Z

Although I am very pleased with avast! products I have to agree on that!

I see at the bottom of each page here that the forum is on v1.0.1 of the forum software. The current release is v1.0.8 it is a critical update.
Which is something basic for administrators, especially where knowledge of security matters should be high…

system · 2006-10-13T03:52:47.000Z

I think I posted once or twice before here, I just recieved this, what’s going on ???

system · 2006-10-13T03:54:52.000Z

I’m sorry about that it didn’t show that way in my email and I just cut and pasted >:(

Lisandro · 2006-10-13T03:57:22.000Z

GHammer post:42:

I see at the bottom of each page here that the forum is on v1.0.1 of the forum software.
The current release is v1.0.8 it is a critical update.

Well… this was discussed before… and security was not one of the ‘necessary’ changes…
Maybe they did not give speciall attention to the changes.
I can’t find anything here: http://www.simplemachines.org/about/features.php (SMF 1.1 - forum software feature list).
What did really change from 1.0.1 to 1.0.8 ???

system · 2006-10-13T03:59:11.000Z

Site Admin, at least kill the reported accounts that are send this crap out.
I’d take a close look at the logs and at least do a temporary netblock ban on them until you get things straightened out.

system · 2006-10-13T04:01:51.000Z

thebeachbum33 post:46:

I’m sorry about that it didn’t show that way in my email and I just cut and pasted >:(

At least edit/modify your post.

system · 2006-10-13T04:12:30.000Z

The Hammer post:49:

thebeachbum33 post:46:

I’m sorry about that it didn’t show that way in my email and I just cut and pasted >:(

At least edit/modify your post.

Done didn’t realize I could :

szc · 2006-10-13T04:43:02.000Z

thebeachbum33 post:50:

Done didn’t realize I could :

You didn’t do a thing… nothing’s done like you mentioned… all links are still alive inside your reply here:

http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=24177.msg198646#msg198646

system · 2006-10-13T04:45:57.000Z

well this sucks…

system · 2006-10-13T05:38:14.000Z

Sucks big time, just got mine today. Too bad forum security isn’t as good as their product.

system · 2006-10-13T06:26:11.000Z

Guys, even mods have to sleep.

So:
a) idiots been banned few minutes ago
b) NO DATABASE HAS BEEN COMPROMISED! They simply walked the list of the users and then sent the PMs to them. No direct mailing to stolen emails. Reg database is stored elsewhere, without direct internet access.
c) All newbies were denied from using the PMs.

Dwarden · 2006-10-13T06:46:28.000Z

i said this in another thread but i repeat here as it’s more “active”

it could help set min number of posts before user get chance to use PM … let say 25 …
of course sending PM to moderators / admin can anyone with 1+ etc.

should help to prevent this to repeat more often

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