New on LowEndTalk? Please Register and read our Community Rules.
All new Registrations are manually reviewed and approved, so a short delay after registration may occur before your account becomes active.
All new Registrations are manually reviewed and approved, so a short delay after registration may occur before your account becomes active.
Comments
Thank you for your mention!
Initially, SporeStack had no token system. Every server was separate, and launching a server (or renewing it) involved a separate payment. This meant someone could pay well under a dollar to get a server for a day, and attracted all kinds of abuse (not right away, but eventually.)
I don't like having extra customer funds on hand, but I think there isn't another way to curb most of it. When I first introduced the token funcitonality, I changed the minium buy-in a few times. I had it at $25, and still lots of abuse came in. I had it at $250 and abuse went to a crawl, but understandably not as many people wanted to sign up with it so high. $100 seems to be a happy middleground. I still wish it could be less, or strictly pay-as-you-go for those who want it.
There might be some similar options, like arbitration with a third party. I haven't looked into that yet.
Sorry that's a shit situation.
I don't know the exact setup you have (maybe I should sign up and see) but adding a VM to each node to act as the gateway for the user VPS gives you much more direct control.
TierHive got listed on nodeseek within a few minutes of the first LES exclusive post about it, and because of the free tokens we spent the first month wasting our time on dealing with abuse in many forms and duplicate account for free tokens farming.
Mostly from nodeseek, then another influx the first time it was mentioned here.
So we used to give away a lot now we don't give away so much and also have about 20 levels of filtering, it's crazy.
We have found a happy balance now but it was a rough start.
I am sure the entire nodeseek community is not bad but it's big enough and a large enough percentage of them don't care if their actions shut things down for everyone as long as they get their free stuff, it's a genuine problem. Really this place is turning into an English language nodeseek now too in my observations.
If I can help at all let me know.
Ant.
If it was a legacy account holder, I wonder if the server was being used by someone else or compromised.
Thanks Ant, I appreciate it - I would like to make it clear that the few problems we have had, have been nothing to do with LET or LES
. Although as you say things are becoming more and more like English Nodeseek 
@concept - I agree, I am also aware of the recent exploits e.g. CopyFail etc. I don't really know how to protect against a users VPS being affected. I have a strict policy of 'no entry' so mitigation has to be done by the client - and likely not (back to free abuse etc).
Thanks for the tip. That is quite easy to implement for our NAT users but we also supply IPv6 direct to the VPS which I think would mean I would have to do NAT v6 as well. I can of course see the advantages
You can just make the gateway be for ipv6 too in ::2 and configure ipv6 forward.
I will ping you when I get home instead of caveman thumb typing on my phone
Although nodeseek is a Chinese website, it has been blocked by the Chinese government’s firewall. Chinese users who can access nodeseek will largely use cryptocurrencies because cryptocurrencies are anonymous.
127
Cryptocurrency is semi-illegal in mainland China, and no exchange operates legally in mainland China.
But this does not prevent users from mainland China from using exchanges in other countries
While almost all exchanges are blocked by the Chinese government’s Great Firewall, the firewall is easily bypassed
Because I'm selling a VPN that gives people who can't access Google access to Google.
Sending out an email to all users of FOSSVPS on new policy.
Important.
Abuse policy change and termination of NodeSeek accounts
Because of abuse by a NodeSeek client on our mol1 node and as a result, the suspension by the provider. I have decided to introduce a Name And Shame policy. If we are notified of abuse your details WILL be published on the forums.
This is a change which (for privacy reasons) some clients may not be happy with, however we must enforce the rules. Our clients are supposed to be Open Source Developers not abusers. So if you are not happy with this new policy, please contact [email protected] providing your node and vmid details (using your registered email address) and we will terminate your server and destroy all data.
If you do not contact us by Friday 29th of May 2026 we will assume you are happy with this change in conditions and your service will continue.
We have had multiple abuse issues and all have come from NodeSeek clients. At FOSSVPS we will not allow our donors or FOSSVPS reputation to be diminished. As a result (reluctantly) I have made the decision that from Friday the 29th ALL NodeSeek clients WILL have their VPS terminated and all data destroyed.. Please backup your data as a matter of urgency.
Let's wait their reaction https://www.nodeseek.com/post-502631-28
I wonder if a /blog/ on the site with a copy of these emails/notices might be helpful? For a clear record I guess, not sure it matters just a thought.
That is in the pipeline. All 'notice' emails will be available online and in this particular case, a link back to this thread.
Hi, I've sent a pm on les. Thanks.
Keep us updated - I won't go near there.
"but mine was restored"
You've got another rat to bash @msatt
imgur does not show images in the UK (no comment necessary).
As far as NS 'clients' their days are numbered. Looks like the non NS clients will be getting an even less loaded server soon....
Tagging @backtogeek for the browser proxy project
what's his name? I will forward its behavior to NS to let it public.
I think punishing all NS user is a bit harsh. It feels like what VeloxMedia did when trying to punish all LET users. Surely if a user happens to be on NS but can prove they are a genuine FOSS developer with a non-zero reputation and not just someone who posted one PR to a random project to get a free VPS, they should not be kicked off.
Wouldn't it be better just to sharply increase the level of verification required for NS users? That might help prevent them from trying to sign up and abuse the service "in anger", while also allowing genuine developers to avoid being discriminated against. It also gives you more flexibility to apply such verification to any group that becomes problematic rather than hardcoding NS in the ToS.
Wouldn't that count as doxing and be against LET rules? It might be better to just publish their NS/LET handle and allow the community to rip on them rather than genuinely doxing their personal info.
They could get new NS/LET handle. But, building github reputation is harder. There's no need to publish their real name
I agree. I just think the real name / phone number / address / email should be kept confidential or it would count as doxing.
But NS/LET handle or GitHub handle? Yeah that's fair game. Perhaps even make that information public to begin with, and then if an account has to be terminated for abuse, just tell which account number has been terminated, and people could connect the dots on their own.
don’t have their real name, only their github repo and email address, it’s easy to create a new one, that’s no sunk cost for abusers. that is sad.
real KYC is a good idea for special group like NS
There's input on First name- Last name, but it's unlikely @msatt or @Not_Oles KYCed them. So, unless they use name such as "Xi Jinping" they won't get rejected
That's my name. Anything wrong with it?
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
As @igctt mentioned, we have Email, Git / web address, forum name and their alleged first / last name. As far as doxxing - this is the clients decision. No one forces them to join or accept our conditions and no one forces them to abuse.
FOSSVPS has been criticised for requesting too much personal info but if we don't, I am sure the abuse would be even more.
There has to be repercussions when an entire node is suspended because of a clients actions.
@forest I certainly understand your comments about just releasing a forum name and users letting 'rip' but these clients are supposed to be Open Source Developers so the clue is 'Open'. I am not going to cater for a minority group hiding behind privacy concerns. As far as Nodeseek clients I totally understand the 'fairness' of this decision. It is not fair for the genuine 'safe' NS clients but I am afraid I either don't see any real development or I just see high usage and abuse. LET and LES clients have been fine, it is only NS.
FOSSVPS is not about being subversive it is for the benefit of all, not just an individual.
I woke up this morning to 11 new registration requests via NS, and LET - I wonder why (I am not stupid). They are either new members or want to host a website / blog. I suppose it shows that good or bad publicity works.
Sadly it's still about item 20 on my to-do list.
True. I suppose it's not doxing if they agree to it in the ToS.