PFK Magazine

[Shane]

Just received yesterday three issues in the mail (Thanks Bro!). I had not read this magazine in a few years and I have to say that I was just blown away by the current quality of the magazine.
I had actually let all my subscriptions to the US "glossy" magazines slip as the content had become repetitive and totally focused at the entry level aquarist. Even my wife, who is not a hobbyist, flipped through the issues of PFK and said, "Wow, this is more like a beautifully done scientific magazine. " (High praise since she is actually an archaeologist).
I also noticed that subscriptions to PFK are now available in the US. I'll be a new subscriber for sure.
-Shane

[apistomaster]

Ain't that the truth, US fish magazines are just fluff.
Once upon a time, there was a magazine that had more substance, "The Aquarium Journal" but it has been long gone. I am glad I have a friend who subscribes to the available magazines so I don't need to just to see what they're writing about. I like the American Killiefish Association's Journal of the AKA.
I might have to try a subscription to PFK also.

[krazyGeoff]

Almost disturbing...... But 3 days ago I shouted myself the PFK subscription for Xmas.

[kim m]

Haven't seen the PFK, but if you read german, Amazonas magazine is by far superior to anything I've seen.

[Jools]

Yes, I would agree.If TFH is the bottom of the pile, then the gap between it and PFK is around about the same size as the gap between PFK and Amazonas. PFK has got a lot better, but it's not up to Amazonas yet. I cannot comment on the quality of the writing but the subjects covered are cutting edge.

Jools

[Jools]

Any one else had their emails to PFK (Matt Clakre) ignored? I was not paid by them for an article supplied months ago, but Karen Young has got in touch and tells me it will be printed next month and I then should be paid.

I see the site is down and appears to have been hacked?

http://news.softpedia.com/news/Practica ... 9693.shtml

Anyone know what's going on?



Jools

[catmar]

The site has been hacked and has been down c4 weeks, I received an e-mail advising thr particulars and that I would be advised when the site was operational. The worry is that it appears that home/e-mail addresses and some 'phone numbers may have been tampered with.

[Jools]

The site has been hacked and has been down c4 weeks, I received an e-mail advising thr particulars and that I would be advised when the site was operational. The worry is that it appears that home/e-mail addresses and some 'phone numbers may have been tampered with.

The bigger worry I would have is if the password and username combination I used was also used somewhere else. Interesting that I didn't get such an email but I was a PFK member.

Jools

[catmar]

Your correct Jools. I've just checked the e-mail they sent me and it does advise that passwords etc may have been seen.

[andywoolloo]

yes, I got the same email from them a few weeks ago.
Kinda scary if you tend to duplicate stuff like that, you know?

[Jools]

yes, I got the same email from them a few weeks ago.
Kinda scary if you tend to duplicate stuff like that, you know?

Well, the passwords should have been encrypted. If someone was really determined then, depending on what type of encryption, there might be a problem, but it's really on if the passwords weren't encrypted that there is an issue. I note however, the information from PFK doesn't go into that detail.

Jools

[apistomaster]

From what I have read in the news, massive assaults on the internet are coming from former Eastern Block and Russian organized cybercriminal organizations primarily attacking commercial sites and then there are the government sponsored attacks primarily focused on national security targets. Both are extremely sophisticated and their respective talented personnel are about equally sophisticated. The measure/countermeasures are closely matched and are likely to remain so for the foreseeable future.
PFK just happened to be one more target. We are going to be dealing with this for a long time to come. It is unfortunate but this is our brave new world.

[Jools]

PFK just happened to be one more target. We are going to be dealing with this for a long time to come. It is unfortunate but this is our brave new world.

Larry,

You've been picked up on this kind of thing before.

Exactly what evidence to you have that PFK was hacked by Eastern Block and Russian organized cybercriminal organizations please?

We've been dealing with this kind of thing since way before we had the internet (believe me, I know this stuff, "referees available on request"), so to say it's going to be going on for a long time to come is akin to suspecting the sun will rise tomorrow.

Sorry it had to be this post, but it was one over generalization too far for this mod, can you cut back on these types of replies please.

Jools

[apistomaster]

I apologize.
Didn't realize the topic of of cybercriminal activities around the world was such a touchy subject.
Articles in the technology section in the New York Times and other US major publications appear weekly about the problem and where the majority of attacks seem to be originating from. This information is all in the public domain here.
President Obama just appointed a point man to coordinate the efforts of the appropriate USA Governmental agencies to respond to these issues more effectively. Denial of Service attacks and theft of personal information are occurring daily in the USA and are costing the country losses both financial and in productivity.
I thought it was public knowledge and not a controversial subject. Any one or any entity can be a victim.
I guess I was wrong. Perhaps there are cultural differences in how the subject is discussed in America than some other countries and they are greater than I realized. I have never been chastised before for criticizing criminal activities.

[Jools]

Larry,

I have no idea how you construe that this is a touchy subject. The touchy subject, if there is one here, is implying that you know who hacked the PFK site as an example of third party over generalisation that is the scourge of well run forums. Thank you for the apology, but, really, I was just looking to point out that this dilution has been going on too long and I can't defend that position any longer.

You directly avoided answering my question. Please what evidence do you have linking all this press coverage with the PFK incident - or are you generalising in linking current press coverage in the States and presenting your opinion of who was behind the incident with PFK?

I'd appreciate a direct answer if you don't mind.

Thanks,

Jools

From what I have read in the news, massive assaults on the internet are coming from former Eastern Block and Russian organized cybercriminal organizations primarily attacking commercial sites and then there are the government sponsored attacks primarily focused on national security targets. Both are extremely sophisticated and their respective talented personnel are about equally sophisticated. The measure/countermeasures are closely matched and are likely to remain so for the foreseeable future. PFK just happened to be one more target. We are going to be dealing with this for a long time to come. It is unfortunate but this is our brave new world.

[apistomaster]

I merely generalized as it fits the pattern of cybercrimes as reported in the USA media.
It could have been an internal problem for all I know. I'm sure the British authorities will get to the bottom of the issue and will inform their public of the details discovered by their investigation and/or prosecutions if any are brought.
PFK and members of it's forum are the victims. I have personal information on their servers, too.
That concerns me.

[Jools]

I merely generalized as it fits the pattern of cybercrimes as reported in the USA media.

OK, thanks for clearing that up. You might want to be a bit more careful in posting. Your original led from Eastern Block/Russian organised hackers to PFK rather too quickly.

As to fitting the pattern of cybercrimes reported in the US, I don't think it does really. It's a small site, only 25K users, no financial information, sparse personal data and no link at all with local, national or international government. And we don't know any details of the hack from PFK themselves. In my view, it's just as likely to be some hacked off script kiddie who's been told too many times to get a new tank for his Red Tail Catfish.

But really, I was looking for facts rather than conjecture around what happened.

Cheers,

Jools

[sojapat]

PFK is out of date ,I had problems with the VIP- MC I heard he told the authorities about some fishes I had the very rare probarbus jullienii
That got me a nice visit from 4 policemen and a police caution.
It is hard to support a publication that is backward ... maybe they could research subjects properly rather than stirring s#i*.
Amazonas for English language

[Shane]

Your original led from Eastern Block/Russian organised hackers to PFK rather too quickly.

Maybe they were angry about Heok Hee's article on hybrid Synos from behind the Iron Curtain?

-Shane

[apistomaster]

Sorry my comments in "speak easy" were too easily spoken.

[Jools]

I've locked the topic as it's not going anywhere and I've had to remove other replies to the thread which would not have been a good idea to keep public.

Jools