Old Freeper Accounts Hijacked?

Original Content | 03/16/2025 | By Laz A. Mataz

[Lazamataz]

I've noticed, over the years, that very old Free Republic accounts, accounts that have been inactive for months or years, suddenly reactivate.... but their politics are suddenly suspect.

Be they Zeeper-oriented (that is, super-favorable to Ukraine) or, conversely, super-favorable to Russia, or even suddenly-liberal... these accounts reactivate with a flurry of posts that are contrary to conservatism.

Are these real Freepers who have had a change of heart about their politics? Are these real Freepers who feel the need to jump on the forum with propaganda and support for one side or the other per the Ukraine/Russia war?

Or are these hijacked accounts?

People will recall some time back, quite a few accounts of active Freepers were hijacked. It created a bit of a problem. When all was said and done, the accounts were returned to their rightful owners, and the site owner (and his moderator crew) pointed out that their passwords were very easy to guess. He instructed people to have stronger passwords.

I also have a friend on Facebook who no longer participates in the forum, but still reads it, who has seen a Freeper posting who he happens to know has been dead for more than a decade.

The problem is, we have far too insecure a login process, and enemies of the forum have been exploiting that.

At the login page, you can attempted unlimited login attempts. This will allow simple brute-force password cracking.

Also, the Forget Password option sends an email with your password in clear text. Emails can easily be sniffed with the right techniques. Passwords can easily be cracked that way.

My suggestions to mitigate these critical security concerns are:

1. -- Limit login attempts to five, after which the account is suspended until unlocked. What unlocking consists of can be anything. One suggestion is that the account is auto-disabled for a day. That means a hacker will only get five brute-force attempts in any given 24 hour period.
2. -- Install two-factor authentication, in which a text number is sent to a phone the user possesses.
3. -- Emails for Forget Password should not send the actual password, but instead, a link to a page on FR that allows a reset of the password.

These relatively-simple security changes will stop account-hijacking.

[Lazamataz]

I was pretty conservative, even door to door campaigned for Nixon and Reagan (especially Reagan) until I met the meaner side of conservatism. That was pre FR. Some folks are quite scary. And yes, some liberals are too.

kiryandil, this explains joesbucks.

Also, since he said his shift leftward was pre-FR, he joined the forum in his current, somewhat leftward, state.

[Lazamataz]

That would be site-generated.

[richardtavor]

IF they make it so difficult to use, then we will quit using it. My observation is that there are a few on this site that get their personal kicks by posting outrageous liberal trash, just to get the reactions or clicks...If that is what they do for fun, then I hope they go somewhere else.

[crz]

The easiest way might be a yearly payment of say...50 bucks to become a member.

To do that, simply get rid of all accounts and start over.

[CFW]

zotting has all but disappeared .

---

Maybe it is time for zotting to return.

[MikelTackNailer]

"Dare I say your comments appear authoritarian and fanciest."

I suspected you were a young Australian woman just pretending to be an old guy long ago:

Seriously though, almost all of us ARE old guys and gals now and not swift on ever-evolving security threats. FR could use an infusion of younger people but the Robinsons aren't going to change to a cheesy social media format to do that - nor should they.

I think your phone confirmation suggestion was right on as that's been a standard measure for years. The person arguing against that was on the same line as Democrats claiming ID requirements for voting is unfair to blacks...and just as demeaning to the aged.

[buckalfa]

Hacks are certainly a possibility and the website functionality and security is about as it was 20 plus years ago.

Also acceptable conservative thought on FR has evolved over the years. 24 years ago we praised Karl Rove as a magnificent bastard and we supported GWB for the revenge of war in the aftermath of 9/11. Now Neocons are evil as are Zeepers who lust for war with Russia.

A final thought, FR is more unified when Democrats are in control. We can agree on what we are against, but we seldom have unity over specific policies we are for.

[EQAndyBuzz]

“This forum has been a staunch advocate for Constitutional principles and dare I say your comments appear authoritarian and fanciest.”

Information security is authoritarian. It is meant to protect the account user, other users, and site admins against things like credit card theft (you donate to FR?) There is no leeway and the goal is to make it as difficult to login as possible. (16 chars, at least 1 uppercase, 2 numbers and 2 special characters) Then add on MFA (multi factored authentication) where you log in and you get a code on your cell phone or email to key in.

Here is where the problem comes in and it was identified earlier. What if a conservative dad had an account, handed it off to his idiot liberal daughter and she starts creating questionable posts. How do we deal with that? Unfortunately I don’t have an answer for that.

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

Laz, I believe you know me somewhat. If you EVER see a post from me that appears total libtard, send a group to the house and kill everyone inside. Some may not deserve to die, but whoever penned such in my name does. That should represent my philisophical stance pretty well.

[richardtavor]

What about ‘Hillary’s Lovely Legs?’ Greatest log in of all time. Whatever happened to that poster?

[ifinnegan]

I am pretty sure that’s the case.

I asked one directly how did you get _______’s account and got no answer.

[Big Red Badger]

Fanciest -—
?
.
Learning a NEW Word here.

[richardtavor]

If you make it so difficult to logon, then you will lose many Freepers due to the fact that we are late in years, and don’t have a lot of time for nonsense. Then you will have a forum of a few posters who love to post, but find out there are only a few left who are getting their clicks from each other.

[EQAndyBuzz]

“Sir, you wound me. I have NEVER embraced fanciestism or any sort of fancypants politics.”

But if you found someone who did, would you hit it? Asking for a friend.

[Lazamataz]

Fanciestism is a curse on America.

[DesertRhino]

Laz is fancy… and that makes me happy.

[Colorado Doug]

Most common Freep password is “password” followed in close second by”123456”.

Darn! I wish you hadn't posted it. Now I will have to change my password.

[Big Red Badger]

I’m still working on Laz being
A FANCIEST.

[larrytown]

That’s a bit ‘head in the sand’ view.

There are significant issues with security here, and many have pointed them out.

Not the least of which is dead people posting - eternal rest probably should not include internet access.

[Danie_2023]

“That’s a bit ‘head in the sand’ view.

There are significant issues with security here, and many have pointed them out.

Not the least of which is dead people posting - eternal rest probably should not include internet access.”

Opinions vary. I’d call it a more realistic view. The forum owners may disagree with your take. And they are the ones whose opinion really matters, ultimately.