Hmm-Signatures Setting Tracing Cookies

mickeyboymel

Never noticed this before but now it seems certain signatures/images in posts try to set tracing cookies on your PC when you are simply browsing Boards.ie

regi

Aye its true. Its an issue we've brought up before, but most users are quite adamant about their wishes to host their sig images offsite, so we've left it as is.

Boston

Regi, while this issue doesn't really effect moi since I block those annoying sigs, isn't having a sig a privalage? so Why should users be dictating where they host the image? every user has free web space here, what would the effect of hosting it elsewhere be on the sig, other then it taking longer to load. In my opinion there shouldn't be a choice about this.

regi

As mickeyboymel pointed out, sig images that are hosted offsite can introduce cookies that potentially track other users.

ZENER

I raised the issue of sig security a while back and was shot down for over reacting about it. The data protection act has a section that deals on the placement of cookies on a persons computer without them being made aware of it.

Theoretically boards.ie could be illegally placing cookies on your machine ! I'm not talking of the cookies you EXPECT from boards to verify you etc. rather the cookies placed by someones sig.

ZENER

Boston

Originally posted by Regi
As mickeyboymel pointed out, sig images that are hosted offsite can introduce cookies that potentially track other users.

You missed my point. My point is why the hell are sigs allowed to be host off site in the first place.

amp

Originally posted by ZENER
I raised the issue of sig security a while back and was shot down for over reacting about it. The data protection act has a section that deals on the placement of cookies on a persons computer without them being made aware of it.

Theoretically boards.ie could be illegally placing cookies on your machine ! I'm not talking of the cookies you EXPECT from boards to verify you etc. rather the cookies placed by someones sig.

Turn off signatures. Problem solved.

DeVore

Which signature is doing this?

If we force sigs to be hosted here, what next? Any image has to be hosted here? No external links cos they could lead to tracing cookies?
If you are concerned there are a couple of actions you can take before demanding we host the entire internet on our servers... turn off sigs, turn off images or turn off cookie acceptance.

Zener dont be a moron, we dont serve the cookie, the image host does. I'd like to see you prove any responsibility on our behalf. Sorry, this is just part of how the fncked up "security" of the internet works... pull on that thread and it all unravels as we tie ourselves up with more and more restrictive practises being scared by our own shadow.

My 2c.

DeV.

regi

Or we could only allow sig images to be served from our free members webspace. If people don't want to view sigs, we do provide skins that do that.

uberwolf

Originally posted by Regi
Or we could only allow sig images to be served from our free members webspace. If people don't want to view sigs, we do provide skins that do that.

on the basis of what I've read here so far that would seem the best. Whats the argument against restricting where people host their signatures?

regi

It is a hard call to make. There's good arguments for and against. I guess the current attitude is somewhat laissez faire, but we did spot someone deliberately and maliciously tracking users with web-bugs, we wouldn't regard that behaviour kindly.

I'm still weighing up my opinion it anyway.

ecksor

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=116918

DeVore

OFFTOPIC: Regi, thats the most disturbing tagline and avatar combo I've *ever* seen on Boards. Euw!

DeV.

The Corinthian

Originally posted by Boston
what would the effect of hosting it elsewhere be on the sig, other then it taking longer to load.

How did you come to that conclusion..?

amp

Forcing sig images to be hosted by boards would put extra load on the servers. Dunno how much but I imagine it wouldn't be a problem right now. But I think it would grow with boards growth and could be a problem in the future in terms of bandwith.

As usual on these type of things I'm not in favour of tarring all boards users with the same brush. The vast majority of signatures do not track users but the very small minority that do should be removed and their owners banned completely imo.

ecksor

How did you come to that conclusion..?

If a page is taking a long time to load on boards, then very often it is due to an image in a post or signature hosted on a slow or unresponsive server. However, that doesn't mean that the converse is true which is what I think Boston is saying ...

Boston

Originally posted by ecksor
If a page is taking a long time to load on boards, then very often it is due to an image in a post or signature hosted on a slow or unresponsive server. However, that doesn't mean that the converse is true which is what I think Boston is saying ...

Yes that is what I'm saying, why wouldn't the converse be also true?

ecksor

Because other servers may serve the image/data to you as fast or even faster.

Boston

On the whole, that isn't true. Besides, (this may be a work of fiction) isn't the boards sever hosted in the middle of a telephone exchange or the equvalent in dublin city somewhere.

SheroN

Please stop boston, please.

Asok

The Fruit ****er Pwns You All

DeVore

Yes, its hosted in the middle of a telelphone exchange. Teams of women connect you to your requested page, often using phono-jacks and long pieces of cable.

DeV.

Asok

<PhoneClerk> One Moment sir connecting to "xxxxxxxx lotlita teens rar omg hotttt"

Boston

Originally posted by DeVore
Yes, its hosted in the middle of a telelphone exchange. Teams of women connect you to your requested page, often using phono-jacks and long pieces of cable.

DeV.

I ****ing knew it. I knew I had telephone exchange wrong, but its it hosted at a fibre node or something, one of those big sever parks by nevada or somebody? Maybe it was all a dream or a drunken conversation, I'm not sure anymore.

The Corinthian

Originally posted by ecksor
If a page is taking a long time to load on boards, then very often it is due to an image in a post or signature hosted on a slow or unresponsive server. However, that doesn't mean that the converse is true which is what I think Boston is saying ...

Agreed. It was his declaration that this was always the case I was questioning.

Originally posted by Boston
On the whole, that isn't true.

And again, this is because..?

(Because you don’t actually know what you’re talking about does not count as a valid answer, BTW)

Besides, (this may be a work of fiction) isn't the boards sever hosted in the middle of a telephone exchange or the equvalent in dublin city somewhere.

You should not be encouraged to breed.

amp

I just finished reading the thread url that ecksor posted and a solution had been reached that made almost everybody happy:

by DeVore in that other thread summarising a compromise by ecksor.
1. If you dont want this option on (and it would be off by default) you will see and use Boards EXACTLY AS YOU DO NOW. Linking to external images (hosted wherever) would be the same and what you see in threads would be the same. No change

2. If, on the other hand, you DO turn this option on you will see no images from foreign servers and you will be all safe from the boogeyman.

This is the answer. Everybodies a winner. Case closed. QED.

Boston

Originally posted by The Corinthian
You should not be encouraged to breed.

Excuse moi?

amp

Well you might pass what ever you have to an innocent child.

Boston

Originally posted by The Corinthian
And again, this is because..?

right I'll explain it to you, if you're in Ireland right you need to like put a prefix to get access to sites hosted in other countries right and this costs more because its long distance surfing as apposed to short distance sufting which is only like 1.27 cent a minute. Therefore if sigs are hosted on foreign sites they cost me more money and i don't like that and it takes longer to download due to the lag as a result of long distance surfing

The Corinthian

Originally posted by Boston
right I'll explain it to you, if you're in Ireland right you need to like put a prefix to get access to sites hosted in other countries right and this costs more because its long distance surfing as apposed to short distance sufting which is only like 1.27 cent a minute. Therefore if sigs are hosted on foreign sites they cost me more money and i don't like that and it takes longer to download due to the lag as a result of long distance surfing

Fair enough bubbles...

jank

Originally posted by Boston
right I'll explain it to you, if you're in Ireland right you need to like put a prefix to get access to sites hosted in other countries right and this costs more because its long distance surfing as apposed to short distance sufting which is only like 1.27 cent a minute. Therefore if sigs are hosted on foreign sites they cost me more money and i don't like that and it takes longer to download due to the lag as a result of long distance surfing

??are u serious