Posted October 1, 200321 yr Date: Sat, 27 Sep 2003 THE BELOW EMAIL WAS INTERCEPTED COMING FROM THE ADDRESS [email protected]. Subject: Potential PR issue: I just got suckered by a social engineering a ttack Boy do I feel like an ass... I hope I did the right thing damage-control wise (I asked him politely not to publish/share any of this, and he agreed). The Friends session below started 20 seconds after I approved '[email protected]' as a friend, so I assumed it was Doug. When you see the subject the irony will kill you (or me, more likely). > Doug says: > hello mate > chris says: > Hi > Doug says: > http://www.halflife2.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=10021 Any thoughts on that? I can't see to get a response from anyone at the moment > chris says: > That happened to gabe - someone created an account in his name when we reset the database. I had to reset the account password so Gabe could use it. > chris says: > We had planned (and started work) on an email verification system but it was one of the features that Rick cut when Muru left. > chris says: > I certainly agree that the downside is horrendous -- most of the email addresses in our database are useless or obscene or both. > Doug says: > Do you know if this will be sorted in the future? > chris says: > We do plan to address this later, but I wouldn't hold your breath. Right now the crippling problem is lack of bandwidth. I've been causing an (unpopular) stir on that, saying that we should add peer-to-peer now not later (as we had planned). Gabe seems to agree and wants to see an immediate plan to do that. It's a huge amount of work and will occupy the team for a long time -- IMO we _really_ need it for HL-2 launch to succeed on Steam. > Doug says: > So is Steam one of the major reasons Half-Life 2 was delayed? Also will we be seeing peer-to-peer in the future? Obviously I got totally suspicious right here. So I sent Doug an email with the exchange so far, asking to confirm if it was him. Then VPN and wemail died _right_ after I sent the email, so I couldn't check for a response (I just found I got an out-of-office auto-reply). So, unable to check email and fearing the worst... chris says: Did you get my email? Doug says: Nope Doug says: try again at [email protected] please? [me: Aaaarrrrgghhhhh! Oh Nooooooooooooooooooooo!] Doug says: something meant to be coming through? Doug says: Come on Chris you can't leave me like this chris says: OK, so I realize that you are not actually Doug. Nice stunt I'm asking you to _not_ share the comments which I made here in good faith (believing that you were Doug). They are matters internal to Valve. I think you've proved your point very nicely, and I'd appreciate your help with this. Doug says: ah damn Doug says: all this juicy info and I can't do anything with it chris says: You've just succeeded in making an excellent point directly too a Steam developer -- I hope that would make you happy Doug says: Sorry I thought you realised I was the thread starter and that Doug didn't have an account here :[ chris says: No, I'm simply not allowed to make public comments -- you'll have to talk to the real Doug Lombardi for that. Obviously I'll be sharing this with him -- please email him at... wel you know the address Doug says: Heh so I'll get a very harsh slap if I should publish on the web then? chris says: That would not be helpful -- please take it as read that you have made the point you intended to make. Please don't publish anything from this exchange. Doug says: I had the perfect exclusive then Doug says: Any chance you could speak to the real Doug or Gabe or someone and get them to send me some kind of info I can publish? Doug says: You sure I can't publish this? chris says: I'll certainly ask them -- and they'll see the full transcript of this exchange. Obviously I can't promise anything, but you've certainly got my attention anyway. Can you tell me anything about yourself? Doug says: I'm an handome young... ok maybe I shouldn't go into that chris says: >>You sure I can't publish this? Please don't. I said things that I simply would not have said under any circumstances if I'd known you did not work at Valve. Doug says: I run halflife2.net, and try to keep up with the latest info chris says: Well, you succeeded in giving me a near-death experience. I'll send all this to Gabe and Doug and see what they say. chris says: Got to sign off now. Doug says: I'm very sorry for misleading you chris says: No problem (cool stunt - first social engineering hack I've fallen for). Just please don't publish or share any of this. Doug says: I wont although I will be bursting to over the coming months chris says: Thanks - much appreciated. Doug says: my email addy is [email protected] should Gabe want to send any legal threats etc chris says: He's more likely to threaten me You know how immenseley valuable the community is to Valve. BTW I just looked at your site; thanks for your support for HL-2 -- I don't think you'll be disappointed Doug says: Just blame it all on me, it was afterall my fault
October 1, 200321 yr Now that explains to me why Valve is unable to stop cheat programs. They are just plain idiots. Funny shit and good shit. I'd post that on myg0t.com in a text file to share with those that don't read the forums.
October 1, 200321 yr now thats just great.. a valv imployey begging u not to publish the convo...hahah thats great!
October 2, 200321 yr rifk, what a bunch of fags. After I format my HD and and reinstall steam/hl/cs, I'm gonna register with * @valvesoftware.com.
October 2, 200321 yr Author FAK3R posted this on the SteamPowered.com forums, read the thread here: http://www.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=21897
October 2, 200321 yr haha! PWNED especially nice that this info just shows up at the "worst enemy" of valve,... http://www.resistancecheats.com haha nicely done!
October 2, 200321 yr Techno_Warrior']i wanan rape bo i n teh butthoel omg spread those legs plz :D :D
October 2, 200321 yr Fucking Awesome. So close to Halloween too. Trick or Treat Bitch! Nice Covert-ops Fak3r! ps: OMP!!! w00t
October 2, 200321 yr I don't think it's owned I think it's just fucking sad that they have people that are that stupid....
October 2, 200321 yr he wasnt owned you nub and that thing sucked balls. it would of been funny as fuck if he told him to shut hl2 down or some stupid shit
October 3, 200321 yr So basically they just don't want people to know that Steam will be a peer to peer program right?
October 3, 200321 yr Could this have anything to do with Chris leaving VALVe? Or so the rumor goes that he's leaving VALVe?
October 4, 200321 yr That is funny but too bad whoever tricked him didn't get the reason for the delay. I'm still convinced the leak is the reason for the delay and now it looks as if there will be more delays from that e-mail.
