# How Private Are Private Messages ?



## AwayWeGo (Mar 26, 2009)

TUG-BBS Private Messages are a real convenience in making contact with fellow participants for 1-on-1 matters, & for points of clarification, etc., that need not involve the whole herd of 25*,*000 or so folks who are signed up with TUG-BBS, not to mention the countless thousands of others who just look & read without signing up. 

At TUG Command Central meanwhile, the Grand Pro & his staff presumably have total operational control of the vBulletin software which TUG-BBS runs on -- meaning that any time the Grand Pro & staff can look into any corner of anything & everything carried anywhere on TUG-BBS, presumably including everybody's password, Private Messages, & I don't know what-all. 

I have no issues with Private Message privacy, nor any suspicions or even any hints of anything in the least untoward.  But I am curious as to how far-reaching the access is into the hidden recesses of TUG-BBS that the Grand Pro & staff get via their supreme vBulletin control powers. 

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## Makai Guy (Mar 26, 2009)

Private messages, like all posts on the bbs, reside in the huge database that runs this beast.  

Admins with access and the requisite knowledge do have the ability to dig in and retrieve any message in the database via separate database management software.  I can do this, but I don't know if the other Admins have developed the required skills. 

But it's not easy, and it is unlikely that anybody would take the time and trouble except when users complain of getting spam or abusive PMs from a given user.

Passwords are another matter.  What is stored is not your password but a hashed version of your password (sort of an encryption, sort of) from which the password cannot be recovered.


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## ecwinch (Mar 26, 2009)

Not that I want to set off a wave of paranoia. But in my experience, a skilled IT guy working from the inside always has or can always get the keys to kingdom.

 They have and need that level of access in order to perform their responsibilities.


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## geekette (Mar 26, 2009)

Right, but to most of us, all "the stuff" is just noise.  Keeping the noise flowing is what we do.  

Not a lot of time to snoop, and, honestly, I was brought up to not poke around where I don't belong.  So I don't.  I feel like part of my salary is for my integrity and honestly, and when I see something that's not meant for me, I'm paid to keep my mouth shut.  I could find out all kinds of things, and it's not hard to keep from doing that.  Even when I have free time, it just doesn't enter my mind to go cruise around where I don't belong.  

I would imagine that Doug has better things to do than dig around to find out why Alan asked!

~ key holder that uses them when business warrants


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## AwayWeGo (Mar 26, 2009)

*You Think I'm Up To Something ?*




geekette said:


> I would imagine that Doug has better things to do than dig around to find out why Alan asked!


I said why. 

Curiosity. 

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## ecwinch (Mar 27, 2009)

Or they become concerned about job security.

The worst horror stories I have heard or been involved in, usually start with "I was worried about my job, so I ..... "


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## geekette (Mar 27, 2009)

AwayWeGo said:


> I said why.
> 
> Curiosity.
> 
> -- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​



Just teasing, of course.


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## ace2000 (Mar 27, 2009)

AwayWeGo said:


> I said why.
> 
> Curiosity.
> 
> ...


 


*You got somethin' to hide???*


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## geekette (Mar 27, 2009)

ecwinch said:


> Or they become concerned about job security.
> 
> The worst horror stories I have heard or been involved in, usually start with "I was worried about my job, so I ..... "



Well, I have to say, I have seen people do some things that I feel are simply WRONG.  I've known people that did sabotage on their way out.  And I've seen a lot of things that are just simply inappropriate.  Abuse of power, if you will.

I'm not going to throw away my career and, depending on where you live, the IT community can be a very small place where word spreads quickly.  If you tarnish your reputation, that can be the end of you in that area.  I know that if I decide to leave this job, I can be employed rather quickly because I have a great reputation.  Recruiters never quit calling.  

Not long ago we had a situation here that caused some panic and suspicion among higher-ups.  Obviously I was on the suspect list as I have access to every database, altho everything they were concerned about is a matter of public record.  Absolutely easier to get from inside, but not impossible for anyone to get.  I was quickly removed from that list because I conduct myself as to be above reproach (well, I think that's why I was removed!).  I am one of the very few "trusted with everything" people here, and I don't take that lightly.  

It's not just my career, it's my character.


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## AwayWeGo (Mar 27, 2009)

*Not Necessarily -- But 1 Never Know, Do 1 ?*




ace2000 said:


> You got somethin' to hide?


Click here for a clue. 

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## ace2000 (Mar 27, 2009)

Alan,

You know that just by being the one that started this thread, you will now be closely monitored for the rest of your TUG career. Sorry. 

*Don't do anything that I wouldn't do!*


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## AwayWeGo (Mar 27, 2009)

*Everything I Say Is Being Recorded.  Furthermore, I Am Being Photographed.*





-- hotlinked -- ​
So it goes. 

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## geekette (Mar 27, 2009)

Perhaps you didn't get the memo, but pictures of our workspaces are not to be distributed via the internet.  I don't know how you got that photo of my cube wall ornament, but The Powers will not be pleased.


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## UWSurfer (Mar 27, 2009)

Alan's question reminds me of the quote:  "I can keep a secret, it's those I tell you have to worry about."

Another wise man once said: "Never write anything in e-mail you wouldn't want published on the front page of the New York Times."


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## AwayWeGo (Mar 27, 2009)

*Encrypted Message Not Even The Grand Pro Can Read.*

Duis sit amet nibh. Nam I-I ornare, massa quis vehicula scelerisque, orci risus porttitor urna, a sodales metus quam a quam. Vivamus viverra lacinia nunc. Duis accumsan, ligula ac fringilla pellentesque, nulla risus _el cheapo_ scelerisque justo, eget euismod nisi felis rhoncus est. Etiam ultricies est in lorem. Phasellus magna. Suspendisse lobortis arcu eu nibh. 

Curabitur fermentum feugiat elit. Curabitur id nibh ut odio placerat accumsan. Pellentesque ROFR ultrices. Morbi vehicula sem. Nam sit amet justo quis ipsum faucibus pharetra. Nulla facilisi. Donec convallis, elit vitae iaculis cursus, urna lectus tristique nulla, a sodales urna nulla sed eros. Integer id enim.

In purus. Donec a mauris. Suspendisse potenti. Mauris scelerisque urna id justo. Fusce vitae sapien. Praesent suscipit dapibus neque. In malesuada felis a turpis. Morbi ullamcorper, ante in imperdiet adipiscing, velit est egestas tellus, vitae viverra WestGate metus libero et lacus. Pellentesque aliquam tincidunt nibh. Nulla tempor, nunc sodales iaculis mattis, mauris leo volutpat risus, eu ornare dolor turpis a ligula. Curabitur ornare, sem in ultricies lacinia, lectus felis "points" egestas est, eu mollis nulla eros ut ipsum.

Curabitur urna. Praesent mollis quam ac elit. Integer ac sapien. Curabitur nec arcu non neque aliquet luctus. Vestibulum gravida imperdiet sem. Nunc tempor auctor dui. Praesent ultricies massa -- _WHAP !_ -- in nisi tempor TUG-BBS malesuada. Suspendisse RCI purus ipsum, luctus a, tristique et, bibendum a, lacus. Etiam feugiat, augue at cursus posuere, nunc magna congue nisi, ac tristique dolor ante et ante. 

-- Etaoin Shrdlu, VvBxxenmg (Hooovbmjk  Kxkxhr), Noomeen, WMZ.​


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## ecwinch (Mar 27, 2009)

Is'nt it Latin?


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## ace2000 (Mar 27, 2009)

AwayWeGo said:


> Curabitur urna. Praesent mollis quam ac elit. Integer ac sapien. Curabitur nec arcu non neque aliquet luctus. Vestibulum gravida imperdiet sem. Nunc tempor auctor dui. Praesent ultricies massa -- _WHAP !_ -- in nisi tempor TUG-BBS malesuada.
> 
> -- Etaoin Shrdlu, VvBxxenmg (Hooovbmjk Kxkxhr), Noomeen, WMZ.​


 


Here's the paragraph that looks kinda scary...


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## thinze3 (Mar 27, 2009)

It's Lorem ipsum.


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## Carol C (Mar 29, 2009)

Just because folks are talking about you after reading all your PM msgs on TUG, doesn't mean you should develop a bad case of paranoia! :rofl:


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