Half-Life 2 gold hoax: what really happened


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Apologies for the new thread, but it beats spamming this in every existing thread on the subject.

Earlier today, HL2 Fallout began puting out uncompiled PHP source code instead of web pages due to a server misconfiguration. This allowed anyone to see all the passwords on the site for all usernames, site databases and so on. The entire site was wide open.

The hole was closed, but not before someone downloaded the appropriate parts of the code and found Gabe's password (which incidentaly was not gaben, based on the fact that none of the millions of would-be script kiddies guesed it, and that all we have is the word of whoever stole the account in the first place). He then waited for the problem to be fixed, changed the password and posted with the account.

There was no guessing Gabe's password. Somebody simply went in and grabbed it.

Edit: HL2 Fallout is back up and makes no mention of a PHP leak. Seems odd, with the amount of the stuff I've seen flying around. I'll look further into it.

Second edit: DaCoOlNeSs has just pointed out that gaben is too short (min 6 chars), further discrediting the rumour.

Edited by Varsity
That's a B.S. story. If that's what they're saying that happened, definitely bull. Gabe is probably telling them to make up a B.S. story so he doesn't look like an ass.

not really, that and passwords were all over bad websites.

Sorry, I should have said Michael Jackson, but I figured as a straight person that I wouldn't want to be raped by that ugly mf'er or anyone so I put him .:p

Lol, you have some taste dude.

That is so lame with what happened to that web site. Thanks for letting us know. That was very first visit to hl2 source and I was shocked to see that.

Oh comon, this is total bull**** and you know it.

They are using version 1.3.1 of IPB (the same one as Neowin has), and IPB has not posted any upgrades for it.

If this was the case, then nearly every site would of been 0wned by now.

Another thing - the database stores nothing more than MD5 hashes. Even if you know the password, it takes weeks to reverse engineer (or brute force) the password, unless it was really short, which 'gaben' is - but that would still take days upon days to reverse engineer.

This is 100% bull**** and I'd expect nothing more from our good friend gabe.

Oh comon, this is total bull**** and you know it.

They are using version 1.3.1 of IPB (the same one as Neowin has), and IPB has not posted any upgrades for it.

If this was the case, then nearly every site would of been 0wned by now.

Another thing - the database stores nothing more than MD5 hashes. Even if you know the password, it takes weeks to reverse engineer (or brute force) the password, unless it was really short, which 'gaben' is - but that would still take days upon days to reverse engineer.

This is 100% bull**** and I'd expect nothing more from our good friend gabe.

IPB can store text passwords and md5...a lot of websites do.

Oh good god...

You guys are never gonna get this game, are you? it's a good thing I don't concern myself too much with PC gaming, considering that by now I'd have to drop close to a grand to get my PC in shape for games like Doom3 or HL2.

Another thing - the database stores nothing more than MD5 hashes. Even if you know the password, it takes weeks to reverse engineer (or brute force) the password, unless it was really short, which 'gaben' is - but that would still take days upon days to reverse engineer.

i always thought md5 hashes couldn't be de-hashed ;)

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