Members Only Member Search

[Jim Tolbert]

I for one don't understand this security issue. Street addresses are available in most any phone book and its really not hard to get someone's email address. The info this web site is talking about is really public info that any competent spammer could get. I'm not one and I know how to use public records to access this info. As long as your SSN or bank account is not published, I don't see a problem. Just MHO or 3 cents.

[Lee in KC]

I can put a checkbox in the member profile to "Opt out" of having their contact info shown in a Member Search. That would be fine for all new registrants, but for existing members we would have to let them know somehow to go back and edit their profile if they want to opt out. Probably not a good solution, now that I think about it.

[Bill Darr]

So there wasn't all that securty problems with the OLD site and it had ALL the info ! Are ya'll saying the NEW site isn't secure enough for this info ?

[TNT]

So there wasn't all that securty problems with the OLD site and it had ALL the info ! Are ya'll saying the NEW site isn't secure enough for this info ?

From what I've gathered, we're reverting from MS SQL to MS Access. I hope I'm wrong.

[Lee in KC]

Security of the websiste or database is not the issue. The database is not being hosted on the website server and we are not using MS Access. The security issue we are talking about is the possible misuse of member information gathered through a Member Search. This could have happened just as easily with the old site, but apparently it never did, or at least we never heard about it.

It is a different world today than when the old site was set up. There are some nasty people out there aggressively trying to harvest personal information off the web for a variety of undesirable uses. We just want to know what the membership is comfortable with as far as having their contact information discoverable by a "member." A "member" is anyone who has paid their $35 (or $25 for renewal), submitted a membership form and been granted "Full Member Access" to the website.

Obviously we don't personally know many of the new members, especially if they only register with a nickname. Our concern is that a hacker/spammer/crook could pay the $35, submit a membership form with bogus or minimal information, be granted access to the "Members Only" section of the website, run a full member search and get 498 names (or 3142 names if we allow inactive members to be included) and whatever personal information we decide to provide in the search results. This could have just as easily been done on the old site.

I personally don't have a problem with my e-mail and cell number showing up in the member report, but some people do. We are just trying to address their concerns.

[IdahoRelic]

Looks like a "Catch 22". I like the idea of letting members "Opt Out" of publishing personal data.

I have found when an "unknown" calls me, I ask "Where did you get my phone number?" - - they hang up and never call back. hmmm, Exception being political beggars.....

"Bucket Buddies" all information is a necessity, or how can you help????......lyle