Another grid attack

This time I'm seeing beach balls and particle spam. Objects owned by Soames Galsworthy.

Me too, also getting objects from about six other names on my property. Can't tell whether any of them are the creators, or just accepted an object unknowingly. Already turned off 'create objects' and 'run other scripts' on my property, still getting overrun by beach balls.

I don't even know what to say about this anymore... grid was down most of yesterday, had no scripts last night, the Lindens were up most of the night working on the previous attack, and now this again. The Lindens must be as pissed as we are right now-- work all night fixing the grid, and before the patches are even a few hours old, another attack.

Sitting around on my land, trying to be patient, hoping I don't lose any of my own objects this time....

The object:

How are you able to get all that info about the object? I was at the Ivory Tower when it happened. When I clicked EDIT on it, all the fields were blank.

I finally got a bit of info when I prepared an abuse report and used the "click on object" option. It was owned by Lemuire Noir though, who I believe heads the Ivory Tower, so I don't think it was his at all.

You may have had "Select Only My Objects" turned on (I do that a lot)

Well, I have trouble believing that Lumiere accepted and then rezzed an unknown object. Don't you?

So it would appear that there is, in addition to a grid attack, an exploit that make it appear as if someone owns an object that they do not in fact own.

And at this point, since none of us will be compensated for downtime, and SL is quite unlikely to be usable for the forseeable future, I would fully support Linden Labs taking the whole damned grid offline for a week until the issue is resolved. They need sleep and rest to combat this effectively, and although I absolutely hate the idea of no SL for a week, I hate the idea of quitting out of frustration even more.

I must say I DO agree with this option. One week away might hinder our addiction and money in-world, but it is better to have it completely repaired, instead of quitting all together, because of the crap.

At this point, my heart goes out to LL. They are probably working double, maybe even triple than normal to make sure WE are happy and content with a platform that works properly. I am also pretty damn sure they are trying to figure out a way to stop these attacks...but its probably just so hard with all the ways ppl can get around things now-a-days.

All we can do is be patient, because all the bitching and moaning about it, really won't make things go any faster.

JMHO,
Lilly

Thanks. That makes sense. I do keep that option checked to prevent problems in building classes when I use the drag-select method.

I just saw the object, right mouse clicked on it and chose "edit"

Maybe accounts without a credit card should have limited abilitys.
For instance they cannot create objects, just shop and chat, and they cannot join or create groups.

Will that help?

I will agree with part of the limited or free account statement. I'm on a free account also. I don't care about creating things. Free accounts should be able to join groups, but not to create them.

I also work on SL in some of the Clubs DJ'ing. So you have to be able to join a group to have access to certain things.

If you want to create, "Become A Member!".

Actually no it won't help. I can say with a certainty I know several unverifieds that are productive content creators. A few flaming tards should not be allowed to destroy SL for the majority who are decent folks.

Whats the point of shopping if you cant rez out your purchase?

A better solution might be limited scripting abilities for say the first 60 days of an unverifieds existence. I think most griefers wont be willing to sit on accounts that long (but I could be wrong). I do not mean removing all scripting ability but making the LSL functions that allow these attacks inaccessible to unverifieds for a period of time. Of course they would be unable to rez anything that uses these calls as well otherwise the exercise is moot.

I can see why you guys are talking about restricting free accounts. But I whole heartedly disagree with it. I have a free account on SL and the main purpose for me loggin on is to make things. This freedom of expression is one of the coolest things that I've ever run across, and it would be pretty lame if it was taken away from people. If that happens, then these attacks will have accomplished their purpose: to make SL a less fun place to be.

Freedoms are not a right, they are a privilage in a private sector. SL already was a fun place to be before the restrictions. It's becoming less and less a fun place when you can't even get there.

Yes they are a privilage. But think of it this way 1000 griefers costing 10s of thousands of decent unverifieds their privilage. That just isn't right either.

*sigh* i thought school was in.

Sorry guys, But i agree if you are not here on a membership then you shouldnt be here. The free account should have a trial period, say ten days, and after that you would have to pay. I started off as a pay account and I think it should give me certain privilleges, which it does when it comes to land ownership, but i think free accounts should be restricted in time and location..in otherwords having certain grids exclusively for the trial accounts. This keeps any trouble makers confined.

I have no quarrel with noobs and infact do a lot to help them but I also feel the grids are bogged down with free account users which impedes my game experience...the one I am paying for.

Star wars galaxy, World of Warcraft etc you don't don't get in unless you buy into it. So I don't see a viable argument for the freebies.

Yes it IS a privillege to be part of this.

Well if one good thing comes out of the latest spate of grid attacks, I hope it's a wake-up call for LL to see the folly of allowing unverified accounts full and unrestricted access to all the tools in SL. US$10 isn't all that much to shell out in the greater scheme of things and I've seen plenty of residents in-world shell out many times that amount without so much as batting an eyelid.

Possible suggestions:
1) Limit unverified accounts to a maximum of 3 or 5 groups.
2) Unverified accounts cannot form groups.
3) Limit unverified accounts to building / rezzing prims only in public sandboxes or on land that belongs to a group they are a member of and that gives them permission to do so.
4) Unverified accounts cannot create / edit scripts.
5) Unverified accounts may only rez scripted objects that contain an approved list of calls / functions (not sure if this is possible to implement).
6) A ceiling on the number of objects an unverified account can have in its inventory, for instance 2,000 items maximum.
7) Unverified accounts must either upgrade after 30 days or else be wiped from the database.
Unverified accounts cannot cash out L$. They may however recieve and spend L$ in-world. Maybe set an upper ceiling of L$10,000 per month. That would be sufficient leeway for genuine starters get themselves set up creating content or running a service/ business.

FWIW, I can't see what the hang-up is about account verification. Even my alts are all verified with 100% pukka accounts.

Boy, that is a rather pleasant particle stream compared to the rancid, pornographic, BDSM image that self-replicated itself in a praticle volley where I was--for the second time in 24 hours. It was a vile, disgusting image, not the missing image or bouncing Mario Brothers that others seem to have witnessed.

I entered Live Help to provide LL a realtime accounting of my experience but of course, due to the atttack, they and the helpers had more important issues to address. I think all users collectively have important evidence via their in-world experience during the attack that could help LL figure out who is behind this.

I took down names onthe beach balls when they fell to the ground, but will not post them here as in all likelihood these users are also victims. But, i have then names in case it helps LL track down the point of origin.

I suggest that users provide LL their experiences and observations during the attack to help provide important clues to where it started.

I'm beginning to see why this particular attack is more difficult to clean up.

They used to cut off the hands of thieves right?

Perhaps it's time to start lopping off griefer fingers.

The griefers would probably just rerez more fingers.

I wish I am glad that I got to see your wonderful creations long before I ever saw stuff like the latest grid attacks, and know that particles can be fantastically cool in addition to their less imaginative uses.

That might be a good idea, actually. I could see this even lowered to 30 days for scripting... but then the only problem I can forsee is that the honest newbies would be unable to learn scripting until they are over thirty days.

I am beginning to suspect that the people that these objects supposedly belong to have never in fact actually owned any of them, and that it is an exploit that allows the objects to appear to be from these victims.

I had been idly wondering already, then I read a thread that said the owner of the Ivory Tower was listed as the owner of one of the offending objects. I just can't imagine that the owner of the Ivory Tower would have rezzed an object from an unknown source, especially after we are all hearing how dangerous that is.

Had I not been able to get into scripting from day one I would have immediately cancelled my account, and there are at least 6 other people that I convinced to start accounts who would not be here. I think that you can extrapolate that somewhat (there are lots of SL scripters), and assume that a great many constructive people would not have SL accounts either.

If, however, I was allowed to use a known safe "subset" of lsl during my first x days, I think it would have worked out wonderfully for me.

I agree. That is why I stated the following:




When a person accepts an object, he/she becomes the owner. That object, then gives itself to the nearest person and if they accept, the cycle continues.

On the beach balls I was able to view, the creator was listed as Philip Linden. Of course, we know that is not correct. So, somehow the attackers were able to change the name of the creator to someone other than themselves.