FindMeOn.com Blog

We’re really incredibly flattered by the advanced info on Google’s Open Social - there is considerable overlap with the FindMeOn platform and OpenSN (open social networking) project, both of which launched last year and compromise considerable IP filings.

When FindMeOn.com launched in 2006, we were hailed as a step in the right direction - yet too futuristic and forward-thinking for the marketplace. It’s amazing to know that within two years, our vision of social network and identity portability has been accepted by the mainstream.

FindMeOn, Inc. is currently investigating the situation. Unfortunately, we can not comment any further on this matter.

In accordance with our full disclosure policy, FindMeOn, Inc. has learned that an offsite development machine was compromised by a third party. No user information was compromised.

The machine was a development linux server used to test (i) the verification and account indexing mechansisms and (ii) Open ID PHP implementations. The machine contained no user data, was on a separate computer network in a separate physical location (the employee’s home office), and only had a subset of FindMeOn systems installed on it for development purposes. The third party appeared to have exploited a vulnerability in an outdated PHP version, and was primarily interested in using the machine for SMTP spamming services and as a bittorrent node. The FindMeOn employee was alerted to the problem by an irregular pattern in network traffic, and immediately rectifed the situation.

Again, the machine in question was an offsite development server that contained no user information. The FindMeOn main systems were not susceptable to this attack, and are regularly updated with security patches.