| » Server vs. Squiby
We are expecting bouts of sporadic downtime this week. Some of it will be due to routine maintenance and backups; you may have noticed last weekend we updated our statistics so the percentages are now up-to-date for June.
The other contributing factor is that Avatarlog is currently sharing a server with Squiby, a site where you can upload and create your own adoptables. Squiby serves a lot of traffic due to its popularity so it has been particularly taxing on the shared resources! *gives Bob the Server a pat and a Red Bull*
» RSS Feed
We have an experimental RSS Feed established for Avatarlog news. The address is:
http://avatar.starried.net/rss/
I have been testing the feed with Google Reader, so if you encounter problems with the feed using other RSS services, kindly let us know! :)

A different kind of feed...
» Security Bulletin
There have been security concerns raised this week such as the "Fake Tarla" links that have been hitting the Neoboards. Here are a few security bulletins to help keep you safe:
» Firefox users should install NoScript.
The NoScript plugin for Firefox detects instances where Javascript from an external source (e.g. cookie grabbers) has been inserted onto a site. NoScript will nullify the foreign script for safety, preventing it from running.
After you install the plugin, be sure to whitelist and allow scripts from Neopets.com. Editorial 379 has okayed the use of NoScript when playing Neo so long as you permit scripts from the Neopets.com domain.
» Never use the same password for multiple sites.
If your Avatarlog password is the same as your password to any other website, change it now!! (This means you!)
You should never use the same password for multiple sites, regardless of whether it is an account for Neopets, your email, Twitter, BPSAA*, a blog, your Power Rangers Fan Club account, or anything else.
Make up a completely new, separate password for each site. Strong passwords contain a mix of numbers, letters of both cases, and characters (like !#@$%) and should not be based on a dictionary word. Microsoft (surprise o.o) has a fairly good guide on how to create a secure yet memorable password.
*Black Pawkeet Slots Addicts Anonymous
If you think you have been cookie-grabbed, the first thing to do is change your password.
Changing your Neopets password will invalidate the cookie that was "grabbed." (You should NOT change your password back after a few weeks because you think the harm has passed: changing it back to the old password could cause the grabbed cookie to be valid again.) Many people say the first thing to do is log out -- doing so only gives the thief more time to lock YOU out first.
Use a PIN!
Add a PIN to anything and everything you can. A grabbed cookie does not store your PIN, so unless your email account is compromised too, PIN offers an extra layer of security for your Neopets assets. |