This spam getting into Micronet from poorly configured Synchronet
systems needs to stop.

Please fix your systems.

-- Sean


___ MultiMail/Win v0.52

--- Maximus/2 3.01
* Origin: Micronet World HQ - bbs.outpostbbs.net:10323 (618:618/1)

To: Sean Dennis
Re: Synchronet sysops
By: Sean Dennis to All on Sat Oct 07 2023 05:55 pm

From Newsgroup: micronet.chat.general

This spam getting into Micronet from poorly configured Synchronet
systems needs to stop.

Please fix your systems.

I've been trying to find the source of this stuff; been looking for a while. it's happened on and off for months. someone just mapped out the functions of the synchronet and created a bot for it.

I think the best way to eliminate it is to 'obscure' your bbs' functions.
i recommend synchronet sysops change or eliminate this file: https://vert.synchro.net/?page=000-register.xjs

A lot of today's sysops just shrug off someone using a bot on your system to spam msg nets. I think most real sysops from back in the day would see it as being embarassing or some type of insult that they would deal with asap.
--- Synchronet 3.19b-Win32 NewsLink 1.113
* bbses.info - http://bbses.info - telnet://bbses.info
* Origin: capitolcityonline.net * Telnet/SSH:2022/HTTP (618:250/1)

Jas Hud wrote to Sean Dennis <=-

I think the best way to eliminate it is to 'obscure' your bbs'
functions. i recommend synchronet sysops change or eliminate this file: https://vert.synchro.net/?page=000-register.xjs

Somehow I'm not surprised that this is happening. Maybe I need to talk
to Rob about this.

A lot of today's sysops just shrug off someone using a bot
on your system to spam msg nets. I think most real sysops
from back in the day would see it as being embarassing or
some type of insult that they would deal with asap.

My hot take: they don't have any common sense. A bot doing things like
that signals a problem with your BBS being insecure.

Thanks for the suggestion and I'll refer Sync sysops with that issue to
your advice.

-- Sean


... "Hugh Jass? Somebody check the mens' room for a Hugh Jass!" -- Moe
___ MultiMail/Win v0.52

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To: Sean Dennis
Re: Re: Synchronet sysops
By: Sean Dennis to Jas Hud on Thu Oct 19 2023 03:59 pm

Somehow I'm not surprised that this is happening. Maybe I need to talk
to Rob about this.

A lot of today's sysops just shrug off someone using a bot
on your system to spam msg nets. I think most real sysops
from back in the day would see it as being embarassing or
some type of insult that they would deal with asap.

Thanks for the suggestion and I'll refer Sync sysops with that issue to
your advice.

i've been trying to find the source of this bot, but all i've found is some shitty script .js to use synchronet to ddos. and i don't think synchronet is the right tool for the job
--- Synchronet 3.19b-Win32 NewsLink 1.113
* bbses.info - http://bbses.info - telnet://bbses.info
* Origin: capitolcityonline.net * Telnet/SSH:2022/HTTP (618:250/1)

I think the best way to eliminate it is to 'obscure' your bbs' functions. i recommend synchronet sysops change or eliminate this file: https://vert.synchro.net/?page=000-register.xjs

Somehow I'm not surprised that this is happening. Maybe I need to talk
to Rob about this.

If they add the following two lines to the following dataset,
it won't display: /sbbs/webv4/pages/webcntl.ini

[*register.xjs]
AccessRequirements = LEVEL 90

I set it to level 90 as I feel that is sufficiently high. I have tested it
and it won't display. Others can add whatever access restriction string they want there.

Mike


* SLMR 2.1a * Psychoceramics: The study of crackpots.
--- SBBSecho 3.14-Linux
* Origin: capitolcityonline.net * Telnet/SSH:2022/HTTP (618:250/1)

To: Mike Powell
Re: Re: Synchronet sysops
By: Mike Powell to SEAN DENNIS on Fri Oct 20 2023 08:10 am

Somehow I'm not surprised that this is happening. Maybe I need to talk
to Rob about this.

If they add the following two lines to the following dataset,
it won't display: /sbbs/webv4/pages/webcntl.ini

[*register.xjs]
AccessRequirements = LEVEL 90

I set it to level 90 as I feel that is sufficiently high. I have tested

it
and it won't display. Others can add whatever access restriction string they want there.

Yeah that's something 'new to me' that they added.
Also, there's different web interfaces. i still use the runemaster one.
I just disable web registrations and that's seemed to do well for me with teh several bbses i've ran.


The hard part is getting the sysop to do something, especially getting them to do something before there's an attack and a bunch of spam. Synchronet is still a 'bbs in a box' in most respects and requires little configuration.

--- Synchronet 3.19b-Win32 NewsLink 1.113
* bbses.info - http://bbses.info - telnet://bbses.info
* Origin: capitolcityonline.net * Telnet/SSH:2022/HTTP (618:250/1)

If they add the following two lines to the following dataset,
it won't display: /sbbs/webv4/pages/webcntl.ini

[*register.xjs]
AccessRequirements = LEVEL 90

Yeah that's something 'new to me' that they added.
Also, there's different web interfaces. i still use the runemaster one.
I just disable web registrations and that's seemed to do well for me with teh veral bbses i've ran.

I actually have both interfaces running. I disabled the v4 registration page but forgot about runemaster. It was a new setting to me also... I went browsing and found the ini file. It had a level for another page already
set so I used it as an example, set a requirement for register.xjs and it worked.

The hard part is getting the sysop to do something, especially getting them to
do something before there's an attack and a bunch of spam. Synchronet is still
'bbs in a box' in most respects and requires little configuration.

Yeah, I get the impression that some folks don't change much when it comes
to the default configuration. I actually get that impression with Mystic,
too.

Mike


* SLMR 2.1a * Golden Rule: He who has the gold makes the rules.
--- SBBSecho 3.14-Linux
* Origin: capitolcityonline.net * Telnet/SSH:2022/HTTP (618:250/1)

Mike Powell wrote to JAS HUD <=-

Yeah, I get the impression that some folks don't change much when it
comes to the default configuration. I actually get that impression
with Mystic, too.

I've noticed that for years, unfortunately. While I am no ANSI artist,
I try not to leave my BBS look stock. I know how to use TheDraw and
that's good enough for me.

-- Sean


... I never finish anything as I have a black belt in partial arts.
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* Origin: Outpost BBS * Johnson City, TN (618:618/1)

To: Mike Powell
Re: Re: Synchronet sysops
By: Mike Powell to JAS HUD on Mon Oct 23 2023 09:14 am

I actually have both interfaces running. I disabled the v4 registration page but forgot about runemaster. It was a new setting to me also... I went browsing and found the ini file. It had a level for another page already set so I used it as an example, set a requirement for register.xjs and it worked.

what sucks is i have so many .ini and cfg files from legacy stuff.
i dont know if i can toss or keep some of those files. and some are same name but ini and cfg. i suppose it's not hurting anything so i can leave it sit for another 10 yrs.
--- Synchronet 3.19b-Win32 NewsLink 1.113
* bbses.info - http://bbses.info - telnet://bbses.info
* Origin: capitolcityonline.net * Telnet/SSH:2022/HTTP (618:250/1)

To: Digimaus
Re: Re: Synchronet sysops
By: Digimaus to Mike Powell on Mon Oct 23 2023 02:32 pm

From Newsgroup: micronet.chat.general

Mike Powell wrote to JAS HUD <=-

Yeah, I get the impression that some folks don't change much when it comes to the default configuration. I actually get that impression with Mystic, too.

I've noticed that for years, unfortunately. While I am no ANSI artist,
I try not to leave my BBS look stock. I know how to use TheDraw and
that's good enough for me.

-- Sean

they used to call me a thief for going in old ansi packs and using menu sets or borrowing pieces or using ideas.

using some thedraw fonts that arent horribly ugly and changing your color scheme should be good enough in most cases.
--- Synchronet 3.19b-Win32 NewsLink 1.113
* bbses.info - http://bbses.info - telnet://bbses.info
* Origin: capitolcityonline.net * Telnet/SSH:2022/HTTP (618:250/1)

what sucks is i have so many .ini and cfg files from legacy stuff.
i dont know if i can toss or keep some of those files. and some are same name
ut ini and cfg. i suppose it's not hurting anything so i can leave it sit for
nother 10 yrs.

Yeah, I am sure I have some of those still lying around also. Makes it difficult to know which one to update if you have to.

Mike


* SLMR 2.1a * Bureaucrats cut red tape--lengthwise.
--- SBBSecho 3.14-Linux
* Origin: capitolcityonline.net * Telnet/SSH:2022/HTTP (618:250/1)

using some thedraw fonts that arent horribly ugly and changing your color scheme should be good enough in most cases.

That's basically what I've been doing for years. My board is a mess right now as this week is really busy for me. Hoping to get nearly everything fixed this weekend.

-- Sean

--- ProBoard v2.17 [Reg]
* Origin: Outpost BBS * Johnson City, TN (618:618/1)

To: Mike Powell
Re: Re: Synchronet sysops
By: Mike Powell to JAS HUD on Tue Oct 24 2023 08:23 am

From Newsgroup: micronet.chat.general

what sucks is i have so many .ini and cfg files from legacy stuff.
i dont know if i can toss or keep some of those files. and some are same name
ut ini and cfg. i suppose it's not hurting anything so i can leave it sit for
nother 10 yrs.

Yeah, I am sure I have some of those still lying around also. Makes it difficult to know which one to update if you have to.

Mike

also many changes were scattered around the whatsnew files so that makes it difficult too.
--- Synchronet 3.19b-Win32 NewsLink 1.113
* bbses.info - http://bbses.info - telnet://bbses.info
* Origin: capitolcityonline.net * Telnet/SSH:2022/HTTP (618:250/1)

While I am no ANSI artist, I try not to leave my BBS look stock.

>I know how to use TheDraw and that's good enough for me.

Gads, reading that that brought back memories. Back in the early 90's when I first got onto BBS systems I started manually drawing screens for a couple
of the local boards. I remember feeling that it was a rip off when TheDraw
came out because then almost anyone could do it..

I was also fortunate because the one local BBS back then that carried the international BBS feeds started charging for access, but the Sysop contacted
me and offered me free access if I'd look after the Techie conference, something I'd pretty much been doing all along for free anyways.. B)

---
* SLMR Rob * A shipment goes by car but a cargo goes by ship
* Origin: capitolcityonline.net * Telnet/SSH:2022/HTTP (618:250/1)