GMT Games Website Issues

Started by TheCommandTent, February 11, 2013, 07:20:50 PM

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TheCommandTent

February 11, 2013, 07:20:50 PM
I just saw some updates on GMT's Facebook page about some attacks on their website.  Here are a couple of the messages.

QuoteMore on the website problem, copied from a response on Consimworld:

I wish I could tell you details, guys, but we're not getting info from our ISP yet. All I know at this point is that our ISP took a big hit on Friday - big enough to bring their site down, along with ours and others. I'm sure it was malicious, but don't want to say anything further in public on that, while they try to plug the hole/fix the problem.

At this point, our ISP is not answering our e-mails or calls or fix it tickets, so my assumption is that they are having troubles bigger than ours at the moment. I know this is frustrating, believe me we are frustrated. But I don't want to give you information that isn't accurate, and right now I just don't have any other than the above. Mitch is continuing to ask for information, and we'll let you guys know just as soon as we do.

All of our customer data is encrypted (twice), but I never say never when it comes to crazy hackers, so I think that Keith's precautions above [ Keith had said "I think folks have a right to know that so they can check their CC # that's on file with GMT and change any sites where they may have also used their GMT password"] are prudent. Once we have details on exactly what this was and whether any customer data was at risk, we'll pass that along right away.

I hope this is helpful. More as we know it.

Gene


Then their last update and it sounds pretty serious.


QuoteWe received some stunning news this morning when we finally heard from our ISP, and they made it clear to us that WE were the lone target of a massive DOS attack, large enough to bring all their servers down. The good news is that it was only a DOS, not something where they got into customer data. So thankfully we have no worries about the security of your data.

The bad news is that we have to find a new ISP and that the GMT site is going to be down for awhile. I spent part of my morning talking with the FBI, so please understand that we can't talk in detail about every aspect that we know while there is an ongoing investigation. The only really important news here is a) your data is fine, and b) the GMT website and e-mail servers are down for the near future.

Some details for you customers:

Contacts and E-Mail. First off, the online chat from the website is down until we have the site up again.

Lost e-mail: If you sent us e-mail since about 3 PM Friday afternoon, it is lost, probably forever. So please resend or call the office ladies.

We have set up a temporary e-mail address for the office ladies that you guys can use to contact them while our gmt mailserver is down. That address is gmtoffice5@yahoo.com. Please use this address for contacts with them until further notice. Thanks!

Orders. Obviously, web-ordering is down until the site is back up. Our office ladies are still ready to take your orders, though, as always! Just call 800-523-6111 or e-mail to gmtoffice5@yahoo.com and they'll fix you up.

E-Mail Updates: I use an off-site service for the mass customer e-mail updates, so I'll use that venue as well as CSW and Facebook to give you guys detailed updates as we move forward. Hopefully, we can get this fixed before too long.

Thanks for your patience with us as we work to get everything back up and functioning normally. If you have any suggestions - especially you guys who work in the realm of internet security, feel free to drop me a line at gmtgames@aol.com.

Enjoy the games!

Gene


So it looks like their website will be down for a while.  This really sucks and it makes me pretty angry that it would happen to a company like GMT.   >:(

Here is the link to see all their updates.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/GMT-Games/184579104920069?ref=stream


"No wants, no needs, we weren't meant for that, none of us.  Man stagnates if he has no ambition, no desire to be more than he is."

mirth

#1
February 11, 2013, 07:27:19 PM
That sucks. GMT has always been a great company to deal with. I am a little concerned about the "credit cards on file" bit. I hope they weren't storing that info in their own database, no matter how much they may have had it encrypted.
"45 minutes of pooping Tribbles being juggled by a drunken Horta would be better than Season 1 of TNG." - SirAndrewD

"you don't look at the mantelpiece when you're poking the fire" - Bawb

"Can't 'un' until you 'pre', son." - Gus

bayonetbrant

#2
February 11, 2013, 08:39:06 PM
that explains why I couldn't hit their site today
The key to surviving this site is to not say something which ends up as someone's tag line - Steelgrave

"their citizens (all of them counted as such) glorified their mythology of 'rights'...and lost track of their duties. No nation, so constituted, can endure." Robert Heinlein, Starship Troopers

LongBlade

#3
February 11, 2013, 09:02:23 PM
What game have they released that might piss off, say, some Norks? Chinese?

I get the feeling this isn't the work of some script kiddies.
All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.

Staggerwing

#4
February 11, 2013, 09:04:37 PM
PLA was my first thought as well.
Vituð ér enn - eða hvat?  -Voluspa

Nothing really rocks and nothing really rolls and nothing's ever worth the cost...

"Don't you look at me that way..." -the Abyss
 
'When searching for a meaningful embrace, sometimes my self respect took second place' -Iggy Pop, Cry for Love

... this will go down on your permanent record... -the Violent Femmes, 'Kiss Off'-

"I'm not just anyone, I'm not just anyone-
I got my time machine, got my 'electronic dream!"
-Sonic Reducer, -Dead Boys

LongBlade

#5
February 11, 2013, 09:14:21 PM
That or the Macedonians got pissed that The Conquerors: Alexander the Great is getting marked down to bargain bin prices.

http://yhst-12000246778232.stores.yahoo.net/coalgr.html
All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.

Arctic Blast

#6
February 12, 2013, 01:33:29 AM
I really doubt this is some sort of 'international web conspiracy'....frankly, blaming some foreign nation for taking down a board game company web site is getting a bit tin foil hat-ish.

And never chalk up to international politics what is much easier to chalk up to the usual ass hat denizens of the Internet.

bayonetbrant

#7
February 12, 2013, 06:40:36 AM
Next War: Korea was released last year



GMT's site goes down then
the Norks test a nuke

coincidence?
The key to surviving this site is to not say something which ends up as someone's tag line - Steelgrave

"their citizens (all of them counted as such) glorified their mythology of 'rights'...and lost track of their duties. No nation, so constituted, can endure." Robert Heinlein, Starship Troopers

LongBlade

#8
February 12, 2013, 09:00:49 AM
Quote from: Arctic Blast on February 12, 2013, 01:33:29 AM
I really doubt this is some sort of 'international web conspiracy'....frankly, blaming some foreign nation for taking down a board game company web site is getting a bit tin foil hat-ish.

And never chalk up to international politics what is much easier to chalk up to the usual ass hat denizens of the Internet.

I like my tinfoil hat. It matches my underwear.
All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.

bayonetbrant

#9
February 12, 2013, 09:07:00 AM
I'm with AB on this one

plus, I have no desire to know about LB tinfoil chainmail underwear
The key to surviving this site is to not say something which ends up as someone's tag line - Steelgrave

"their citizens (all of them counted as such) glorified their mythology of 'rights'...and lost track of their duties. No nation, so constituted, can endure." Robert Heinlein, Starship Troopers

LongBlade

#10
February 12, 2013, 09:25:50 AM
Chainmail tinfoil? No way! It takes too long to weave. I go with full plate!
All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.

gattopardo

#11
February 12, 2013, 11:16:31 AM
Geez, why would anybody target a board game company? I just don't get it. ???

LongBlade

#12
February 12, 2013, 12:43:24 PM
Quote from: gattopardo on February 12, 2013, 11:16:31 AM
Geez, why would anybody target a board game company? I just don't get it. ???

There's the excuse "because they can."

What strikes me as odd is the characterization of the DDOS attack. It was called "massive." Something about that suggests to me that this wasn't a run of the mill kid with nothing better to do.
All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.

Arctic Blast

#13
February 12, 2013, 01:56:53 PM
It was probably an attempt to brute force through the security protocols of the ISP and get to financial data. That's almost always what it turns out to be.

LongBlade

#14
February 12, 2013, 02:03:50 PM
<shrug> Could be.
All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.
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