This has been an intermittent problem for me since I joined Steemit, but it has got much worse lately.
Oddly, I am not experiencing the level of censorship as are you.
Clearly the interface between Steemit and the blockchain is being impacted by some new means of attack. I have read the devs are on it, and, in fact, this may be adding to the interface issues being actuated.
I have been rather otherwise busied of late with work, so the amount of interaction I conduct with the interface has been limited, and this may also partially explain my reduced level of experience of this problem, if the problem is resulting from blockchain issues.
DDoS is bandwidth attacks, and while I have witnessed experiments attempting to deplete blockchain bandwidth attacks on particular users fail, it may be that someone has found better tools to conduct such attacks.
Best info I have atm.
I recall about a month ago there was a problem with many accounts being informed we had too little SP to interact with the blockchain, which was swiftly solved by the devs, IIRC. Perhaps that was a shot across the bow...
"Oddly, I am not experiencing the level of censorship as are you.
Clearly the interface between Steemit and the blockchain is being impacted by some new means of attack."
Goodness, I didn't even think of that. I don't think someone is trying to censor my posts specifically, but someone intercepting packets or drowning them out via the DDoS is a frightening prospect.
I guess if all else fails when trying to censor, you can always attack the underlying server, utlility, or tech.
"I recall about a month ago there was a problem with many accounts being informed we had too little SP to interact with the blockchain, which was swiftly solved by the devs, IIRC. "
I actually thought needing SP to interact with the chain was a decent defense against some types of DDoS...but I'm not an expert on black hat antics.
I guess if all else fails when trying to censor
@lexiconical! I had this same thought. I don't think it's a personal attack to censor, as much as an attack on the entire Steemit platform.
Let's face it: There are hacker-developers in the competition (i.e. popular social media sites) who are not going to stand idly by and let this decentralized platform gain Steem; and, threaten their standing.
It's clear that the persistent tech-woes is a major dilemma for hopes of growing the site.
I can't help but believe that Steemit might be affecting the downtrend of STEEM.
Of course, I could be wrong.
Btw, I actually went to busy.org to upload comments for a while, as several attempts to get past the looping Loading got a little annoying.
One good thing, is that while extremely slow, it ultimately uploaded the comments.
Thanks for sharing!
Peace.
"I can't help but believe that Steemit might be affecting the downtrend of STEEM."
If so, that might actually be good. I'm confident they can address these issues in the medium to long term. If that is what's holding us back, it's a fixable problem.
Thanks for your optimism @lexiconical. I am truly encouraged.
Now, if I log in tomorrow and the domain is for sale, I won't hold it against you. I see how hard you work; and will know you were as blindsided as I was.
Creating all of those flawless witness posts; AND, replying to comments makes me pray that you're pacing yourself...burnout isn't cool ;+)....
Btw, why don't you set yourself up to become a witness. You've got my vote. In all the research, I haven't been able to find how to un-vote a witness. I know it's possible. Do you have any links?
One last thing, you've had a tough week defending your pal. I've read a few of the comments, even commented on a post with your pic of 'you' as a cat emerging out of the waters.
Again, thanks for the encouragement!
Peace.
"I see how hard you work; and will know you were as blindsided as I was."
Hah, yes, I'm sure this will be a passing problem. I'm certainly not expecting any greater ramifications...
"burnout isn't cool ;+)...."
What's that? Hah...I'm trying to take some time off, but I am eager to remain productive.
"you've had a tough week defending your pal"
I'd defend anyone who was being attacked with misinformation.
"commented on a post with your pic of 'you' as a cat emerging out of the waters."
Wait, is there a post mocking me somewhere with a cat photoshop? I'm going to need a link if so, gotta see this.
"Again, thanks for the encouragement!"
Same to you!
Wait, is there a post mocking me somewhere with a cat photoshop? I'm going to need a link if so, gotta see this. (lol)
Ha! Remember, it’s a new week; but, here it is…
https://steemit.com/witness-category/@therneau/the-show-is-on-jerry-banfield-parry-duck-block
What's that? Hah...I'm trying to take some time off, but I am eager to remain productive.
Yes, when I wrote that I realized that this type of work is fuel for your fire (life). As air to lungs, creative design is steem to your engine.
And on that note, Steem On!
Peace.
Hah, not a bad article. No character assassination! Pretty unbiased view.
8/10, would be a cat again. Upvoted.
I didn't mean to imply that someone was trying to censor you in particular, but that disabling our posts is effectively censorship, and I believe you interact with the blockchain more than I, which then would make you more vulnerable to such effects.
Good points. Sorry for the overly-literal interpretation.
What doesn't kill us makes us stronger. If the devs can solve these ongoing problems, like that new bot looking for and reporting on phishing attacks, maybe Steemit will get more bulletproof. It'd be nice. But then I'm no tech genius and the black hats always seem to come up with new way to give us a wedgie, especially if they're funded from that bottomless fiat well!
Sometimes significant impairment can arise from less than lethal events. =p
Still, I agree with your sentiment, particularly as it regards hardening Steemit against attacks. It may be that ongoing work to harden Steemit is the cause of our present difficulties. Absent timely information from Stinc, it's impossible to say.
There is one attack against which Steemit is defenseless presently, which I hope remains too expensive to undertake for the minor threat Steemit represents. I know that my concerns have been heard at Stinc, and what comes of that is out of my hands.
I lamented the loss of free speech serially on fora and various sites and boards over the last few decades, and will lament losing it here, should that come to pass.
I am confident that there are yet more battles to be won. Until we are lost, or prevail, there always will be.
What are the censorship and "loss of free speech" in Steemit/Stinc you referred to in your replies to lexiconical and citizenzero respectively?
I saw lexiconical replied to you with some reservation about the idea of censorship personally against himself, if I got to what he meant.
If DDoS and such attacks on the platform are intended to disrupt posting, this is censorship of all the posters, and not just @lexiconical, but everyone on the platform.
This is closer to how I see it.
This comment has received a 1.42 % upvote from @buildawhale thanks to: @stimialiti. Send at least 0.50 SBD to @buildawhale with a post link in the memo field for a portion of the next vote.
To support our curation initiative, please vote on my owner, @themarkymark, as a Steem Witness
I suppose if these problems are caused internally by attempts to bolster Steemit itself, they aren't going to warn us users for the same reasons that a release of nuclear fallout is never mentioned in the media: People would change their behavior to compensate for the danger and that cannot be tolerated. Though technology continues to advance, some things never change.
Update: got this response from @apsu on Steemit chat:
Just another opinion?
It's certainly a plausible explanation for such problems, however, in the wake of the DDoS, and given the extent of the problem, there may be other factors involved.
It may be instructive to have a look at any recent problems witnesses have encountered, or whether there have been disruptions in the complement of witnesses of late. I doubt the community has responded to the DDoS by doing nothing, and it is probable coders are busy breaking things and putting them back together - too busy to do any hand-holding.
I hope you're right. I'm really out of my league when it comes to hacking, but the conspiracy theorist (and writer) in me keeps having visions of that DDoS attack as a diversionary tactic allowing an "insider" to slip in some malware that causes just enough problems and doubt in the bloggers to drive them away and thus quash Steemit's advance. Who needs Jamie Damon? He's now shut his mouth.
But you've said it's been happening since you started so I'm probably full of...uh, Steem. (I wish)
It's easy to imagine the worst. One of the issues, the cause of @lexiconical's post, is lack of specific knowledge. The coders are in action, and no one's (apparently) assigned to tell us what's actually going on.
Maybe the community liaison, @andrarchy, has more information. I'm certain he has better understanding than I!
Thanks for the info. I'm still learning how to contact people in the blogosphere. This is my first time actually doing social media. The learning curve is steep. Hope the climb is worth it and that there's a bobsled on the other side. :)
What is the name of that bot looking for and reporting on phishing attacks?
It seems interesting because I have no idea about how does such a thing work.
I also read about it for the first time in this comment of yours.
Gosh. I read about it in Steemit chat, I think. I've actually seen some warnings in other people's wallets. Before that post about @samstonehill getting his account stolen, I saw that same "account has been frozen..." message in the @curie wallet and wondered what was going on. The warning I saw today was about a request for .001 SD to be sent to somebody for something and right after it a warning that this was a phishing attack and not to answer. Sorry I can't be more specific. If I find out more tomorrow I'll let you know.
I see your @valued-customer handle in Steem chat. If you have notification set up I'll contact you that way if that works for you.
I think I read about this phishing attempt against the established players here too.
When you wrote about valued-customer handle in Steem chat you probably confused him with me. He might miss this reply of yours because of this confusion, since you posted it in a reply to me, and not to him.
Sorry. I was tired last night and not paying close attention. If you have a presence on Steemin Chat, I will get back to you with that info if I find it. Or I can just post it here. Thanks
I still do not have a presence on Steemin/t chat.
Would appreciate if you will post it here.
I must have been mistaken. I can't seem to get an answer from anyone on that bot I thought I read about. I'll let you know if I get more info. sorry.
This comment has received a 1.34 % upvote from @buildawhale thanks to: @stimialiti. Send at least 0.50 SBD to @buildawhale with a post link in the memo field for a portion of the next vote.
To support our curation initiative, please vote on my owner, @themarkymark, as a Steem Witness