Security issue.

[Coastcard]

Not sure if this concerns many people, but have just discovered that this forum publishes your name and company alongside your username (i.e. your profile) on the internet for all to see.

I do not want this, but have been unable to find a switch in the control panel to turn this off, so have simply renamed my name and company to Private.

Is this normal or have I missed the switch?

[Darren B]

Ermmm but your name normally helps, i guess we could call your Mr X

I dont see how this is a security issue either?

[TraceyHand]

I suppose if your name is Bill Gates...or Charles Manson...you might find it a problem?

Friday wind-up time?

[NormanRouxel]

Hmmm... Not sure if I'll be so willing to help someone who's not even going to tell us who they are.

[jont]

Why would that be a security issue? I assume at some point you will be asked to point to an example URL and the cover will be blown. If you are a developer and worried about clients seeing your posts you can always post in the private developers forum.

[guccij]

You can make your "name" anything you want, same with the company. Just edit your profile. Personally I don't have a problem with people knowing who I am and which company I'm connected with.

[Coastcard]

Maybe I am being overly paranoid. But I would have thought that in these days of information gathering by undesirables, that full profile info being available from a Google search (as opposed to just being available to forum members), is not ideal. Just that most forums don't have profiles publicly available.

(Example - I am a burglar. From this forum I can get your name and your work URL. I can thus call you at work to make sure you are there and then go and nick your TV!)

Just a thought. Bit paranoid as several friends have had stuff nicked having applied for planning (similar scenario with public info).

Will get back in my box now. Just watch your TV's

[TraceyHand]

I have a tip
Sell the computer
Buy a notebook and an abacus

Feel safer now?

[Darren B]

Are you for real, next your be telling me you dont buy online because you have to give your name and address out, or you dont have a bank account because the employees have access to you account details and phone number, and DOB and...........

FFS get real

Just that most forums don't have profiles publicly available

is that a fact

[Mike Hughes]

Hi Coastcard,

You really are being overly paranoid. The information available from a forum is irrelevant and unuseful compared to other sources, If you really want to worry then think about the information in phone directories, electoral lists (available in your local library) and companies house.

Burglaries are far less of a problem than they used to be too. Most electrical items are too cheap to be worth stealing and decent TVs are too large to remove.

That's why fraud and identity theft is now the major problem and you should worry about the information from sources other than forums.

Mike

[Darren B]

you should worry about the information from sources other than forums.

Mike

This thread is a classic example http://community.actinic.com/showthread.php?t=38440

[jont]

I am a burglar. From this forum I can get your name and your work URL. I can thus call you at work to make sure you are there and then go and nick your TV!

I tend to sit outside the victims house, wait until I see them drive off to work and then steal their TV. This is cheaper (no phone call to the workplace)... safer (no phone call to trace back to my phone)... and is more environmentally greener (I do not need to use the computer to track down the work URL and user profile).

Unless of course the victim works at home. In which case I tend to wait until the victim leaves the workplace to go shopping (if I am feeling very brave and I know the workplace it not well secured I will steal the TV when they go out for McDonalds)... as soon as I know they are on the way to Tesco / Safeways / Asda I break in and steal their TV.

I find this method of burglary far simpler and saves me money.

[TraceyHand]

some useful tips there, jont

one for the knowledgebase, maybe?

[jont]

TV for sale

Sony 48" Plasma TV c/w remote (batteries fitted)

Stand will be available tomorrow when victim ... erm... supplier... grabs a Cheeseburger Happy Meal

[jont]

Secure your home

Save money on burglar alarms... edit your profile and remove the option to be "visible when online" .. this removes the green light from your avatar when logged on.

I had mine turned off for 3 weeks whilst I sat in the back room with the curtains closed. after 19 days the burglar saw I was not online and assumed I was at work. How we laughed when I tw@tted him over the head with a baseball bat as he came for my TV.