3 replies to this topic

[Redcoat]

<<Suggested background music.>>

After a tipoff by the indefatigable Maikuolan, of GameJaunt, RPing and techno-prowess fame, RPGF has been notified of a particularly nasty bit of information regarding a service known as Cloudflare. Ordinarily, the actions the admins have and will undertake would hardly be notable, since we're essentially banning a hive of scum and villainy. However, there are unique circumstances surrounding this case that has convinced Nowe and myself that it is in the community's best interest to post an announcement about it.

CloudFlare, ostensibly, exists as a service to protect websites and accelerate them. RPGF's short experience with CloudFlare didn't improve anything, so the utility was quickly uninstalled. I can't begin to explain how the hell this works, because I guarantee you that unless you're Maik, Nowe, or otherwise a genius, I know as much as you. I direct the technically curious to those bright minds.

What I do know is that it's been shown, in this thread, which you will need a free forum account to access, that CloudFlare has been supporting unethical (and potentially illegal, but I'm not a lawyer, so don't listen to me and please do your own research on this matter) spamming and information gathering by allowing a website known as xrchat.inf0 (URL intentionally vandalized), which spams people, to hide behind them and use them, potentially, as a proxy, which could make their unscrupulous activities faster and harder to control--in other words, exactly what Cloudflare does, or claims to do, for the good guys, but used for nefarious and improper purposes.

RPGF's administrators feel that this activity on Cloudflare's part is unacceptable, and have posted this to warn other potential webmasters of this scandal and allow them to make fully informed decisions about this service. In addition, the entire Cloudflare IP range is being blocked from this site to prevent spam services from utilizing it on our website. GameJaunt is taking similar measures.

If CloudFlare cleans up its act and kicks these assholes, and others like them, off of its service, we'll make a followup post detailing that fact to reward good behaviour. Carrots and sticks, after all.

--RPG Frontier

[Maikuolan]

First and foremost, I must sincerely say, that, is an excellent choice in suggested background music. I had a listen, and must confess, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

That out of the way, indeed, similar measures will be being taken with Game Jaunt.

There's fairly little else to add to this announcement beyond what has already been said, so I'll keep it short - Take this announcement seriously, and if you administrate a website or community of your own, I implore you to take similar action there, and similarly, I implore you to pass on the word.

Hacking, spamming and the likes is internationally regarded as illegal cyber crimes, and by CloudFlare offering their reverse proxy service to known developers of spambot technology and refusing to do anything about it, they are essentially acting as an accessory to cyber crimes.

Regards,
Maikuolan.

[Kamikaze_X]

Maik, if you could do me a giant favor - send me the list of IPs connected with this "organization" so I can preemptive ban them from LS... a good precaution if you ask me.

[Maikuolan]

Definitely. Will do.