Frank Griga(Offline)

Hi,

I was just wondering how secure it is being using PMs for "within the forum" communication. I was playing with those open source forum templates and have realized that it is probably better to eliminate the PM future. People are sharing different ideas and sometimes important information that I believe should stay private. We have got small local forum and I have decided to switch off this future and have asked people to use one of the well known messengers.

What is your experience? Are your PMs safe?

Best,
Frank

David Martin(Offline)

Let's keep the PM function. People just need to be sensible and not send credit card details or other sensitive information if there's a concern re security.

It's useful to have a way of contacting people which doesn't require you to know the recipient's email address etc. As a bonus I can also send PMs at work (but email sites are blocked). I don't know what you mean by suggesting people use "one of the well known messengers" but it sounds less convenient than the PM function.

If we ban PMs we'll probably end up getting a lot more trivial posts which are only really applicable to one or two people.

David

prharris(Offline)

This came up elsewhere and I *think* that the answer was with the bog standard forum s/w, admins can't read PM's but there was an 'add-in' which would allow it.
If a member is banned and removed, I think that his PMs are readable by admins by default.

r
P

Rob Andrews(Offline)

I think it depends on the forum software to be honest.

On another forum I admin on there is no way for admins to read PM's through the forum software, however the PM's are stored in an un-encrypted sql table so you can read them if you have to.

Basically if the info you want to send is so sensitive that you don't want anyone else to be able to see it then don't use the PM system. Use email or instant messenger instead. Other than that I think the PM system is very useful for messages that only concern one user and don't need to clutter up the forum so I would say keep them.

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Rob

Mal Bridgeman(Offline)

If you believe those can't be intercepted either ... I guess there are some who believe phone conversations are "safe" too!!.....

It's all a matter of degree in my view. No one bothers to monitor my calls because I just talk cr*p and haven't attracted the attention of "the authorities".....same is true of email and IM, I suspect. I moderate another forum and there's no way *I* can read other people's pms. It has been suggested that there is software to enable it but I don't believe the forum admins have installed it.

I think most online security is achieved through volume ..... the more rubbish you spout the lower the percentage of interesting things ..... that seems to be how it works

Mal

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Frank Griga(Offline)

Well if the messages are not encrypted then simple SQL query will list any of the PMs you are interested about. Assuming most of the open source forums are database based. I believe it is the Admin who is responsible for keeping such messages private. However we shouldn't use them for discussing sensitive stuff. Once they are in the system they are available in readable form.

Best,
Frank

neilh(Offline)

It's like anything Frank - if it's that sensitive that you don't want anyone other than the recipient to be able to read it then you need to find a way you're happy with. You could meet in person or encrypt a message and send it.

The reality is that electronic and phone communications can be intercepted and it's up to you to decide how secure the mechanism you're using is.

Sure the PM system on many forums is not particularly secure, but I'm comfortable enough that I'm not exchanging information that is sensitive enough to worry about. Also I'm pretty sure that the main people that would have access to the content of my PMs apart from the recipient, the mods, have far better things to do than to read through my messages

Frank Griga(Offline)

Yeap, sure they are diving as anybody else.

NickB(Offline)

That doesn't stop us reading your posts Mal

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neilh(Offline)

Nah, the ignore feature helps do that