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Freenode Network Hijacked, Passwords Compromised?

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the hope-your-password-wasn't-important dept.

tmandry writes "The world's largest FOSS IRC network, FreeNode, was hijacked (for lack of a better term) by someone who somehow got a hold of the privileges of Robert Levin, AKA lilo, the head honcho of FreeNode and its parent organization, PDPC. To make matters worse, the passwords of many users may have been compromised by someone posing as NickServ, the service that most clients are configured to send a password to upon connecting, while they reconnected to the servers that hadn't been killed. Of course, if someone was able to nab lilo's password, every user password may have been ripe for the taking. The details are still unknown, but these events raise scary questions about the actual security of FreeNode and other organizations like it."

24 of 414 comments (clear)

  1. This is why I prefer the anarchy of efnet by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Even if someone hijacked it, who could ever tell the difference?

    1. Re:This is why I prefer the anarchy of efnet by kaden · · Score: 2, Funny

      We had great fun with nickserv down. I was Jimbo Wales (jwales) for a while!

    2. Re:This is why I prefer the anarchy of efnet by jonoid · · Score: 5, Funny

      So, you consider yourself a hacker but you have a LiveJournal?!

    3. Re:This is why I prefer the anarchy of efnet by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      Oh okay.
      I translated for you: "they'll get the federal government to laugh at them because they HAVE NO PROOF. And then they'll seethe in impotent anger."

    4. Re:This is why I prefer the anarchy of efnet by pele_smk · · Score: 2, Funny

      You mean to tell me my password could have been compromised? Oh, boy; My IRC password was the "one". I need to change all of my passwords now, it's gonna be a long night at the server farm.

  2. Explaining the jargon... by kaden · · Score: 4, Funny

    FOSS = Free and Open Source Software, in case anyone was wondering...

    1. Re:Explaining the jargon... by leenks · · Score: 5, Funny

      You seriously felt the need to post that on Slashdot? :o

    2. Re:Explaining the jargon... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

      TY. (That means 'thank you.') Since this is posted in the IT section of /. (that's slashdot, in case you were wondering), I figured I'd explain what IT stands for. It is an abbreviation of 'Information Technology,' a field that is concerned with managing network and data infrastructure within organizations.

    3. Re:Explaining the jargon... by capiCrimm · · Score: 5, Funny

      Slashdot is a popular technology-news website that can be found at slashdot.org. Just incase anyone was wondering.

    4. Re:Explaining the jargon... by Achra · · Score: 3, Funny

      IANAL, but I play one on TV. I've been told to RTFM and STFU FTW.

      OMGWTFBBQ.

      --
      Each processor would proceed sequentially as if it had been better for them not to rise against Saul.
  3. Re:Password on IRC and you're worried? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    your password is garcia123 isnt it?

  4. spam by Punto · · Score: 5, Funny

    o noes, If someone got a hold of lilo's password, they could start spamming the users with useless server-wide notices nobody cares about!!1!

    --

    --
    Stay tuned for some shock and awe coming right up after this messages!

  5. So Levin is just another "peer"? by Baldrson · · Score: 3, Funny
    You've reached freenode, a service of Peer-Directed Projects Center (PDPC).

    But some "peers" are more "peer" than others, like Mr. Levin.

    Welcome to Animal Farm.

    --
    Seastead this.
  6. But I Thought Information WANTED to Be Free? by RobotRunAmok · · Score: 4, Funny

    D00d...?

    I say we strip the DRM from all passwords! Down With Evil Password IP!!

    Who's with me?

    OK, compromise: Everytime we use your password, we promise to give you credit and link to your blog. Deal?

    Face it, until people start making passwords available for a fair price in all nations everywhere, this kind of piracy will be rampant...

  7. Re:Puts MS hat on by rmsmith · · Score: 2, Funny

    Nah, man. That's FLOSS*. * Free Libre Open Source Software

  8. from the hope-your-password-wasn't-important dept? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny
    Please somebody alert the who-gives-a-shit dept.


    The much more stoid moment that will be used to summarize the gravity of the matter came when our beloved lilo was taken down:
    * lilo has quit (Killed by ratbert (die ))


    Let's all have a moments silence.


    Woah! If someone did manage to gather people's NickServ passwords, it could mean major trouble, for the victims themselves and possibly for FreeNode as well.


    Woah! I fear a deluge of angst-ridden blogs are about to swamp cyberspace.
    /me runs away

  9. What questions? by supabeast! · · Score: 5, Funny

    "The details are still unknown, but these events raise scary questions about the actual security of FreeNode and other organizations like it."

    I don't think that there have been any questions about the security of anything involving IRC for a long time. Everyone with half a brain knows that IRC is a cesspool of hackers, phreakers, crackers, and script-kiddies just looking to stir up shit.

  10. That's what you get with open source software - by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny



    That's what you get with open source software - anyone can easily exploit it. Come on kids! Use software that wasn't done by a pimple-faced basement dweller.

  11. Uh oh. by SwartKrans · · Score: 5, Funny

    Oh no! Someone stole my Freenode password! Now they can login and have no control over anything!

  12. Re:Password on IRC and you're worried? by _Sprocket_ · · Score: 2, Funny

    Amazing! I have the exact same password on my online storage account!

  13. Yeah, but six pizzas a day? by James+A.+V.+Joyce · · Score: 1, Funny

    I can't think of what else that fat fuck is spending his cash on...certainly not a network security apprenticeship...

  14. So...you 69? Can I see pictures? by SlashdotTroll · · Score: 0, Funny

    Do you 69 while on rollerskates?
    Or are you an 69-year-old granny on rollerskates...69ing?

      Picture please!

    --

    I am the nightmare of nightmares.

  15. I swear it was him! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    http://uncyclopedia.org/wiki/Peer
    Unfortunately he's still at large.

  16. Re:Password on IRC and you're worried? by Silver+Gryphon · · Score: 2, Funny

    Not anymore :)