back to article Some fokken arse has bared the privates of 250,000 users' from Dutch brothel forum

A Dutch vBulletin forum for sex workers and their clients has reportedly been hacked using that infamous RCE vuln, baring the privates (and data) of a quarter of a million people. The forum, named Hookers.nl in an endearingly Dutch way, currently has its user data for sale for just €300 on a cybercriminals' forum, according to …

  1. Blockchain commentard

    Site admin caught with their pants down !!!

    1. macjules
      Coat

      It was obviously a rather damp patch though.

  2. This post has been deleted by its author

    1. STOP_FORTH
      Joke

      He's got the DOX (allegedly)

      1. Fruit and Nutcase Silver badge
        Pint

        He is feeling very bitter about it all

        -->

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      My name is almost as common as 'John Smith', and it actually provides me with a lot of anonymity on the internet. Google my name and you find I've been in several bands, played different sports at the international level for several countries, been awarded medals by many armed services etc. etc.

      Real me doesn't even appear.

      And that's why you should name your child Anonymous Coward.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Joke

        My name is almost as common as 'John Smith', and it actually provides me with a lot of anonymity on the internet. Google my name and you find I've been in several bands, played different sports at the international level for several countries, been awarded medals by many armed services etc. etc.

        You are Kim Jong-un and I claim my £5.

        https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/northkorea/11526831/Kim-Jong-un-was-child-prodigy-who-could-drive-at-age-of-three-claims-North-Korean-school-curriculum.html

        1. Cederic Silver badge

          Three? Bah.

          I drove to my sister's school when I was just two. Admittedly I struggled with the pedals so the primary locomotive means were a Flintstones style use of my feet through the open base of the vehicle.

      2. quxinot
        Joke

        "And that's why you should name your child Anonymous Coward."

        Maybe. It sure seems he spouts some rubbish when you search for his name, though!

        :P

  3. Warm Braw

    It's only about three hundred thousand users...

    That's still a lot of bangs for your buck.

  4. Stevie

    Bah!

    Thinking process of DBA:

    "I want to aggregate a whole bunch of data for people engaging in behavior deemed salacious or illegal in various parts of the world and by various cults. I will, for reasons that will later seem incomprehensibly stupid with a capital stupe, *not* encrypt the records in their entirety. I see no downside."

    Whoever designed this database should have their fingers broken.

    1. SW10

      Re: Bah!

      Can I just say, the only reason my email address is on there is because my my mates thought it would be a laugh.

      So, um.

      Yeah, that’s all.

    2. HellDeskJockey

      Re: Bah!

      More likely. the thinking process was. Hey look, here is a database I can use for free. Why bother with custom code for this. I'll/company will make more money this way.

      1. Kabukiwookie

        Re: Bah!

        In my experience, the 'thought' process would have gone something like 'it works; that's my job done'.

        Devops people seem to think that 'functional' = 'ready for production'.

        1. A.P. Veening Silver badge

          Re: Bah!

          Devops people seem to think that 'functional' = 'ready for production'.

          That is the problem I have with DevOps, everybody always forget it should be DevSecOps, include security!!!

        2. Tom 7

          Re: Bah!

          In my experience its not devops but managers, on being shown a proof of concept, make it go live the next day. Any Devop who does that should have their Blue Peter badge ripped off and be rolled in carpet and left to die in a ditch.

    3. phuzz Silver badge
      Stop

      Re: Bah!

      Actual thinking process:

      I want to create a forum, so I'll use this off-the-shelf forum software, vBulletin, (but I won't bother keeping up to date on security patches).

      No DBA was involved here, it was just a straight-forward software install.

      1. Stevie

        Re: No DBA was involved here

        I'll bet you real money that *someone* involved in that deployment has the letters "DBA" in their job description.

  5. herman

    Banggood

    My Lulu had a chicken

    My Lulu had a duck

    She took them to bed with her

    And taught them how to fsck

    Bang away Lulu

    Bang away duck

    Kinda inevitable that someone will bang away on a keyboard to hack a site like this.

    1. chivo243 Silver badge
      Devil

      Re: Banggood

      Bang bang Lulu,

      Lulu had a boyfriend

      his name was Diamond Dick

      She never got the diamond

      but she always got the bang bang lulu!

    2. Oengus
      Joke

      Re: Banggood (SFW)

      Hey, I use banggood.

  6. chivo243 Silver badge
    Trollface

    Way to go El Reg

    Cue the Slashdot effect on johnsmith@gmail.com 's inbox!

    Anybody ever try a website you saw in a movie or tv show?

    I once sent Bender from Futurama an email after seeing his address in the movie... I got a reply too!

    1. GnuTzu

      Re: Way to go El Reg

      Oh, but johnsmith@gmail.com could well be a dead address used for identifying spam, if gmail does that sort of thing.

      Such practices have been in use for over a decade. I myself have spam learning folders that get fed by all my old email addresses. It's so very satisfying.

    2. EnviableOne

      Re: Way to go El Reg

      dont try ringing god from Bruce Almighty (if you live in manchester)

      555-1234 (doesnt exist on any US Exchange)

      but some unlucky bloke in machester UK has 0161 555 1234

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Way to go El Reg

        on the 7th day he did create Manchester so it stands to reason he stayed.

        https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/3588821/And-on-the-seventh-day-God-created-Manchester.html

        1. Long John Brass

          Re: Way to go El Reg

          That may well be. But he built his holiday home in NZ.

          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWLlDIzi8SU

        2. David 132 Silver badge
          Devil

          Re: Way to go El Reg

          Nuh-uh. Crowley developed Manchester. God - or at least, Aziraphale - was responsible for Shropshire.

          The origin of Milton Keynes, however, is still contentious.

          1. Reg Reader 1

            Re: Way to go El Reg

            Great show :)

    3. Ken Hagan Gold badge

      Re: Way to go El Reg

      If only there was some sort of "example" domain that could be used for illustrative email addresses.

      1. Korev Silver badge
        Joke

        Re: Way to go El Reg

        >If only there was some sort of "example" domain that could be used for illustrative email addresses.

        Didn't he have a number one record a few years ago?

    4. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Way to go El Reg

      > I once sent Bender from Futurama an email after seeing his address in the movie... I got a reply too!

      Wasn't the original phone number of an Islington flat where Arthur met a very nice astrophysicist actually a real phone number.

      1. A.P. Veening Silver badge

        Re: Way to go El Reg

        Wasn't the original phone number of an Islington flat where Arthur met a very nice astrophysicist actually a real phone number.

        Happened with a song and a telephone number in München (Munich, Germany):

        1. David 132 Silver badge

          Re: Way to go El Reg

          And to this day, people in the US who are unfortunate enough to be allocated (xxx)-867-5309 are plagued with calls asking for Jenny.

      2. chivo243 Silver badge

        Re: Way to go El Reg

        bender@ilovebender.com

    5. IGotOut Silver badge

      Re: Way to go El Reg

      Do you know what the worse part is?

      The Reg uses Cloudflare.

      Turn the fucking option on to hide email addresses from spammers!

      Here, have a link.

      https://support.cloudflare.com/hc/en-us/articles/200170016-What-is-Email-Address-Obfuscation-

      1. stiine Silver badge

        Re: Way to go El Reg

        Yeah, like some coding sites do...makes them fucking useless. or applications that turn email address into names followed by @tags...

  7. Grikath
    Devil

    hmmm....

    Now why would anyone be interested in the emails of customers of professional independent entrepeneurs, who like any good citizen pay their taxes and VAT without fail? ( yes, sex workers in clogland are classed the same as say... independent plumbers, and are generally thought to give better value for money..)

    Double points for the subhead though!

    (for those not knowing a shred of dutch: the "ja hoor!" ( yeah..riiight!..) is pronounced "yah wh*re" to the untrained ear.. )

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: hmmm....

      A small point: an entrepreneur is a middleman (he takes (prendre) in the middle(entre). The website is an entrepreneur. The professionals are self employed businesspeople.

      Back in the early, optimistic days of the Internet the talk was of disintermediation - that is to say, getting rid of the intermediate steps in buying and selling chains. The actual outcome has been a pile up of levels of intermediation within organisations like Crapita, and a lack of transparency. Oh how overoptimistic we were.

    2. chivo243 Silver badge
      Pint

      Re: hmmm....

      Living in NL for many years, I didn't even notice! So much English is used in Dutch advertising I guess I was oblivious?

      goed bezig +1

    3. Blazde Silver badge

      Re: hmmm....

      "sex workers in clogland are classed the same as say... independent plumbers, and are generally thought to give better value for money"

      I'd say their respective service levels depend mainly on the kind of pipe you need unclogging.

      Choose the wrong professional for the job and you'll always get a bad outcome. "Hi, I need someone who can do a good long rodding.. yes it is quite urgent, can you come over and get started right away?"

      1. TRT Silver badge

        Re: hmmm....

        Ballcocks.

      2. Francis Boyle Silver badge

        Wll, according to

        the specialist literature* on the subject there are those who will do both.

        *Plumbing trade journals obviously.

    4. Ian 55

      Re: hmmm....

      Prostitution is also legal in the UK...

      1. IGotOut Silver badge

        Re: hmmm....

        Prostitution is also legal in the UK...

        Incorrect.

        There is a huge difference against not prosecuting someone and it being legal. For starters, they could start arresting them because the Daily Mail in on yet another right wing, piss poor researched morale crusade and the current powers that be, decide they need the votes, and not after worry about annoying things such as getting it through parliment.

        The legal method would require a change in the law and good look not annoying the morale brigade in that.

        https://www.cps.gov.uk/legal-guidance/prostitution-and-exploitation-prostitution#_Toc534624525

        http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2003/42/section/54

        1. Allan George Dyer
          Coat

          Re: hmmm....

          I thought that living off immoral earnings (e.g. running a brothel) and soliciting in a public place were illegal in the UK, but the actual act of prostitution was not against the law. However, you should probably ask a solicitor for a professional opinion.

          1. A.P. Veening Silver badge

            Re: hmmm....

            That would presuppose I respect lawyers. Not gonna happen.

            1. Allan George Dyer
              Trollface

              Re: hmmm....

              Who mentioned lawyers?

              1. A.P. Veening Silver badge

                Re: hmmm....

                As I understand it, a solicitor used to read law at university, so is some kind of lawyer. And just about all lawyers belong to the criminal class. There is a reason most politicians are lawyers.

                1. Allan George Dyer

                  Re: hmmm....

                  @A.P. Veening - Whoosh...

                  My joke was that someone who solicits might be called a solicitor. I didn't say it was a good joke.

                  1. A.P. Veening Silver badge

                    Re: hmmm....

                    I am afraid that one got lost in translation, my (sense of) punning is no more than usually adequate in other languages as Dutch doesn't lend itself very well for it.

              2. Alumoi Silver badge

                Re: hmmm....

                Whores, lawyers, politicians... Synonyms

                1. Fruit and Nutcase Silver badge
                  Coat

                  Re: hmmm....

                  With the first, you know you are going to get screwed, and it is part of the contract.

                  With lawyers and politicians, it is they who screw you

                  1. A.P. Veening Silver badge

                    Re: hmmm....

                    With the first, you get screwed with the benefit of getting laid, with the other two without.

                2. Anonymous Coward
                  Anonymous Coward

                  Re: hmmm....

                  "Whores, lawyers, politicians... Synonyms"

                  That's not fair. I know several sex workers and they're all decent, honest people.

                3. Blazde Silver badge

                  Re: hmmm....

                  "Whores, lawyers, politicians"

                  Sounds like a fun variation on rock, paper, scissors.

          2. batfink

            Re: hmmm....

            What kind of "solicitors" - the ones attracting you to the service, or the ones who are paying customers?

        2. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: hmmm....

          > For starters, they could start arresting them because the Daily Mail in on yet another right wing, piss poor researched morale crusade

          Except currently most of the problem is left wing feminists who are against the idea of men being allowed to buy women's bodies and feel that any women who choose to enter the industry are being forced to do so and as such they feel that they are campaigning to rescue these poor souls. Largely they are campaigning for the so called Scandinavian/Nordic model where they would like to see the purchasing of sex illegal rather than the selling of it. The stats coming out of Ireland since they adopted this legal stance shows that it has led to a significant rise in violent crimes against those it claims to protect.

          Probably the best way to help those to would rather not be in the industry would be remove some of the pressures which are causing the desperate to engage in survival sex as they feel they have no other option open to them.

          After that, coming down like a ton of bricks on those who are forcing people into providing sexual services against their wills. But while the whole industry is largely hidden it is more difficult to spot those.

          1. Korev Silver badge

            Re: hmmm....

            They also seem to forget that men offer and women purchase the services too (and various other combinations).

          2. CBM

            Re: hmmm....

            Not generally left wing. Because you don't like what they are saying you conclude they must be from the "other" side. Every time I've looked into one of these groups it has proven to be a false flag operation. They call themselves feminists, and use language that seems to focus on secular rights, but if you look into the background of the people involved in the groups promoting the "save them" antiporn/antiprostitution/"Nordic model", you will find most of them belong to conservative churches. Even if they could be called feminists, they are certainly not left wing.

            SWERF (Sex Worker Exclusionary Radical Feminist) is a (not complimentary) term that is used by other feminists to describe those who would exclude sex work from the definition of freedom.

            1. Anonymous Coward
              Anonymous Coward

              Re: hmmm....

              > Not generally left wing. Because you don't like what they are saying you conclude they must be from the "other" side.

              My comment was at least partly based on well publicised statements by the woman who was formerly the deputy labour leader. A job description which at least to my mind doesn't count as right wing. I understand that there are other female Labour MPs who have also taken up this mantel. A quick google shows this isn't purely a left wing viewpoint.

              It had not been my intention in any way to make this issue party political. I'm currently inclined to feel they all as bad as each other.

    5. Fizzle
      FAIL

      Dutch

      Down-arrowed for not being brave enough to spell "whore".

      1. A.P. Veening Silver badge

        Re: Dutch

        They used a correctly spelled Dutch word in a Dutch, fixed expression with a resembling pronunciation, nothing to do with bravery and everything with having a keen eye for linguistical detail, something some monoglotic idiot won't appreciate anyway.

        1. Grikath

          Re: Dutch

          Little to do with "Bravery"....

          I'm of the opinion that it's Good Form to appreciate the fact that El Reg is quite often read in the Workplace, so it makes sense to "bleep out" words that will quite likely trigger the corporate filters.

          Or make use of the many, many, many alternatives english has for taboo words, but that simply wasn't possible in this case.

          1. Excellentsword (Written by Reg staff)

            Re: Re: Dutch

            Yes, corporate filters.

            1. A.P. Veening Silver badge

              Re: Dutch

              You could have used the Dutch word for whore (hoer) and it would have passed all corporate filters, even Dutch.

  8. IGotOut Silver badge

    I'd say their respective service levels depend mainly on the kind of pipe you need unclogging.

    If you have ever seen euro porn from the 70's and 80's you'll know that plumber is always key to the 'plot'

  9. Ian 55

    I would love to know

    How many hack attempts are made on adultwork.com, the main sex work directory for the UK every day.

  10. Claverhouse Silver badge
    Unhappy

    Same sort of people who get fake outraged at Stallman & Trump...

    I would like to know why you used the stock illustration of a perfectly nice young model under Some fokken arse has bared the privates of 250,000 users' from Dutch brothel forum --- 'Hookers.nl is committed to privacy and we deeply regret the situation.' Ja, hoor!

    That's News of the World nasty.

    .

    https://www.readersdigest.ca/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2017/07/shutterstock_412848658.jpg

    if you take it down.

    1. IGotOut Silver badge

      Re: Same sort of people who get fake outraged at Stallman & Trump...

      It's called stock photography, get over it.

      And do you know her personally?

      She could be a devil worshiping, baby eating mass murderer for all you know.

      Reg, as he one of those that like to be offended on others behalf, can you change it to something more realustic, say an elderly, overweight drunk balding guy eating shit from a crack addicted trafficked sex worker from eastern europe.

      Thanks.

  11. Claverhouse Silver badge

    Also... vBulletin.

    That's all.

  12. Anonymous South African Coward Bronze badge

    I'm so glad I'm not that site admin!

  13. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Well *somebody* gave enough fucks to spend time to hack the web site.

    Obviously way more than the site admins did about their site security anyway....

  14. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Dunno hwat they're complaining about

    Surely they got what they wanted, they're well and truly screwed.

  15. Crisp
    Go

    Why isn't public transport free?

    Surely 250,000 members have been exposed?

  16. sitta_europea Silver badge

    One thing the hackers seem to forget is that they're vulnerable to hacks too....

  17. First Light

    Jokes aside

    US State Dept Human Rights Report 2018

    " . . the Netherlands is a source, destination, and transit country for men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor. The largest group of identified victims are Dutch girls enticed by young male traffickers, known as "lover boys," who coerce vulnerable girls into sexual exploitation, often through a sham romantic relationship. . . The Netherlands is a source country for child sex tourists."

    Legalizing prostitution requires a supply that can NEVER meet demand since the vast majority of women (shocker!) don't want to do it. Inevitable result: increase in human trafficking, as seen in NSW, and lax enforcement, as seen in the Netherlands, where trafficking is underreported and prosecutions are few and far between and result in light sentences. https://www.dutchrapporteur.nl/current/news/victims-of-human-trafficking-still-underreported.aspx

    One also questions the need for legalized prostitution in the age of Tinder, etc. Much easier to get shagged these days without even paying for it. You don't even have to buy someone a drink at a bar anymore.

    I personally do not believe that a fair balance of rights has been struck between the small number of women who WANT to work as prostitutes (in a country with significant other employment opportunities for women and free public education) and their loser-ass clients, and the much larger number of women, men and kids who get trafficked and raped in a black market which has been expanded by legalization.

    1. Danny 2

      Re: Jokes aside

      It's a complicated issue. I've read academic feminist criticism of the "Swedish model" of criminalisation of the Johns as it drives the trade underground and beyond regulation. Compared to the "Dutch model" where the workers are taxed, unionised and safer. Even that is an inaccurate simplification of course.

    2. Cederic Silver badge

      Re: Jokes aside

      Sexual exploitation and trafficking will occur where providing personal services is not legal too, so I'm not sure it's a reasonable argument against legalisation.

      If anything a regulated legal industry offers customers a level of certainty that they are in fact not supporting exploitation.

      I would also suggest avoiding terms such as 'loser-ass clients'; a lot of escorts have repeat customers that are primarily paying for someone to sit there and listen sympathetically to them, and not for sex at all. Other clients prefer the relative honesty of a straightforward transaction rather than the complexities and deceits involved in a relationship, even one lasting only a single night.

      Any legislation needs to balance a large range of complex and nuanced motives and needs that the industry services, from both providers and customers, and demonising participants is unhelpful.

      (For the record: I've never engaged in prostitution, in any role, although based on the approaches I get while dancing I could probably earn a decent living as a male escort)

      1. A.P. Veening Silver badge

        Re: Jokes aside

        You don't pay a prostitute for sex but for lack of problems afterward.

        Q: What do you call a woman who has had sex with a man and gets money afterward?

        A: Divorced (alimony)

  18. Winkypop Silver badge
    Coat

    Well

    They're screwed I guess.

    I'll get dressed now... -->

  19. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Re. Bared

    Actually there is a subset of folks who go and work in people's houses, sans clothing doing the usual cleaning tasks.

    Not sure what the term is but some of them use similar forums, and the hourly rate is actually in some cases lower than the "Official" cleaners.

    (gets coat, trench obviously)

    1. Danny 2

      Re: Re. Bared

      Aye, but after the nude cleaners have cleaned your house then you have to clean it again using bleach.

    2. Cederic Silver badge

      Re: Re. Bared

      It makes sense that the hourly rate is lower. I would certainly pay extra for my cleaner to wear clothes.

      Fortunately he already does.

  20. Danny 2

    real names – for example, johnsmith@gmail.com

    I knew John Smith, he went to school with me. He was a nice guy, a bit shy, not surprised he turned to use prostitutes but I don't think he should have been named and shamed here.

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