security of this forum?

[confusedlayman]

Hi, what is security of this forum? the forum cannot be hacked right? user details are encrypted and idendity cannot be found by 3rd party?

I think forum needs upgrade like encryption, new UI, new features and needs future integration to web 3.0

Also a mobile app can be used too.

If this server is hosted on american server, can govt archive entire forum, download it and profile the users?

Thanks

[santa100]

If this server is hosted on american server, can govt archive entire forum, download it and profile the users?

Don't worry about US govt having your info. Instead worry about the Chinese and Russian. Despite many of our shortcomings, we don't make people "accidentally" fall out of their apartment window to their death, or mysteriously disappear in the middle of the night and have their organs harvested and sold to the black market.

[dharmacorps]

How do you know the security needs an upgrade if you don't know what the security is to begin with?

This is the owners concern, and I am sure David takes security seriously.

Otherwise, if you have that many secrets and are concerned about being unmasked, the internet is probably not a good place for you.

[DNS]

The software is up to date to latest phpbb versions. We don't sell any information to 3rd party organizations. We don't advertise either, i.e. we don't allow people to advertise even if they are willing to pay.

The only information in the database is your email you registered with, the IP which you registered with which actually changes by the week or month unless you have a static IP, and (typically) an anonymous username. The only thing the public can see is your anonymous username.

We have automatic backups set for once a week. If we get hacked and the site goes down, we could be back up in less than 24 hours with the backup.

[confusedlayman]

How do you know the security needs an upgrade if you don't know what the security is to begin with?

This is the owners concern, and I am sure David takes security seriously.

Otherwise, if you have that many secrets and are concerned about being unmasked, the internet is probably not a good place for you.

i dont have secrets.. but asking generally..

[Pulsar]

Please don't upgrade. Sutta Central did an upgrade recently, and I cannot post or read there
content anymore except what is on their periodic e-mail to me.
I am asked to upgrade my Safari, in order access SC, and some other websites.
I hate upgrades. Less to worry about. Thanks David for not upgrading. I do not care who steals what. I myself have nothing worth stealing. So there.
Whatever is posted by an individual on the WBB is available to all, for all to see and steal. This is public knowledge.
With Love

[mikenz66]

I am asked to upgrade my Safari, in order access SC, and some other websites.

You can thank Apple for such problems - even if you do have the latest version, Safari is the Internet Explorer of the 21st century - deliberately not complying with web standards in order to keep market share and profit. As least on Mac you can install a better browser. On IOS you're completely at Apple's mercy, as all browsers have to use the same WebKit backend. Lucily the EU is taking action on that: https://www.theregister.com/2022/04/26/ ... s_browser/, as they have done in the past over anti-competitive actions by Microsoft, Apple, Google, etc.

Not upgrading software is simply not an option if you are running a web site such as this one. There are always bugs that might be exploited and need patching. Organisations can face real issues if they don't take security seriously - potentially days or weeks of downtime, which is awkward if you're a vital service such as a hospital. Even your own information can be an issue. While someone reading information from this particular site is not a concern to me, I've known people who have lost money from their bank accounts when their computers have been hacked.


Mike

[Pulsar]

Dear Mike: True! all the things you say are true. Cooperate world does what it does.
The billionaires never care for the little people. World has always been like this.

• Ours is not a financial website, where security is an ongoing concern.

You wrote

While someone reading information from this particular site is not a concern to me, I've known people who have lost money from their bank accounts when their computers have been hacked.

I was only thinking of the words in italics.
I don't use the same password here that I might use on a bank account.
Talking about hacking once the Saudis hacked into Jeff Bezos's account. There is nothing that the brilliant hackers cannot do.
For the functioning of this website If something is a must, I am sure the owner and the administrators of the website will do so, regardless of what what any participant wants.
Meanwhile my endless gratitude to DNS and the Admins that help keep Buddha's word alive, in spite of the passage of 2600 years. At times his words come to life on this website, as if there was
no passage of time. I treasure those moments, perhaps they are few and far between. Precious happens rarely. Buddhas are rare.
O but those moments!
With love

[Bundokji]

I think there is an important aspect of security that has little to do with technology, which has to do with animosity.

Many of the founding members here came from a website that has been hacked due to a style of management that encouraged sectarianism, as i have heard.

It becomes dangerous when some members get the feeling that they are too advanced, knowing the true dhamma to the extent that they would go into lengths to stop heresies, either by hacking, or by threatening to sue the site owner.

Also fame is not too advantageous when it comes to security. For example, if a famous monastic shares a controversial opinion, he becomes more hack-able.

The best security measure is to stay away from controversy and lofty positions.

[StrivingforMonkhood]

One of the amazing things about Dhamma Wheel is that you can discuss and call into question Buddhist teachings, etc. There is no proper sectarianism going on. Regular participants on this forum don't even need to be Buddhist.

While some on here may think they have all the truth, just remember they are really "just on the path", with the ego getting in the way at times.

All that said, this is a still a Buddhist forum, with all its virtues and teachings on full display.