# No admins now? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [January 9, 2014, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-admins-now/678340 "2014-01-09T05:10:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2014, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-admins-now/678340/1 "2014-01-09T05:10:42Z")
Noticed that Tuba and Marley are both listed as Moderators now, rather than Administrators. Is that change due to the hacking? What does it mean from a board operations standpoint, if anything? Do the permissions/access change with the title? Sorry if I’m treading on sensitive ground. Feel free to tell me to shove it… I really don’t care so much about the “why” but more curious about what effect that has on how things work. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2014, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-admins-now/678340/2 "2014-01-09T15:29:08Z")
I wondered exactly the same thing. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2014, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-admins-now/678340/3 "2014-01-09T20:17:17Z")
Ed Zotti and jdavis are both still Administrator. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2014, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-admins-now/678340/4 "2014-01-09T20:27:16Z")
Maybe they pulled everyone’s superpowers until they can verify that they know who’s who? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2014, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-admins-now/678340/5 "2014-01-09T20:36:04Z")
**Marley** ’s a Skrull, I know it! ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2014, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-admins-now/678340/6 "2014-01-09T20:45:31Z")
In 20-20 hindsight, if the admins had access to the database they probably should have accessed the board (as admins) via a Live-CD. Yes this is a moderate hassle. [Banking on a Live CD – Krebs on Security](https://krebsonsecurity.com/2012/07/banking-on-a-live-cd/) No, I’m not making any claims about how the hacking took place. I have no idea. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2014, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-admins-now/678340/7 "2014-01-09T21:03:48Z")
> [@Measure\_for\_Measure](#): > > In 20-20 hindsight, if the admins had access to the database they probably should have accessed the board (as admins) via a Live-CD. Yes this is a moderate hassle. [Banking on a Live CD – Krebs on Security](https://krebsonsecurity.com/2012/07/banking-on-a-live-cd/) > > No, I’m not making any claims about how the hacking took place. I have no idea. Really? Live? I mean Throwing Copper was pretty good but they went downhill after that. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2014, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-admins-now/678340/8 "2014-01-09T21:26:52Z")
> [@Drunky\_Smurf](#): > > Really? Live? I mean Throwing Copper was pretty good but they went downhill after that. The Candlebox method just wasn’t working, they had to try something. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2014, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-admins-now/678340/9 "2014-01-09T23:32:27Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > Ed Zotti and jdavis are both still Administrator. Ed Zotti’s title displays as Moderator. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2014, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-admins-now/678340/10 "2014-01-09T23:41:15Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Ed Zotti’s title displays as Moderator. 90%-ish sure it was admin when I posted 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2014, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-admins-now/678340/11 "2014-01-10T03:06:30Z")
No, check out Ed Zotti’s [Board performance problems](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=692185) thread in this forum. He’s been demoted to Moderator. Maybe they’ve all been demoted until they can figure out which one’s the hacker. They’re facing off like in that movie, _The Thing_. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2014, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-admins-now/678340/12 "2014-01-10T03:49:04Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > No, check out Ed Zotti’s [Board performance problems](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=692185) thread in this forum. He’s been demoted to Moderator. > > Maybe they’ve all been demoted until they can figure out which one’s the hacker. They’re facing off like in that movie, _The Thing_. You’re saying we should bleed the moderators and zap them with electricity? ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2014, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-admins-now/678340/13 "2014-01-10T03:59:11Z")
Just for your general information and I am NOT claiming that this actually has happened… It’s traditional after a successful revolution to execute the members of the deposed government. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2014, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-admins-now/678340/14 "2014-01-10T05:05:35Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > You’re saying we should bleed the moderators and zap them with electricity? Perhaps we should kill them and let god sort them out. Just a suggestion. ---
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2014, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-admins-now/678340/15 "2014-01-10T05:12:48Z")
What’s strange about this is that admins don’t have database access by default in vBulletin – you have to manually enable it by editing a configuration file and putting the user ids of any users you want to have that extra access, something I _highly_ doubt the SDMB did. And even if they had, the correct solution would be remove that access, not to remove the admins from the admin user group. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2014, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-admins-now/678340/16 "2014-01-10T16:30:12Z")
I find the lack of any kind of official response in this thread interesting. I don’t know much about how hacks like this occur, but is it possible someone at the admin level got breached first through some kind of phishing, giving the hackers access to the entire database? Just weird that they’d revoke admin rights for everybody that had them, or nearly everybody anyway. I’m sure it’s only temporary while they suss out what happened, but it’s still very curious. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2014, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-admins-now/678340/17 "2014-01-10T16:39:51Z")
Anyone else been contacted by a headhunter for an admin/mod position? ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2014, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-admins-now/678340/18 "2014-01-10T16:43:22Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Anyone else been contacted by a headhunter for an admin/mod position? That was a “head” hunter and I’d be wary of any positions they’re requesting of you. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2014, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-admins-now/678340/19 "2014-01-10T17:38:51Z")
Maybe the hackers got Admin control and demoted anyone who could foil their nefarious scheme? That would explain both the new titles and the fact that TPTB aren’t saying shit about it. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2014, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-admins-now/678340/20 "2014-01-10T17:44:08Z")
Phase one is complete. Expect my full Manifesto within 24 hours, and prepare to meet my demands. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-admins-now/678340.md?page=2)