How Lowyat Forum Detects Multi Account Users

polkadot

Unethical Method Which Hides Malicious Files Deep Within Ur Computer





The method used is highly against constitutional rights and reveals the privacy of its forumers at the cost of its own interest.It is no different from installing some malicious rootkits/files to identify its forumers which are mainly made out of youths.The owner himself may be some paranoid with inferior complex and phobia of people plotting against him.Do you think it's necessary for such move?

The script is known to be used by online gambling, pornographic and financial institutions to keep track of scams/fraud accounts but to use it in a general discussion forum is an absurd decision.Examples are Ebay, Bodog, Poker.com, adultgames9.com and many other online gaming sites.

How does this method works in theory?
In general, websites keep track of their users using conventional cookies which are independently stored by each browser.But for this method, script writers have found a new way of detecting users posting from the same computer using an exploit found in Macromedia's Flash plug-in which also has it's own form of permanent cookies known as local shared objects(LSO).

Regardless of which browser you use in your computer and how many times you flush out your personal data such as local cache; cookies and history lists, the local shared objects in the form of *.sol files are permanently written/hidden to the Macromedia folder as deep as 10 folders within your OS's file structure.The file is placed inside there without your knowledge and it contains an ID string which uniquely identify your computer whenever you visit the forum as a guest or member.

Assuming that you log into the forum the first time and the file is written in your HDD.The next time you re-login with other accounts, the admin CP in the forum will list out all the accounts being logged from the same computer.
What a cheap way of invading people's privacy.

Try try modifying the file named "lynid2.sol" which can be found in the "Application Data\Macromedia\Flash Player" of your active drive.Each file content has a unique number tagged to it.If you want changed it to some other previous integer or a known one used by others.That will falsely tag your computer to other people's account.

Also to help you identify and locate the LSO files hidden in your computer, try:

http://objection.mozdev.org/ (For Mozilla/Firefox browsers)

or

http://www.ccleaner.com/

Sources:

Persistent Identification Element

http://www.techworld.com/security/news/index.cfm?newsid=3028
http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=05/04/04/177238

Youtube uses LSO as well but they use them for good intent to record the flash player settings not to invade the privacy of others.
Users should be aware now how irresponsible a forum like that can be.It only protects its own interest with a zero tolerance at the discretion of its owner.

There is nothing mentioned in its terms of service(TOS) that permits them to install a hidden file in your computer.Such things are illegal without your knowledge.

Know your consumer rights.

atukki55

kalau polkadot boleh translate dlm BM mungkin lebih ramai pengguna boleh faham sejelas-jelasnya dan ambil manafaat daripadanya. TK

ReuK

aku nak tanya tang forum lowyat tu sama ngn lowyat plaza tu ke?

apa isu dia nih?

haira

Originally posted by atukki55 at 16-6-2008 09:46 AM
kalau polkadot boleh translate dlm BM mungkin lebih ramai pengguna boleh faham sejelas-jelasnya dan ambil manafaat daripadanya. TK

yaa sokong atuk....

philipinoe2

lowyat tu bkn porum 18sx ke...

Sisipan.eMas

Tak berapa nak paham ler..leh ringkaskan dlm bahasa yg mudah tak. Baru namanya nak tolong org. Ni bahasa bombastik, lastik, plastik...

Ina_zali

Nasib baik Ina tak ada account dlm lowyat forum. Programmer dia tak ada keje lain ke???? Macam mana depa buat tu ...

polkadot

Admin Lowyat ni dahlah tak tahu membaca huruf cina, nak menyamar diri di sebalik nama Melayu "Farhan" pula.Jadi orang ni siapa sebenarnya? ******?

Dua tahun lalu, terdapat staf Lowyat yang bernama "Ikanayam" dipegang seseorang yang menyembunyikan dirinya di sebalik nama "Farhan".Entahlah masih ada orang yang masih ingat.Perangainya memang sombong dan tidak disenangi orang.

Identitinya akhirnya terbongkar dalam log perbualannya dengan seorang kawan melalui MSN.

Inilah buktinya:



Saya percayai orang ini masih wujud and kini dia telah menukar namanya sekali lagi dengan tujuan menyembunyikan perbuatannya yang tidak disenangi orang.Walaupun namanya telah berubah, tetapi perangainya yang sombong sebagai seorang admin diktator masih boleh dirasai apabila anda berbual dengannya di forum Low Yat.