WrongPlanet.net, the largest autism forum, is in the midst of a hostile takeover
tl;dr: WrongPlanet’s owner got hacked and there are now no mods. Please signal boost this so that autistic people know the site is likely to be unsafe from now on.
I heard that Alex Plank, the absentee admin of WrongPlanet, had returned with a big announcement.
Hey there, fellow Wrong Planeters! I know it’s been an eternity since I last graced this forum with my presence. I apologize for my absence, but I come bearing an astonishing tale of woe and wonder. Brace yourselves, for I suffer from the most peculiar affliction known to mankind: “Chronic Update Blockage Disorder (and forgetting to change my password).” Yes, you read that right. For a decade now, I have been plagued by a condition that has kept me from updating Wrong Planet, ensuring that it remains untouched, like a relic preserved for future generations to marvel at. Imagine the monumental impact this has had on the state of the internet. Don’t worry; I’ll give you a moment to gather your thoughts. Now, you may be wondering how such an unusual ailment came to be. Well, let me enlighten you. It all began when I was innocently tinkering with some HTML code, trying to add a dancing unicorn GIF to my signature. Little did I know that this innocent act of digital mischief would lead to my tragic downfall. In a bizarre twist of fate, my fingers slipped on the keyboard, causing a cataclysmic error in the space-time continuum. A rift opened up, and Wrong Planet was sucked into a parallel dimension—an alternate reality where updating websites is a crime punishable by being forced to listen to dial-up modem noises on repeat for eternity. It’s a dimension where webmasters are trapped in a perpetual loop of server errors and broken links. Oh, the horror! Ever since that fateful day, I have been caught in a cosmic limbo, unable to break free from the clutches of my disorder. Every time I attempt to update the site, my hands freeze, my eyes glaze over, and my mind is overrun with visions of cascading style sheets and merciless pop-up ads. It’s like a digital possession straight out of a techno-horror movie. But fear not! I refuse to let this affliction define me. In my isolation, I have become a webmaster hermit, a guru of outdated HTML and obsolete plugins. I have attained a level of enlightenment that transcends the mere mortal realm of web development. My website, frozen in time, stands as a testament to my indomitable spirit and steadfast refusal to give in to the relentless march of progress. So, as I sit here in my digital dungeon, surrounded by stacks of floppy disks and a shrine dedicated to the ancient Netscape Navigator, I implore you all to cherish your ability to update your websites. Take a moment to appreciate the mundane task of uploading a new blog post or tweaking your site’s layout, for it is a privilege denied to the unfortunate few, like me. In conclusion, I hope my tale of woe has brought a smile to your face, despite the tragic consequences it has had on my own online presence. Remember, life is unpredictable, and so are the pitfalls of the digital world. Cherish your ability to hit that “Publish” button, for you never know when it might be taken away from you, leaving you stranded in the abyss of chronic update blockage and forgetting to change my password that’s been used for over 10 years. Yours humorously, The Eternally Unresponsive Webmaster Alex i come in peace
Now this is a weird post, right?
Some early commenters mentioned that this was weird - one accused “Alex” of being high - but most of them seemed to think it was just Alex being a bit goofy.
Then on page two, we have a post from The_Walrus, a long-serving moderator. Well, former moderator:
There is a >95% probability that it isn’t the real Alex, and instead his account has been compromised. Firstly, Alex doesn’t write like that. It just isn’t his style. It’s far too poetic. Alex is usually very direct and blunt. It’s also self-deprecating in a way I do not associate with Alex. Additionally:
Quote:
Take a moment to appreciate the mundane task of uploading a new blog post or tweaking your site’s layout, for it is a privilege denied to the unfortunate few, like me.
In conclusion, I hope my tale of woe has brought a smile to your face, despite the tragic consequences it has had on my own online presence. Remember, life is unpredictable, and so are the pitfalls of the digital world. Cherish your ability to hit that “Publish” button, for you never know when it might be taken away from you, leaving you stranded in the abyss of chronic update blockage and forgetting to change my password that’s been used for over 10 years.
This is pretty much spelling it out - this individual has gained access to Alex’s account. Alex’s email address has been involved in 30 data breaches, according to https://haveibeenpwned.com/. Having failed to update his site for a long time, the “hacker” (using that word loosely) feels that Alex has forfeited the right to it.
Additionally, all moderators and admins (apart from Alex himself) have been stripped of their permissions.
This is obviously a regular WrongPlanet user, and I can make an educated guess as to who, but almost certainly isn’t the real Alex.
To this, “Alex” responded “educate my balls, Cartman”.
It seems WrongPlanet is probably permanently compromised. It has always been a site that has serious issues with spammers, scammers, and passing trolls, but those issues are only likely to get worse now.
If you are on WrongPlanet mailing lists, be very suspicious of any emails you receive. They are likely to be scams or otherwise misleading.
Please signal boost this post as much as possible… @autie-j @asdcats @chavisory I’d be grateful if you could help get the word out however you feel appropriate.
Update: while the WrongPlanet home page and a few other pages will still load, the forums are inaccessible.
The hacker has created a new admin account, “God”, instead of using Alex’s. They seem to have completely broken the site.
Second update: WrongPlanet is now completely down. Attempting to access it returns a white page with these words:
This Site Has Been Disabled
Contact your service provider for more information.
“God” has even managed to close the site mirror that was continuing to work.
Third update: a WrongPlanet moderator has made a comment on AutismForums, the second biggest autism forum. This isn’t publicly viewable but the key message:
WrongPlanet passwords are stored in unencrypted (unsalted) form, and the nefarious new admin has access to them, along with email addresses. There is no point changing your WrongPlanet password as long as the site is under control - this person will still be able to change it. However, you should change your password as a matter of urgency on any sites where it is the same as your WrongPlanet password, especially if associated with the same email address.
This is a major security issue. If you have a WrongPlanet account, and you reuse your password across other accounts with the same email address, especially bank accounts or email, then you need to change them. Your password is not safe.
