>> (p.1)
    Author Topic: mybitcoin - leaseweb - proposal  (Read 1963 times)

    • julz (OP)
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    August 02, 2011, 12:20:09 AM
     #1
    Although a web host is not going to just hand over control of an account to some 3rd party - it occurs to me that they might accept some money to maintain a backup.

    If we have a way of identifying which account the server was using - we might be able to pool a few bitcoin together to ask them to ensure a snapshot of some sort is maintained while we try to establish contact with 'Tom Williams' or whatever his real name is.

    Even if leaseweb can just give us a statement indicating that the account and/or backup still exists - it would be a step forward.

    I don't want to just approach them myself just now - as I don't have the necessary information, and I don't know if others have already been in contact with leaseweb.


    Has anyone already approached leaseweb about the mybitcoin account?
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  • kiba
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    August 02, 2011, 12:21:06 AM
     #2
    This is a good idea.
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  • herbertfilby
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    August 02, 2011, 12:22:42 AM
     #3
    I would be willing to put down money just to get the site back running for just 1 more week, IF the site can still put out bitcoins and the owner hasn't already run out with all of them.
    Someone post contact info. Do we have a phone number or something to pay these guys to put the site back online?

  • julz (OP)
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    August 02, 2011, 01:07:22 AM
     #4
    I see phungus has made an indirect attempt here:
    http://www.webhostingtalk.com/showthread.php?t=1070151

    Perhaps whoever it is who has already tried talking directly - could retry, but this time taking the angle about paying to ensure a backup is maintained in the interim, rather than attempting to get information from them?
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  • Raoul Duke
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    August 02, 2011, 01:23:43 AM
     #5
    I'm not sure if a backup of the server HDD is going to help if the home dir is encrypted like it should be...
    And i bet leaseweb don't even have access to the server. Anybody with half brain will change the root password as soon as the server is handed out to them. At max they can reboot it...

  • julz (OP)
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    August 02, 2011, 01:29:59 AM
     #6
    Quote from: psy on August 02, 2011, 01:23:43 AM
    I'm not sure if a backup of the server HDD is going to help if the home dir is encrypted like it should be...
    And i bet leaseweb don't even have access to the server. Anybody with half brain will change the root password as soon as the server is handed out to them. At max they can reboot it...

    It'll help if the owner eventually returns and is actually acting in good faith but is unavailable for some personal reason. 
    If the server is down for non-payment - it would not be good if the host just deleted all data for the account.

    It's a long shot though. sure.
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  • Raoul Duke
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    August 02, 2011, 02:05:32 AM
     #7
    Quote from: julz on August 02, 2011, 01:29:59 AM
    Quote from: psy on August 02, 2011, 01:23:43 AM
    I'm not sure if a backup of the server HDD is going to help if the home dir is encrypted like it should be...
    And i bet leaseweb don't even have access to the server. Anybody with half brain will change the root password as soon as the server is handed out to them. At max they can reboot it...

    It'll help if the owner eventually returns and is actually acting in good faith but is unavailable for some personal reason. 
    If the server is down for non-payment - it would not be good if the host just deleted all data for the account.

    It's a long shot though. sure.


    The server is not down for non-payment. Try https://mybitcoin.com:9999 and you'll see the server is up. Apache or whatever serves the web interface is down.
    But if Tom Williams doesn't come back soon it can be taken down for non-payment ofcourse. If he paid it monthly it can be taken offline soon.

  • delson
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    August 02, 2011, 04:20:04 AM
     #8
    Simple solution folks. Try to get Leaseweb to reboot it. If he was smart, he made Apache a service and it should start on boot. It probably crashed for some reason. That is about all Leaseweb can do without physically breaking into server via console, etc.

  • Big Time Coin
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    August 02, 2011, 05:12:21 AM
     #9
    social engineering anyone?  Problem is they will ask for password or secret question when you call and claim to be Tom Williams and need your server reset.

    Did anyone do a pull of the site with the code used to run it?  Could get pretty far if you know info about his backend. 

    Could call and claim to be his loving boyfriend, he is on medication because he got run over by a chicken truck on his backpack through Nepal, so can't give you the secret answers or passwords, he might not make it but his estate is racking up a huge million dollar liability due to his site being taken down by hackers and you NEED to get it back online, just read the bad press!  It's an emergency!

    NO YOU SHOULD NOT DO THAT IT IS ILLEGAL!

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  • Raoul Duke
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    August 02, 2011, 11:13:56 AM
     #10
    Quote from: delson on August 02, 2011, 04:20:04 AM
    Simple solution folks. Try to get Leaseweb to reboot it. If he was smart, he made Apache a service and it should start on boot. It probably crashed for some reason. That is about all Leaseweb can do without physically breaking into server via console, etc.

    Well, if he really was smart he would have a very simple script in the server to check every 5 minutes if all essential services were running, and if not, to (re)start them Wink
    Webserver administration 101, really...  Roll Eyes

  • Chick
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    August 02, 2011, 11:18:50 AM
     #11
    Quote from: psy on August 02, 2011, 11:13:56 AM
    Quote from: delson on August 02, 2011, 04:20:04 AM
    Simple solution folks. Try to get Leaseweb to reboot it. If he was smart, he made Apache a service and it should start on boot. It probably crashed for some reason. That is about all Leaseweb can do without physically breaking into server via console, etc.

    Well, if he really was smart he would have a very simple script in the server to check every 5 minutes if all essential services were running, and if not, to (re)start them Wink
    Webserver administration 101, really...  Roll Eyes

    I bet most system administrators don't have that feature implemented. It's really easy with Monit.  Wink
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  • rampa
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    August 02, 2011, 11:29:46 AM
     #12
    Quote from: psy on August 02, 2011, 02:05:32 AM

    The server is not down for non-payment. Try https://mybitcoin.com:9999 and you'll see the server is up. Apache or whatever serves the web interface is down.
    But if Tom Williams doesn't come back soon it can be taken down for non-payment ofcourse. If he paid it monthly it can be taken offline soon.

     i think port 9999 is the Tor network dns service (or proxy) but the ip can be a load balancer with many machines behind it. may be leaseweb only has the loadbalancer and all the traffic is relayed to other places.
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  • phungus
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    August 02, 2011, 02:27:39 PM
     #13

    They locked my thread on webhostingtalk. It did get 500+ views though.

    Gah, whenever you mention the word Bitcoin the haters just come out of the woodwork.


    Someone MUST know a sysadmin at Leaseweb. This is the internet, it should be fairly easy to track down....


    I figured the web hosting forums might have an admin or two lurking that may know a Leaseweb admin.
    I can do stuff

  • Xephan
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    August 02, 2011, 02:53:59 PM
     #14
    Quote from: psy on August 02, 2011, 02:05:32 AM
    Quote from: julz on August 02, 2011, 01:29:59 AM
    Quote from: psy on August 02, 2011, 01:23:43 AM
    I'm not sure if a backup of the server HDD is going to help if the home dir is encrypted like it should be...
    And i bet leaseweb don't even have access to the server. Anybody with half brain will change the root password as soon as the server is handed out to them. At max they can reboot it...

    It'll help if the owner eventually returns and is actually acting in good faith but is unavailable for some personal reason. 
    If the server is down for non-payment - it would not be good if the host just deleted all data for the account.

    It's a long shot though. sure.


    The server is not down for non-payment. Try https://mybitcoin.com:9999 and you'll see the server is up. Apache or whatever serves the web interface is down.
    But if Tom Williams doesn't come back soon it can be taken down for non-payment ofcourse. If he paid it monthly it can be taken offline soon.

    It's quite possible to pay for webhosting months in advance to get cost savings. So the server being reachable does not indicate the state of affairs. If I was scamming, I would leave everything running while I clear out the bitcoins. By the time people figure out they aren't able to get money out, it may be too late to do anything.

    Couldn't any of you contact Leaseweb and ask if they are able to contact the account owner? Let them know that if they aren't willing to assist, then you may have to call the cops or something. Alternatively, is it possible to go to the police with a potential fraud and ask if they can check if the account owner is actually reported missing/dead/hospitalized?

  • FTL_Ian
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    August 02, 2011, 05:32:40 PM
     #15
    Sending them a "report abuse" email:

    Quote
    Hello,

    I'm sure you've probably already been contacted about this, but a website named mybitcoin.com was apparently operating on your service.  The site's IP was 83.149.112.133

    Essentially, this site has closed up shop for some reason, and is holding thousands of dollars' worth of bitcoins hostage.  A check on accounts reveals the operator has not raided the accounts, so it's possible he has been hospitalized or died, or for some other reason is totally neglecting his very popular website.  Search the forum at http://bitcointalk.org for mybitcoin and you will find several threads discussing this.  Here's one: https://bt.irlbtc.com/view/33571.0

    People are wondering, as you can see in the above thread, if the mybitcoin account has been turned off for non-payment and or has crashed and the operator is possibly hospitalized and does not know.  Personally, I have over $500 USD in bitcoins in an account there and would certainly be willing to chip in to get his account turned back on or have the server rebooted so we can all get back in and get the money that we put there.

    I would appreciate hearing good news from you, thanks!
    Ian Freeman
    Host, "Free Talk Live"
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