How AOL could stop account phishing tomorrow

barton

unread,

Feb 5, 1996, 3:00:00 AM2/5/96

to

In article <4f3ugm$r...@spectator.cris.com>, arts...@pop3.concentric.net
(Art Stone) wrote:

> In any case, the "fix" would be to disable Guest Logins. Replace it

Then AOL users would be unable to check their mail from other terminals
without downloading and reinstalling a personalized copy of the software
to the machine they're using in that instance. And the people that do
steal names and passwords could easily personalize a copy of the software
with the accounts they've stolen and easily erase it later.

Try again.

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
bar...@phantom.com http://www.phantom.com/~barton
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

Stan Parker

unread,

Feb 9, 1996, 3:00:00 AM2/9/96

to

bar...@phantom.com (barton) wrote:
>In article <4f3ugm$r...@spectator.cris.com>, arts...@pop3.concentric.net
>(Art Stone) wrote:
>
>> In any case, the "fix" would be to disable Guest Logins. Replace it
>
>Then AOL users would be unable to check their mail from other terminals
>without downloading and reinstalling a personalized copy of the software
>to the machine they're using in that instance. And the people that do
>steal names and passwords could easily personalize a copy of the software
>with the accounts they've stolen and easily erase it later.
>
>Try again.
>

Actually the solution is far simpler if you think about it. I told
AOL how to stop more than 95% of it, but since they didn't think of it
they will not do it. Besides they would lose valued customers using
others accounts.
()__()
( oo )
/^`\%'^\
(/( . )\)
Q/--\Q
TeddiBear

SuZyxQ

unread,

Feb 15, 1996, 3:00:00 AM2/15/96

to

Well that would work to an extent, but the simple fact is you dont HAVE to
have the guest logon to access an acct using a stolen password. All they
would have to do is reinstall the AOL software not saving the preferences
from the previous version (Screen names etc) or use a program like AOHell
or the many tons of others available to quickly reset the software to New
User. Signing on as a new user you can just put in the screen name and
password in place of the certificate number and password and sign
on.....after signing off the software will show the stolen name and
password allowing them to just sign on as if it was their own acct. Then
if something happened so they couldnt use that acct anymore, just do it
again. So really that wouldnt stop the phishers from phishing for
passwords at all =(

Stan Parker

unread,

Feb 20, 1996, 3:00:00 AM2/20/96

to

The answer to the Password Surfing is really simple but AOL
refuses to stop it. A small subroutine would stop it IF they
wanted it stopped.
()__()
(\( oo )
\^`\%'^\

( . )\)
Q/--\Q

TeddiBear ::::Waving:::: at you

Deborah Levinson

unread,

Feb 21, 1996, 3:00:00 AM2/21/96

to

Stan Parker <tedi...@westworld.com> wrote:

>The answer to the Password Surfing is really simple but AOL
>refuses to stop it. A small subroutine would stop it IF they
>wanted it stopped.

Pray tell!

(I've been looking all morning for a place to test out my new .sig)

;)

Deborah Levinson
Gay & Lesbian Web Alliance
http://colossus.net/glwa/glwa
Remote Slave Volunteer/America Online
They don't want me to speak for them, so I'm not.
(Go Pat Go! - AWAY! - )