Planted temp files on my computer?

[Bugsy]

I'm pretty stupid about this, but I do know when someone is messing with my
computer (and I hope this is the right group to ask my question).

I used to participate in a newspaper forum. For whatever reasons, they
locked me out from accessing that forum in ANY fashion. As soon as I click
on newspaper's forum, I am totally locked out.

How do they DO that? I figured a cookie (or some TEMP internet file) was
planted on my computer, so I deleted all of the cookies and temp files . . .
or so I thought. I ran across a couple of temp files that will not delete.
How do they DO that?

Have they planted something in my computer's system that recognizes me?

Whether or not I get back on this forum is not a matter of life and death,
so to speak. But I would like to understand how this works, if someone has
a minute to explain it. I guess I am paranoid, but I am REALLY concerned
about how a newspaper can identify my computer.

Thanks for any contributions to my education.

 

[Joan Wild]

I assume that you provide some sort of username/password to get into the
forum, so it's likely they blocked that username. Have you considered
contacting them to find out why they blocked you?

Of course, if you'd like to get some expert opinion on this, I'd suggest you
ask in a newsgroup about whatever operating system you are using. This
newsgroup is about security in Access, the database product.

 

[Bugsy]

OOPS! I thought I might be in the wrong group. Thanks for replying,
though.

 

[Granny Spitz via AccessMonster.com]

I hope this is the right group to ask my question).

It's the wrong place. This newsgroup is for security discussions regarding
Microsoft Access databases.

How do they DO that? I figured a cookie (or some TEMP internet file)

They can plant a cookie on your computer, but that would be pretty unreliable,
because cookies can always be deleted. Many people block cookies on their
computers in the first place. A temp internet file wouldn't be very
effective, either, because these get deleted.

The simplest way to block you from their web site is by your IP address. The
web server either refuses requests from certain IP addresses, or the web
server only allows requests from certain IP addresses. So either you're on
the *refusal* list or you're no longer on the *allowed* list.

I ran across a couple of temp files that will not delete.

They're currently *in use.* You can't delete files that are locked by the
operating system.

Have they planted something in my computer's system that recognizes me?

If your computer allows cookies, then yes, they can recognize you when your
computer requests a web page from their web server.

 

[JLatham]

It would be interesting to see what is in those temp files that you cannot
access. Although those may have been created by something other than that
web site. Word, Excel, Access and other programs routinely create temporary
files that cannot be deleted while the related file is being used by the
application.

Besides the aforementioned locking you out by simply denying access to your
user account when you log into the site, if you have a static IP, and if they
know you have a static IP, then you could be locked out by IP ... of course,
simply moving to another machine at another location bypasses that
restriction.

 

[Bugsy]

JLatham

THANKS for your reply. And you are so correct! I went to my laptop and
logged onto one of the several "wireless" connections floating around the
area. I was able to access the newspaper's forum. . . and got in my "FINAL
WORD."

Didn't accomplish much other than making me feel better (I have a thing for
conservative, right wing newspapers like some of those in Arkansas . . . my
FORMER home). They are in such a hurry to shut up anyone who disagrees with
them . . . and I guess they have the technology to do that!

Anyway, I learned a lot about how things work. Thanks again!