|
Cyclejohn
|
 |
« on: January 24, 2012, 04:30:17 AM » |
|
Hi, my name is John and I have a question about Internet forums in general. All of the forums that I am a member of have the PM feature on them. Are the PMs actually private (viewable only by the persons messaging) or do the owner/admin/moderators have the capability to read any/all of any messages as they so choose? I'm not asking this question about the VRCC specifically but about another forum that I am a member of and the only reason I'm asking it here is because I know there are a lot of very knowledgeable people on here that know and understand all things computer/internet (and I don't have a clue). There are a series of events taking shape on the forum that I am asking about and about the only way that they could happen "exactly" like they are is if someone had the capability to read other people's PMs.
Thanks in advance for any insight that anyone can give me with this question.
John
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Jess Tolbirt
|
|
« Reply #1 on: January 24, 2012, 05:21:18 AM » |
|
anything on the internet can bee see by anyone that has the expertise to figure it out.
that said, yes the PM's are private only viewable by the sender and recipient.
but then again a good coder could change the code so that all PMs are bcc'd to him also. So beware..
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
Valkyrie member # 23084
Started out on old forum on day one but lost my member number.
|
|
|
hubcapsc
Member
Posts: 16824
upstate
South Carolina
|
|
« Reply #2 on: January 24, 2012, 05:31:55 AM » |
|
The people who run whatever computers you use can definitely look
at anything on there, the same way you can look at anything that's
on your computer...
-Mike
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
fudgie
Member
Posts: 10660
Better to be judged by 12, then carried by 6.
Huntington Indiana
|
|
« Reply #3 on: January 24, 2012, 07:40:46 AM » |
|
I was told by a few they could be read by admin. ???
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
 Now you're in the world of the wolves... And we welcome all you sheep... VRCC-#7196 VRCCDS-#0175 DTR PGR |
|
|
|
Jess Tolbirt
|
|
« Reply #4 on: January 24, 2012, 07:45:40 AM » |
|
on the bbs i run, I cannot see the PMs,,they are encrypted and buried deep with in the data base,,
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
Valkyrie member # 23084
Started out on old forum on day one but lost my member number.
|
|
|
hubcapsc
Member
Posts: 16824
upstate
South Carolina
|
|
« Reply #5 on: January 24, 2012, 07:49:52 AM » |
|
on the bbs i run, I cannot see the PMs,,they are encrypted and buried deep with in the data base,,
I guess whoever runs the database and provides the encryption keys can see them  -Mike |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
Titan
Member
Posts: 819
BikeLess
Lexington, SC
|
|
« Reply #6 on: January 24, 2012, 08:49:51 AM » |
|
Hi, my name is John and I have a question about Internet forums in general. All of the forums that I am a member of have the PM feature on them. Are the PMs actually private (viewable only by the persons messaging) or do the owner/admin/moderators have the capability to read any/all of any messages as they so choose? I'm not asking this question about the VRCC specifically but about another forum that I am a member of and the only reason I'm asking it here is because I know there are a lot of very knowledgeable people on here that know and understand all things computer/internet (and I don't have a clue). There are a series of events taking shape on the forum that I am asking about and about the only way that they could happen "exactly" like they are is if someone had the capability to read other people's PMs.
Thanks in advance for any insight that anyone can give me with this question.
John
As others have noted, if you send anything over the internet, somebody somewhere along the line can probably read it. But your best bet to maintaining some level of privacy between you and your recipient would be to use your regular email. You can figure that normal email would be flowing millions and millions of messages through the system and it would be far less likely that anybody would be digging through it just to read your email. You should never, ever use the messaging system on a privately owned blog, or forum, to send confidential information. Such a system may be owned and operated by a single individual who can do anything he wants with it. |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
Scott in Ok
Chief Worker Ant
Administrator
Member
Posts: 1157
Oklahoma City, Ok
|
|
« Reply #7 on: January 24, 2012, 09:53:36 AM » |
|
On THIS forum, using Simple Machines as the forum software we do not have the ability to read your personal messages. At least there is no interface to do so as an administrator.
I just took a quick look at the database and it looks like it would be difficult to figure out what message was sent to who(such is the nature of relational databases). Is it possible for someone who has access to the database to sort it all out and read your messages? I suppose it could be done if that person has the database skills, and is determined enough. But keep in mind that different forum software packages each use their own database design. I am only referring to simple machines.
To answer your question, If you are dealing with an administrator who happens to be a database administrator by trade or has access to one, the answer is probably yes. If not, I'd say its unlikely.
-Scott
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large numbers!
|
|
|
|
czuch
|
|
« Reply #8 on: January 24, 2012, 01:09:25 PM » |
|
Once upon a time my Dad told me;
" Dont do anything you dont want me to see in tomorrows paper".
I believe if the nerd kid next door wants to see it, he'll see it.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
Aot of guys with burn marks,gnarly scars and funny twitches ask why I spend so much on safety gear
|
|
|
|
Cyclejohn
|
|
« Reply #9 on: January 24, 2012, 04:19:15 PM » |
|
Thanks to everyone that replied. It kinda confirms what I was thinking.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
MP
Member
Posts: 5532
1997 Std Valkyrie and 2001 red/blk I/S w/sidecar
North Dakota
|
|
« Reply #10 on: January 24, 2012, 04:35:56 PM » |
|
If your question was about the admin of this board reading your PM's, I do not believe that happens. Scott said they cannot, and I know he and Willow have MUCH better things to do.  However, if your question was, is your PM here, or anywhere else, secure 100% of the time against all attacks, then probably not. MP |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
 "Ridin' with Cycho" |
|
|
|
Serk
|
|
« Reply #11 on: January 25, 2012, 01:43:25 PM » |
|
As has been said by others, most forums (I run a vBulletin forum) don't provide an easy to use interface to read people's PMs, but on any forum anyone that has some basic database skills can extract the PMs if they really really really want to.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
Never ask a geek 'Why?',just nod your head and slowly back away...  IBA# 22107 VRCC# 7976 VRCCDS# 226 1998 Valkyrie Standard 2008 Gold Wing Taxation is theft. μολὼν λαβέ |
|
|
Gryphon Rider
Member
Posts: 5234
2000 Tourer
Calgary, Alberta
|
|
« Reply #12 on: January 25, 2012, 04:41:40 PM » |
|
If my PMs are being read by those not the intended receiver, I'm obviously WAY more interesting than I thought I was!  |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
