Phone number requests from this site?

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LWJ

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Message 60970 - Posted: 3 May 2009, 16:19:17 UTC

I recently added some "data theft protection" to my PC, and since then, the only site trying to get my personal info seems to be this one. The software is reporting that http://srv4.bakerlab.org is requesting my phone number repeatedly.

Any idea why this is occurring?

Thanks.
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Message 60975 - Posted: 4 May 2009, 1:40:18 UTC

No idea, but where are you seeing the indication? In your browser as you view the website and for forums? Or, when the BOINC Manager is using the internet?

Do you crunch other BOINC projects?
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LWJ

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Message 61010 - Posted: 4 May 2009, 23:20:20 UTC

I guess it was when BOINC Manager was using the Internet. I certainly wasn't accessing this website or its forum at any of those times. And yes, I do a number of other projects not related to Rosetta: SETI, ClimatePrediction, Predictor@Home, and World Community Grid projects are also available to run.

The "data protection" allows me to specify only part of what needs protecting, so I only put in the last four digits of my number. I suppose it is possible that this sequence did appear in whatever communications were going through at the time. I've since expanded to the full 10 digits of my number, and I don't think this has happened since.

I guess maybe for now the issue is "gone", but it begs the next question, "What happened to the communications it was trying to do that wasn't allowed?" Does BOINC keep trying? I don't have anything queued for communications at the moment.
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Message 61015 - Posted: 5 May 2009, 3:23:53 UTC

It is not entirely clear what communication was blocked. But yes, BOINC retries everything and watches closely to make sure communications are completed before assuming so.
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mikey
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Message 61021 - Posted: 5 May 2009, 12:49:50 UTC - in response to Message 61010.  

I guess it was when BOINC Manager was using the Internet. I certainly wasn't accessing this website or its forum at any of those times. And yes, I do a number of other projects not related to Rosetta: SETI, ClimatePrediction, Predictor@Home, and World Community Grid projects are also available to run.

The "data protection" allows me to specify only part of what needs protecting, so I only put in the last four digits of my number. I suppose it is possible that this sequence did appear in whatever communications were going through at the time. I've since expanded to the full 10 digits of my number, and I don't think this has happened since.

I guess maybe for now the issue is "gone", but it begs the next question, "What happened to the communications it was trying to do that wasn't allowed?" Does BOINC keep trying? I don't have anything queued for communications at the moment.


Are you on dial-up for your internet connection?
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LWJ

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Message 61024 - Posted: 5 May 2009, 20:03:12 UTC - in response to Message 61021.  



Are you on dial-up for your internet connection?


Nope, DSL, always on.
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Profile Greg_BE
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Message 61028 - Posted: 5 May 2009, 23:02:41 UTC

I am on DSL and have no other communications selected.
I have never seen your type of request before.

Very odd...
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LizzieBarry

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Message 61030 - Posted: 5 May 2009, 23:21:05 UTC - in response to Message 61010.  

The "data protection" allows me to specify only part of what needs protecting, so I only put in the last four digits of my number. I suppose it is possible that this sequence did appear in whatever communications were going through at the time. I've since expanded to the full 10 digits of my number, and I don't think this has happened since.

I've used this type of software before and it's really just a case that 4 numbers is too few to provide any kind of unique identifier. I've found it frequently clashed with thread numbers of message boards like this, or even message numbers.

The fact that you've expanded to ten digits and the 'problem' has disappeared shows that your original choice was too narrow as a unique identifier. There was no attempt to grab any number of yours - it was just a coincidence. A false positive if you like.

So nothing to worry about at all IMHO.
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Message 61033 - Posted: 6 May 2009, 13:20:46 UTC

Wow, so if someone wants to harvest people's info. all they have to do is write a program that claims to protect it, that way you begin by giving it all of your information.

Best way to distribute a virus will prove to be virus scanning software too. Mark my words. You're constantly updating to a new version and so if you hack the virus scanner's site, you get all the machines using it.
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Message boards : Cafe Rosetta : Phone number requests from this site?



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