How private are our PM's

leon · #1 23-09-2012, 03:01 PM

Hi Guys,well this one maybe a curly one, however i will ask the question anyway.

It was suggested to me that maybe the mods can read our PM's.

To be honest I really don't know, I said

They, the Mods can delete post and threads, plus probably other stuff that I am not aware of, so I suppose it is possible.

Would any Mod like to respond.

Thanks.

Leon

iceman (Mike) · #2 23-09-2012, 03:08 PM

No mods can ever read anyone else's PM's.

They never get access to the database directly. There's no moderation tools to allow mods to read PM's.

Hope that puts you at ease?

leon · #3 23-09-2012, 03:32 PM

Mike I wasn't worried, just asked what was suggested to me, if i have anything to say i am game enough to put my name to it.
Thank you for your response though.

Leon

Shadow (Rich) · #4 23-09-2012, 04:05 PM

Admins and admin nominated users can:
http://www.vbulletin.org/forum/showthread.php?t=91369

iceman (Mike) · #5 23-09-2012, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shadow

Admins and admin nominated users can:
http://www.vbulletin.org/forum/showthread.php?t=91369

Not by default they can't.

That's a mod, that the admin has to specifically install.

We don't have that mod installed.

Astro_Bot · #6 23-09-2012, 10:30 PM

I was an admin of a vBulletin forum for 3 years (with full global admin rights) and can confirm that there's no way an admin can read another person's PMs.

It might be possible with direct database access, but, AFAIK, that requires root priveleges on the host server. That probably means only Mike can read your PMs, but he'd have to work damn hard to find it first!

Shadow (Rich) · #7 23-09-2012, 10:41 PM

Nonsense..read and learn
https://www.vbulletin.com/forum/show...ivate-messages

Astro_Bot · #8 23-09-2012, 10:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shadow

Nonsense..read and learn
https://www.vbulletin.com/forum/show...ivate-messages

Was that directed at me?

Shadow (Rich) · #9 23-09-2012, 10:55 PM

Heres what just one version of the mod looks like:
http://www.anthonyroberts.info/wp-co...09/12/15lr.jpg

Astro_Bot · #10 23-09-2012, 11:02 PM

*IF* you hack vBulletin (or any forum) you could do a great many things. Can it happen on IIS, or another vBulletin forum, that is not hacked? No.

Been there, done that, was an admin for 3 years .. up until 4 months ago.

PS: the first link you posted was dated 2002. Not exactly current.

Shadow (Rich) · #11 23-09-2012, 11:07 PM

The 'Read Pm' is a VB addon NOT a hack.
Same as VB Color Themes, Text Styles etc etc.
Google it

Shadow (Rich) · #12 23-09-2012, 11:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Astro_Bot

*IF* you hack vBulletin (or any forum) you could do a great many things. Can it happen on IIS, or another vBulletin forum, that is not hacked? No.

Been there, done that, was an admin for 3 years .. up until 4 months ago.

PS: the first link you posted was dated 2002. Not exactly current.

Heres a 'current' one for you:
http://www.vbulletin.org/forum/showthread.php?t=209344

Astro_Bot · #13 23-09-2012, 11:31 PM

Hack is a broadly used term, that's why I chose it. And, just for completeness, it does not mean crack.

So you're just going to argue out of context to point score? Arguing about a hack that isn't even on IIS?

But hey, lesson learned. I won't bother offering the benefit of my experience ever again.

Based on you're first 12 posts, I'm sure your contribution to the community will be invaluable.

multiweb (Marc) · #14 24-09-2012, 01:58 AM

1_ Every post or PM on VBulletin is entered in a mySQL database.
2_ You don't need root access to access the database directly just SSH with a valid username and pwd.

Could you access every single PM if you chose to? Of course it's stored in plain text. Can moderators access them? I doubt it as Mike pointed out.
Could Mike, Terry or the hosting company access them if they wanted to? Well yes but I suspect they have better things to do with their time

In short if you have sensitive information don't PM it.

iceman (Mike) · #15 24-09-2012, 04:30 AM

Oh dear, Rich again. Looking through his post history now I remember him.

Looking at the IP address, no doubt a friend or colleague or more likely an alias of Bert Candusio. The MO is startling evident.

I've already answered the question. It doesn't matter how many links get posted to a hack/mod that isn't installed.

Of course with direct database access it's possible. I can assure you I have much better things to do with my time.

Rich has nothing valuable to contribute to IceInSpace and won't be bothering us again.