Problem with a guest getting into my private forum

[Raven14]

For the past three days, I've noticed that a guest is working his/her way into the forums at my group. It is the same guest, but a different IP. I have deleted at least 20 of the IPs that were used, but he/she keeps coming back to my forum and hanging out. How do I stop this?

All of my forums are set to Members Only.

The guest is online now at my group. I do have a screen shot of the guest's IP page and it has the same name and same internet informations, but always a different IP. The guest is always at my group!

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance.

[skouliki]

hello

why is it bothering you? the guest can not do anything or read anything

[Raven14]

It bothers me because the guest is getting inside private forums at the group. How is this person able to get inside the forums if the forum is private?

[skouliki]

he cannot be inside
if the viewonline page shows he is watching something doesn't mean that he can actually read it if you have set your settings to only members

[Raven14]

OK. I didn't think guests could get inside the forums at all. I've never seen it happen before until now.

[skouliki]

do you have some proof or a screenshot that we can see that he can actually read a private forum even though you have the settings to only members ?

[Raven14]

No, I didn't take any screen shots last night or the night before he was inside a forum, but do have a screen shot of the IP page that is being used by that particular guest. I don't know what this person can see. I didn't think guests could get inside private forums at all unless the guest became a member.

[skouliki]

They cant get in
They can go to the forum url but the page will be closed so they will only see the message saying please login or register

Try to check it yourself as a guest

[Raven14]

When I logout of the group, all I can see is the login page and the header. I can't see any forums at all.

[skouliki]

What you see as a guest is what all the guests can see

[Raven14]

I can't see anything and that's what makes me wonder how the guest is gaining entrance to the forums. Oh well.

[skouliki]

Why do you think he can??
Where do you see it; in admin panel

[Raven14]

Yes, I see the guest in AP and see the guest in a forum. I've just signed out of my group and then clicked Home. I cannot see anything except the header and the login area. Nothing else shows. No forums at all.

That's why I wonder just how is the guest getting into the forums. It is always the same person, but the IP changes.

[skouliki]

ok
I understand
If lets say if i was a member in your forum and i have put your forum url , a private section ,as favorites on my browser when i am logged out of your forum and click that private section url i will go to that section but it will be closed to me as guest
If you see me in your admin panel at that time you will spot me at that section as if i am reading it

Makes sense?

[Raven14]

Yes, it does make sense if a person may logout while in a forum, but this person's IP was deleted multiple times and he/she keeps coming back. It is not a member at my group. It's coming from the UK from grapeshot near Cambridge. It even has his name on the IP page, address and telephone number. It is the same IP page that keeps getting into the forums, but with a different IP. I know this because everything on his IP page is the very same thing except the IP address.

This is where the IP is coming from according to the IPs that he has used.

https://website.informer.com/Chris+Good+Grapeshot+Ltd.html

[skouliki]

I believe you
Personally i dont think its possible that he/ she can read anything
Now to your question why can he/she even view your forums as titles i dont know to my knowledge i dont think thats possible

Lets wait for an admin to answer to your thread

[Raven14]

OK and thank you. It worries me because if this person can gain access to the forums then he is smart enough to gain access to the Admin Panel.

[SLGray]

Even if the forums are not visible to guests, they can enter the links in their browser tabs and load the page.  Could it be members who are not logged in be looking at the forums?

[skouliki]

I see he has profiles on social pages

[Raven14]

Hi SLGray. No, it isn't members from my group. I have one member from the UK and it isn't her IP address. On this guest's IP information, it doesn't even have the UK Flag. I have a screen shot of one of his IPs that was used today. I don't know if I should post it here or not.

[SLGray]

If your members or you have shared content from your forum on social media that could be where they are getting the links.

[Raven14]

I don't know of anyone who would share a specific forum link. I've posted my group at FB, but it takes them to the login page. It is only this One person getting into the forums. All other guest show as "Viewing the forum index" at AP.

[SLGray]

Were the forums always private?

[Raven14]

Yes it has always been a private forum.

[SLGray]

Try this:  Do a Google search of a sunbject of one of the topics in your forums and see if any links appear for your forum.  Also do a search with your forum's link.

[Raven14]

I haven't done the search yet, but this very same guest is at one of the Challenges at the group at this moment.

Guest Sun Jan 12, 2020 9:38 am Sun Jan 12, 2020 2:46 pm FONT CHALLENGE 148.64.56.64

[SLGray]

Post the link to this area, and we can see what guests can see.

[Raven14]

https://taggersgonemad.forumotion.com/f158-font-challenge

he's already moved on to different forums now.

[skouliki]

I am on that thread , can you see me as a guest ?
Iam from my mobile / greece

I see only the login message

[SLGray]

I am there, too (U.S.).  I only see the login boxes.