Should I log off?

[Charlene Clevenger]

Is it advisable to log off NazNet and other forums when using a DSL? When I log off of NazNet Community I lose my cookies (that just doesn't sound right), and I have to enter all the info the next time, even though I checked the Remember Me box. I'd rather stay logged on, unless it's leaves the computer open for viruses, etc.

[G R 'Scott' Cundiff]

Is it advisable to log off NazNet and other forums when using a DSL? When I log off of NazNet Community I lose my cookies (that just doesn't sound right), and I have to enter all the info the next time, even though I checked the Remember Me box. I'd rather stay logged on, unless it's leaves the computer open for viruses, etc.

The only reason I can see to log off is if more than one person uses your computer to access NazNet Community. That would be necessary for, say, a husband and wife. Otherwise, I would leave it logged on all the time.

[Steve Reece]

As a general principle for all websites to which you logon, you should log off. This reduces the chance of having your account hijacked. If you are in the habit of logging off for your trivial accounts (not that Naznet is trivial!! No, really! :basic05 What I mean by trivial is there is no user bank account or sensitive information being stored.) then it will be more natural to logoff the more important accounts, like your web e-mail, bank, or on line store. Christian sites do get hacked and hijacked, in fact it seems some take great pleasure in attacking Christian websites. If you do not want to type in your user name and password every time, let the system remember for you (at least for trivial sites). Staying logged on means the server leaves the session open until it timesout. That is when your account is vunurable for hijacking. Most well written software takes precautions against hijacking, but the hacker is always a few steps ahead of the developer.

So my opinion is, you should always log off, even on a discussion board.

[Dave McClung]

Steve

I would ordinarily agree with you, but this software seems to have two levels of "log off." If one merely clicks on the X in the upper right corner when they leave, it logs off of the board but does not remove the cookies.

If one clicks on "log off", it not only logs off, but removes the cookies so that one has to sign back in with a password.

I agree that one should not leave the vBulletin software running on their computer while they are away from the computer, but I see no potential harm from leaving the cookies on their computer. The worst thing that could happen is that someone could use their computer to post a message over their name -- an easily correctable issue.

:fun02

[Steve Reece]

I do prefer the best of both worlds. I like servers that let me close the session without erasing the cookies - so I can have saved passwords but still close the session on the server itself. Of course most web browsers have password saving features anymore, so even if the host does not provide it, you can still implment it on our PC.

While we are on the topic of security, there are a couple of security features that this software has that impressed me right away. The first is the requiring of a username and password, instead of just a password. The second is that you can have non-alpha charcters. Another is the requirment to know the old password in order to create a new password. Even if an account session gets hijacked, the hijacker will not beable to completely take over the account, since s/he does not know the original password.

The re-activiation requirement when the e-mail is changed is a good idea, but I would have preferred it try to notifiy my old e-mail address also, just in case someone were changing the e-mail to their own. Needing the password to change the e-mail, even when logged in, is good. Again this saves the user from a hijacker - or someone even sitting down at the PC after the user has walked away.

I would have liked to get an e-mail notice telling me that my password changed. Again, e-mailing change notices is good pratice for websites, since it can alert a user to someone else tinkering with their account. This really helps in the case of an account that has been inactive for some time that someone else manages to take over.

All in all there are good security precautions in this disussion board software and I am impressed.

[Jeremy D. Scott]

I lose my cookies

Yeah, that does sound funny. :)