Is ATS actively "jamming" me?

[Jack'sDead]

Since being banned from ATS, I have stopped back over there a few times as a non-member visitor (I won't bother to set up a sock-puppet account to grace their boards with), just to get some reference material from some of my old threads and posts.

In the past week I have noticed that the computer I use here at work has jammed up every single time I go there. Sometimes the entire system has to be re-booted. Tonight though, just closing the window seems to have helped the problems subside for now. I don't have these problems going anywhere else. Coincidence, paranoia, or are they seriously that petty?

I guess if I suddenly find all my old threads deleted, we'll know for sure. Good thing I have already backed up every thread in their entirety.

If they were to delete the threads, would they still share the "intellectual property rights" of those posts? Both my own posts and those of other members within my threads that they deleted? Or could I go ahead and quote verbatim form there out without giving them any credit whatsoever. (Of course I would still have to credit the member, but I would like to do so without directing traffic to ATS.)

[mojo]

i doubt very much if they would go so far as deleting all your threads, it would cause way too much grief for them to explain something like that away as enough people would notice it and start asking questions.
they can however tell when you visit the site, after my post banning i used to go there fairly regularly to check on certain threads and forums i had an interest in, a "supermod" that i was in touch with occasionally let it slip to me once while chatting on YIM that they new i had been visiting, his words "we know you can't keep away, we've seen you", even though on 99% of the time i wasn't logging in at all.
so how did they know i'd been visiting the site?

[ryguy]

....his words "we know you can't keep away, we've seen you", even though on 99% of the time i wasn't logging in at all. so how did they know i'd been visiting the site?

One way I'm sure of is that if they know your most recent IP (which, if you are like most broadband customers, doesn't change all that often) from when you last logged in under your account name, then they'd recognize it when you visit as a guest as well. Of course they'd have to be interested enough to see when you are logged in and cross-reference the IP. Unless, of course, they have a utility that does that automatically that I don't know about...lol.

-Ry

[GigaShadow]

jack'sdead says - his work comp has jammed up every single time I go there. Sometimes the entire system has to be re-booted.

They, or some other organization authorized, is running server side scripts that take over or compromise the o/s of a windows computer. I discovered this in late 07. I was using an HP evo sff with a 1.8 ghz cpu running w2k, zonealarm, av and behind new linksys router. When I would type in a thread reply, I noticed some rather preculiar responses by my pc. If I typed in a questionable response, I would notice my keyboard would act up. While typing, on my keyboard, my pc would suddenly go ding, I would look up at the screen and notice my browser menu was open and my pc lost focus of the keyboard. At first I chalked it up to my error. I would use the mouse and click back on the reply window and continue typing.

Than one day I was typing in another reply that was questionable and suddenly my pc goes ding and I see the menu opened again at the top of the browser. I was getting browser freeze ups now besides the dings and menu opening. Now this woke me up and I began to watch this repeated occurance much closer. It continued and I even replaced the keyboard thinking maybe it was going. Nope, the events continued.

I began to think the computer was infected and formatted the drive with a clean w2k install and all MS updates and sp4, firewall, av before visiting ats. Still the weirdness continued. Now I thought enough, I'll just get that new duo core 2 quad pc and be done with the pc and browser weirdness while on ats.

I get the new quad core and update the o/s and have norton security and av with anti phishing and whatever else they installed. All is well for about a day or two when the ats weirdness returns on my brand new pc. Now I know somethings up with ats. No where else was my new computer acting up like when logged into ats typing post replies.

Than again one day, while on ats reading threads on my new quad core pc, I get a popup warning from the security software that ats was triing to install something and the alert wanted permission. I immediately clicked no because I had been having so much trouble while on ats I didn't want anything from them. After clicking no, I went, oh sheet, I should have taken a screen snip of the message alert. This than followed by ats causing crashes of my new machine with some weird flash code they were running in there ads. I was getting crashes every 2 - 10 minutes while on ats. This did not occur on any other forums I was logged into or websites visited, just ats. So I knew they were running intrusive flash ads that were trying to compromise my new pc and because they failed to get in, it would crash the machine so I would have to reboot or restart the browser. This was happening to other atsers while on ats and there were threads running about it but septic overload always denied anything. Than there was that flash ad with those emoticons. One day I was on the net with several windows open and suddenly there was this freakin weird laughter from my pc. I thought I had some freskin weird virus and began to hunt down the cause. I later figured it out as the ats emoticon flash ad was the perp.

Now, remember I said my old w2k machine while on ats typing in replies would open the menu commands on the browser, well this same thing was going on with the new machine. This time I began to very carefully observe what they were doing when I was typing messages in there post reply pages text box. What would happen as I typed while not looking at my pc screen was they observe the typed message in real time and would, by a server side applet, send keys. What this did was, as I typed, my computer would lose keyboard function focus, and with their server side actions send key combinations to open my menu commands at the top of the browser. Some times they would send the browser back combination where the browser would go back in browsing history, leave the post reply page, thus, clear my typed text when I would go forward again in history. Other times they would just open the browser menu commands and select an action from the menu.

I was truely spooked. So I bought zonealarm pro and you won't beleive what I discovered. I found they had a tracking system on certain members including me. There is a cgi script run from a server that reports either by email or a webpage created to alert a system admin of a targeted IP as being active. This can be tracked as long as the target logs in and or there base IP appears on the alert list. They are tracking members. I think haliburton/hbr is is involved since the clown faced trio have to have a large financial backer to stay on top of things. They have to way to many things going for a nickle and dime operation.

Yes, Beware of ats. I left and have not been back for 2 months now. I removed my images from all the threads I had made and will not click a link if ats is in it. My advice, stay away from there.

[ryguy]

I was truely spooked. So I bought zonealarm pro and you won't beleive what I discovered. I found they had a tracking system on certain members including me. There is a cgi script run from a server that reports either by email or a webpage created to alert a system admin of a targeted IP as being active. This can be tracked as long as the target logs in and or there base IP appears on the alert list. They are tracking members. I think haliburton/hbr is is involved since the clown faced trio have to have a large financial backer to stay on top of things. They have to way to many things going for a nickle and dime operation.

I'm not sure I follow...if they have a script that notices when a particular person (IP) logs into the ATS forum and alerts the system admin, how is that "tracking" people? I mean, a few months ago I noticed that someone who's traditionally been a enemy of RU logged into RU (it shows up by IP in the admin panel). I recognized his IP address because we had found it embedded in a few anonymous emails, so we were keeping an eye out for him. Well I watched as the admin panel showed which forums he was browsing and whether or not he was posting. Do you guys consider that "tracking members"? And if so, why would Haliburton need to be involved? All I can see it requiring is a curious/nosy admin. But it's not like they can see anything you're doing off of the ATS forum, except with the whole ad/cookie thing - but ATS isn't the only guilty party there, Yahoo and Google do it to provide "targeted advertising". It's a good reason to clear your cache often.

I'm having a hard time seeing evidence of an overall conspiracy though. Could you guys spoon-feed me the evidence?

-Ry

[GigaShadow]

The fact only certain members have the cgi bug showing on there account tells the conspiracy enthusaist somethins up. Than when the browser goes ape sheet and other stuff, the conspiracy deepens. Knowing network and computer operating systems helps put the peices together. They operate multiple servers and the cgi bug comes from a hidden server that alerts the admin or whoever happens to be on duty to a suspect logged in user who is on there network. They want to track you because you maybe on the fringe as an enemy combatant for the haliburton/hbr detention camps. They have them built, now they want to fill up. Being a tracked suspect, I have had septic overload respond almost immediately to my queries about the tracking and other such threads. It's like they are on it almost right now.

This has just been alerted to the public domain.

Microsoft Security Bulletin MS08-067 – Critical
Vulnerability in Server Service Could Allow Remote Code Execution

Than there is "clickjacking"

Clickjacking allows an attacker to use one or more of several new attack scenarios to literally steal your mouse clicks. When you think you're clicking on a simple button — for example, to see the next page of an article — you may actually be giving the bad guys permission to do something entirely different, such as log on to your online checking account.

Ats maybe using this exploit. ---->"maybe"<----

[mojo]

Do you guys consider that "tracking members"?

nah, thats just normal responsible board management.

And if so, why would Haliburton need to be involved? All I can see it requiring is a curious/nosy admin. But it's not like they can see anything you're doing off of the ATS forum, except with the whole ad/cookie thing - but ATS isn't the only guilty party there, Yahoo and Google do it to provide "targeted advertising". It's a good reason to clear your cache often.

im not sure about the whole haliburton thing, but Valhall does or did work for them, that is verifiable. the tracking via 3rd party cookies by ats or their ad partners is pretty well detailed and some of their actions regarding ex members would tend to lead some to the conclusion's raised imo.
whether true or not, well...we can only keep digging and sharing anecdotal evidence.

I'm having a hard time seeing evidence of an overall conspiracy though. Could you guys spoon-feed me the evidence?

-Ry

not plugging it because its my thread or anything, , but the ats/truste/in-q-tel links are pretty bloody interesting. once again they may add up to SFA but theres enough inconsistencies and coincidences there to keep me digging.
i agree the evidence is pretty thin, doesnt mean its not there though imo.

i think someone at one time or another discovered a small (only a few pixels) bug or something once on ats, in the area where your avatar shows, wish i could remember what it was...i'll have to see if i can find that again, i'm pretty sure Bill admitted to its presence but down played the significance of it.

mojo

[GigaShadow]

I found a tiny gif on the image where the ats point awards was displayed. The gif was a cgi.bug gif alerting the network that I was on the ats network. This was also shown on many other ats members such as zep tepi, micheal creighton, yankee rose, jhill76 who I contacted and told him of the bug. His account soon after had the bug removed. I emailed him asking how he got it removed but he never responded. FYI, jhill76 did report he works for the government in a network capacity.

I had others who contacted me asking if there account was being bugged and I told em. Yankee rose was concerned but septic overload posted a thread denying it and yankee rose went back to being unconcerned and accepted septic overloads word.

[ryguy]

The fact only certain members have the cgi bug showing on there account tells the conspiracy enthusaist somethins up.

But why do you call it a "bug"...if it's a script that flags when certain members log into the forum, I call that a cool admin "feature"...lol.

Knowing network and computer operating systems helps put the peices together. They operate multiple servers and the cgi bug comes from a hidden server that alerts the admin or whoever happens to be on duty to a suspect logged in user who is on there network.

Knowing network and computer operating systems also helps identify when someone has written gobbly-gook...no offense, but that paragraph right there sounds like a first-grader attempting to describe fornication to a high-school senior. "Hidden server"?? CGI scripts (why do you insist on calling it a bug?) are nothing new - lots of websites run them, whether it's C, C++, Perl, Java, VB, Applescript....whatever. Why are you guys acting like running CGI scripts is some secret nasty thing? Hidden server...what do you think we are, idiots? If you want to explain it as someone who "knows network and computer operating systems" - then explain it using that terminology. We're big kids here, we can take it... I want the beef man, if you've identified a rogue script that attempts to infect or harm the operating system or computer (or even browser) of a member, let's talk about that....that would be cool to finally have out in the open, man.

They want to track you because you maybe on the fringe as an enemy combatant for the haliburton/hbr detention camps.

Huh?

They have them built, now they want to fill up. Being a tracked suspect, I have had septic overload respond almost immediately to my queries about the tracking and other such threads. It's like they are on it almost right now.

Oh...you were using an analogy...lol. Sorry, for a sec there I thought you'd gone woo-woo on me.

This has just been alerted to the public domain.

Microsoft Security Bulletin MS08-067 – Critical
Vulnerability in Server Service Could Allow Remote Code Execution

Than there is "clickjacking"

Clickjacking allows an attacker to use one or more of several new attack scenarios to literally steal your mouse clicks. When you think you're clicking on a simple button — for example, to see the next page of an article — you may actually be giving the bad guys permission to do something entirely different, such as log on to your online checking account.

Ats maybe using this exploit. ---->"maybe"<----

Come on man...that's obvious fear-mongering. First of all, they could also be keylogging, installing spyware, adware, viruses, installing Trojans..... So could the hundreds or thousands of other websites you visit daily/weekly. That's what internet firewalls are for (you've got yours enabled, right?)

Do you realize how difficult it is for the bad guys to not only get you to click on your "logon" button for your online checking account, but also to get *into* your account without knowing your password?

I agree with Mojo that there's enough evidence suggesting a number of areas that really do require some investigation - but I have to say I can't stand seeing baseless accusations just thrown around without anything to support them. Doing so only belittles our position and makes us look like raving lunatics. Stick to the facts, please? And don't make sweeping "maybe" speculation, they really do portray a "woo-woo" mentality...and they do nothing more than hurt our overall legitimacy when it comes to issues regarding ATS.

Thanks,
-Ry

[GigaShadow]

Your sense of humour is over whelming, what can I say!

[Jack'sDead]

i think someone at one time or another discovered a small (only a few pixels) bug or something once on ats, in the area where your avatar shows, wish i could remember what it was...i'll have to see if i can find that again, i'm pretty sure Bill admitted to its presence but down played the significance of it.

mojo

[/quote]

Aw man, I wish I could remember where I read that. It was recent, but part of an old thread. Somewhere here on RU I think. Seems to me that the person who found it was still active too. If I find it i'll link it here.

[Jack'sDead]

I have very little desire to share my words with ATS anymore, but I was blocked from making an "anonymous reply" and redirected to log in. Even thougg that feature is supposed to be allowed by anyone, incldung members.

When I was a member, I noticed quite a few oddball things. I remember a weird sonar "pinging" sound kept happening for a while, until I posted a thread on it in fact. Never heard it again. So I know that there are some strange things going on to start with.

But at this point I wonder what there motivation is to keep me away even now that I am not posting. Are they really that petty, or do they really want any discussions I was in to be buried, so that the info is not disseminated any further? I can always go back to my hard copies I suppose. It made it easier to just pop back over there though. Especially to use the search feature if I can't remember exactly what thread a discussion happened in for example.

I just can't shake the feeling that I was more of a threat to some hidden agenda than I was to "civility and decorum." Especially considering that they still to this day have never even replied to my emails with a simple "we don't want you here because..." If they are so concerned about good manners, you'd a thunk an amicable parting of ways might have been in their best interest.

I smell a stinkawhiff.

[cybertron2006]

mojo sez- i think someone at one time or another discovered a small (only a few pixels) bug or something once on ats, in the area where your avatar shows

If I should ever get the guts to visit that site and create an account, I'm gonna use a completely white avatar, just so I can see the bug for myself.